The Watson Challenge will be held at Mission Hills Country Club from June 6 to 8, 2024. Tom Watson’s vision for the Watson Challenge began in 2007 to “Determine the best golfer in Kansas City.” The event raises funds for The First Tee of Kansas City, benefitting our area children.
Spectator Information: Off-site parking and shuttle will be located at Pembroke Hill High School. Tickets are available at the gate for a suggested donation of $25 to the First Tee of Kansas City. Media will be allowed entry with valid employer credentials.
Past Champions
2024 Field
Wade Binfield, Professional
Brookridge Golf and Fitness
Collegiate All-American, Turned Pro in 2010, 2015-2018 PGA Tour Canada, 2019-2021 & 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Member.
Ed Brown, Amateur
Shamrock Hills Golf Club
2021 & 2023 KC Sernior Amateur Champion, 2023 KC Sernior Match Play Champion, 2019, 2021, & 2023 Missouri Mid-Amateur (Senior) Champion, 2021 Open Dicision Club Champion at Swope Memorial, 2011 Open Division Club Champion at Shamrock Hills, 2019 Senior Club Champion at Shamrock Hills.
Bret Burgmeier, Professional
Wolf Creek Golf Club
Shot 63 in a Midwest Section PGA event.
Kyle Capps, Professional
Hallbrook Country Club
Drew Carlson, Amateur
Milburn Country Club
Qualified for The Watson Challenge in 2019, 2022, & 2024, 2022 KC Match Play Finalist, 2023 Kansas Amateur Quarterfinalist, Milburn Country Club – Club Champion, Winner – Falcon Wealth Advisor Tour Championship, 2024 Kanza Cup Winner
Maxence Catherine, Amateur
UMKC Men’s Golf Alumni
Three-time 2nd Team All-Conference, Freshman of the Year at UMKC, Three-time All-American Scholar.
Davis Cooper, Professional
Nicklaus Golf Club at Lionsgate
2022 Watson Challenge Champion, 2021 Windon Memorial Champion
Wylie Curtis, Amateur
Shawnee Mission East High School
2022 Midwest Junior Champion, 2023 Team State Champion.
Gregory Diederich, Amateur
The National Golf Club of Kansas City
2022 Club Champion at The National Golf Club of Kansas City.
Calvin Dillon, Amateur
University of Central Missouri
2020 Missouri Junior Amateur Champion, 2019 KC Junior Match Play Champion, 2023 NCIS Championship Runner-Up, 2023 & 2024 GCAA All-American Scholar, 2022 KC Amateur Runner-Up. This is Calvin’s third Watson Challenge appearance.
Tyler Docking,
2024 Runner-Up KC Match Play
Sean Dougherty, Professional
Golf TRK
2011 & 2015 PGA Championship Participant, 2015 PGA Cup Team Member.
Alex Downing, Amateur
Shamrock Hills Golf Club
2x Academic All-American, 3x Falcon Wealth Advisor Tour Player of the Year, 2022 Kansas Amateur Runner-up, 2 Career Hole-in-Ones – Both on Par 4s
Tyler Dunn, Professional
Blue Hills Country Club
Third Place at 2009 Watson Challenge, 2014 Midwest Section PGA Player of the Year & Assistant Player of the Year, 2020 Midwest Section Assistant Player of the Year, 2015 & 2018 PGA Professional National Championship Participant.
Ryan Eckroat, Professional
Ironhorse Golf Course
2011 & 2012 Member of the Southwest PGA Gibson Cup, 2013 Member of the Southwest PGA Goldwater Cup, 2017 Champion of the Northern California PGA Section, Qualified for the Watson Challenge 2020-2023.
Ryne Fisher, Amateur
Blue Hills Country Club
2x Kansas City Amateur Champion, 2x Kansas City Masters Champion, 1x Kansas City Match Play Champion
Jackson Foth, Amateur
Lake Quivira Country Club
2018 KC Match Play Champion, 2018 Pine to Palm Champion, 2013 Heart of America Four-Ball Champion, and three Watson Challenge Top 10s. This is Jackson’s seventh Watson Challenge appearance.
Ben Hadden, Professional
Shawnee Golf and Country Club
2021 PGA Tour Canada Member, 3x United Airlines Pro-Am Champion, Salina Country Club Record Holder at 60 (-11), 2019 NAIA All-American
Austin Hardison, Professional
Excelsior Springs Golf Course
2018, 2020, 2021 Midwest Section PGA Assistant Champion, 2023 Midwest Section PGA Professional Champion. This is Austin’s fourth Watson Challenge appearance.
Andrew Hatten, Amateur
Blue Hills Country Club
Two-time Missouri 4-Ball Champion, 2007 Missouri Mid-Amateur Runner-Up. This is Andrew’s third Watson Challenge.
Charlie Hillier
Wolf Creek Golf Club
2023 Brazil Open Champion, 2023 Top 5 Latino America 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Member, University of Kansas 2015-2019
Harry Hillier, Professional
Wolf Creek Golf Club/Kansas University
2022 Nebraska Open Champion, 2024 Race to Tieke Champion, 12th Place in 2023 New Zealand Open, Current Member of the PGA Tour Americas
Alex Hogan, Amateur
Blue Hills Country Club, Rockhurst High School
2023 KC Junior Champion
Austin Jarchow, Professional
Shamrock Hills Golf Club
University of Central Missouri Golf Alumni, High School Golf at Lees Summit West, 2-time Qualifier for Professional National Championship.
Will King, Amateur
Kansas University
2023 NCAA Division I Qualifier, 2023 Gopher Invitational Champion, 2024 All-Big 12 Tournament Team, Finished tied for eighth at 2024 Big 12 Championship. This is Will’s second Watson Challenge.
Connor Knabe, Amateur
Former K-Sate Men’s Golf Team
This is Connor’s sixth Watson Challenge.
Michael Letzig, Professional
The Club at Porto Cima
Missouri Amateur Champion, 15 years as a professional Golfer, and five years on the PGA Tour. This is Michael’s seventh Watson Challenge.
Henry Mayor
Mission Hills Country Club/Rockhurst High School
2021-2023 Mission Hills Country Club Junior Club Champion, 2023 Hurrican Junior Tour Fall Classic Champion in Chicago.
Ian McCrary, Amateur
Kansas State University
Member of the Kansas State Men’s Golf Team. This is Ian’s second Watson Challenge.
Michael McGee, Amateur
Indiana University
2023 US Mid-Amateur Qualifier
Bryan Norton, Amateur
Mission Hills Country Club
Three-time Kansas Senior Amateur Champion.
Bryson Oots, Amateur
William Jewell College
State Champion 2022, Kenneth Smith Award Winner, 2-time NCAA Division II Champion, and Individual Selection for the Division II Regional Tournament.
Sam Parrott, Amateur
Central Links Golf
2018 DII GCAA All-American, 2018 GCAA All Region, 2019 Holiday Inn Express Classic Champion, 2021 KC Am Champion, 2021 CLG Player of the Year. This is Sam’s fifth Watson Challenge appearance.
Jared Paul, Professional
Southwestern College
One College and two Professional victories. This is Jared’s third Watson Challenge appearance.
Ben Pearson, Amateur
Falcon Ridge Golf Club
Third Place in 2023 Kansas Mid-Amateur, Second Place in 2022 Kansas Mid-Amateur, 2023 KC Four-Ball Champion, Second Place in 2023 Hear of America, Semi-Finalist in 2023 KC Match Play. This is Ben’s second Watson Challenge appearance.
Chance Rinkol, Amateur
University of Iowa
AJGA Joplin Junior Champion, 2023 Midwest PGA Section Junior Golf Student of the Year, and Founder of Red Bags Shootout.
Robert Russell, PGA
Nickalaus Golf Club at Lionsgate
2023 Watson Challenge Champion
Andy Spencer, Professional
Wolf Creek Golf Club/University of Kansas
Status on the Challenge Tour, Three-time Watson Challenge Champion, having won in 2017, 2018, and 2021.
Alex Springer, Amateur
Sycamore Ridge Golf Course
2019 Watson Challenge Champion. Alex will make his seventh appearance at the Watson Challenge.
Tyler Strong, Amateur
Praire Highland Golf Course
2023 Kansas Junior Amateur Champion, 2023 Junior Player of the Year, Committed to K-State Golf in the Fall.
Julian Taylor, Professional
Tiffany Greens Golf Course
3-time All-American, 14 collegiate wins, NAIA Golfstat Cup winner. This is Julian’s second Watson Challenge Appearance.
Park Ulrich, Amateur
Nicklaus Golf Club at Lionsgate
Zach VanDolah, Amateur
Tiffany Greens Golf Club
2023 Kansas Player of the Year, 2022 & 2023 Kansas City Player of the Year, 2023 Kansas City Amateur Champion, 2022 Kansas Mid-Amateur Champion, 2022 Kansas City Match Play Champion. Zach will be playing in his fifth Watson Challenge.
Brad Volker, Professional
The Nicklaus Club at Lionsgate
2018 Midwest Section Player Development Award Winner. This is Brad’s sixth Watson Challenge.
Kevin Ward, Professional
The Golf Stable/Mission Hills Country Club/Wolf Creek Golf Club
Founder of The Golf Stable, 2023 Midwest Section PGA Teacher of the Year, Golf Digest Top in the State, 2004 “Show Me, Sunflower” Champion, 2004 Kansas Golfer Summer Four-Ball Finalist
Michael Winslow, Amateur
Wichita State University
2024 AAC All-Conference, 2018 Kansas Junior Amateur Champion, 2018 5A State Champion, Runner-Up in 2024 Kansas Amateur, Runner-Up in 2024 Missouri Amateur.
Joseph Winslow, Professional
Wolf Creek Golf Club
Tied for Fourth in PGA TOUR Americas Brazil Open, Winner – PGA TOUR China Yantai Championship, 3x Kansas High School State Champion
Heeil Yang, Professional
PXG
Member of the Korean Professional Golfers Association.
Two additional golfers will earn their spot in the Watson Challenge Field after playing the Watson Challenge Junior Qualifier on Friday, May 31st. Full results from that event can be found here >>