By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
In his first event as a Professional Golf Association of America member, Andrew Stephens of Union tied for fourth place in the 2018 Stroke Play Championship at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Fla, this week.
Stephens, director of instruction at the Stephens Golf Academy in Burlington, was the first-round leader after carding a 67 on Sunday. He had rounds of 72 and 73 the next two days to finish with a 212 total and received a check for $1,793.
Frank Esposito Jr., a teaching pro at Forsgate Country Club in New Jersey, placed first with a three-day total of 208 and received a check for $5,000. He had rounds of 68, 72 and 68.
Stephens was accepted into PGA of America on Jan. 4 and he commanded some attention by placing fourth in his first tournament as a member.
“Honestly, I didn’t have super high expectations coming in because I just haven’t played that much,” he said after the first round. “We’ve had a pretty rough winter.”
PGA of America is a world-wide organizations for professionals who work daily to grow interest and participation in the game. Stephens and his wife, Sara, founded the Stephens Golf Academy in 2015 to do just that.
Andrew played on the University of Kentucky men’s golf team that won the 2005 SEC Championship. After graduation, he competed on various professional tours for five years. He won the professional division in the 2008 Kentucky Open and took home the $10,000 first-place prize.
Andrew successfully qualified for U.S. Open sectionals six times throughout his playing career, narrowly missing a berth in the 2014 U.S. Open by two strokes. He currently holds four course records, including Triple Crown Country Club (61) and Ft. Mitchell Country Club (63).