The Kansas City Golf Association rewards exceptional play for our golfers through a season long points system that determines the Player of the Year for each division through the number of events played and how well a golfer placed in the events he/she played. Our points system also takes in to consideration the “weight” of each event – if it is a regional championship or USGA qualifier more points are available.
We have three Player of the Year awards for our men’s division and three for our women’s: Amateur Player of the Year, Senior Player of the Year and Junior Player of the Year.
Our Men’s Amateur POY for 2018 is Andy Spencer. Spencer is currently a junior on the Kansas University golf team and is no stranger to the KCGA limelight. Spencer is the winner of the 2017 and 2018 Watson Challenge and a semifinalist in the 2018 Kansas Amateur Championship. Spencer also qualified for the US Amateur at Pebble Beach. Spencer’s consistent play gave him a lead over second place finisher and KC Amateur Champion, Blake Allen.
Our Women’s Amateur POY for 2018 is Lacy Shelton. Shelton had another great year of golf with a third place finish in the Women’s Mid-Am Championship as well as a runner up finish in the Women’s Match Play. Shelton also qualified with her partner Megan Propeck with a five-under round of 65 in the 2019 US Women’s Four-Ball qualifying at Mission Hills CC. Shelton edged out Carmen Titus to win the honor.
Our Men’s Senior POY race was a close one between three or four of our top talents. Ultimately Mark Addington edged out Steve Groom for player of the year with a year that featured wins in the Stateline Championship and the Low Senior at the KC Amateur Championship. Addington had top five finishes in almost every tournament he competed in and was a semi-finalist in the KC Senior Match Play as well as tied for third in the Kansas Senior Amateur.
Pam Simpson has taken the Women’s Senior POY award over a close second finisher, Denise Desilet. Simpson’s season highlights include a semi-finalist finish in the Women’s Match Play and qualifying for the both the US Women’s Mid-Am and US Senior Women’s Amateur. Simpson is one of KC’s consistent qualifier for USGA events.
The 2018 Boys’ Player of the Year was decided upon by the Committee based on astounding play and finishes. The Committee decided that Justin Wingerter after winning both the KC Junior Championship and most recently the KC Masters, he bolstered an already talented resume to win Player of the Year. Other highlights from Wingerter’s season include qualifying for the US Junior Amateur and playing in the Watson Challenge. Wingerter also played on the KCGA Mid-America Junior Cup team that recently beat the Metropolitan Golf Association in a Ryder Cup style team event.
Megan Propeck had an outstanding year that solidified her last year’s performance. Propeck claimed the Girls Player of the Year title over second place finisher Julia Misemer with a win in the Kansas Junior Amateur, KC Junior Championship, and qualifying for the US Women’s Four-Ball with Lacy Shelton. Megan’s been a long time force in the KC Junior orbit and her talent continues to improve.
Congratulations to all of our 2018 Player of the Year recipients. The talent in the Kansas City area is a joy to watch and see compete throughout each season. We look forward to seeing how our current champions compete next year and perhaps new Player of the Year recipients.
To see the overall standings for the Men’s Player of the Year, see here.
To see the overall standings for the Women’s Player of the Year, see here.