Meet The Florida Club Pros Playing In The 2019 PGA Championship
(CBS Miami)- In a new spot on the calendar this year, the PGA Championship welcomes the world's best golfers to Bethpage State Park's famed Black Course in Farmingdale, New York. Playing alongside some of the sport's biggest names will be the top 20 club professionals from across the country who earned their spots by playing in the PGA Professional Championship earlier this month. Of the 20 pros making the trip to New York, three are from Florida golf clubs.
With play in the 2019 PGA Championship set to begin on Thursday, let's get to know the Florida club pros teeing it up.
Rod Perry, Head Professional, Crane Lakes Golf & Country Club
The 43-year-old Perry is no stranger to PGA Championships or PGA Tour events in general for that matter. This is his fifth PGA Championship appearance, returning after missing out on playing at Bellerive last year. The head professional at Crane Lakes Golf and Country Club in Port Orange, Florida has played in two Tour events this year, the Valspar Championship and Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he missed the cut at both. He claimed the PGA of America National Championship in 2013 and was the association's player of the year in 2012 and 2013.
Justin Bertsch, Head Professional, Hideout Golf Club
The head professional at Hideout Golf Club in Naples, Florida, Bertsch will be making his first appearance at the PGA Championship this year after finishing in the top 15 at the PGA Professional Championship. Bertsch made his PGA Tour debut earlier this year at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship in the Dominican Republic.
Andrew Filbert, Assistant Golf Professional, Royal Poinciana Golf Course
Filbert earned his spot in the 2019 PGA Championship in dramatic fashion, sinking a birdie on the first playoff hole in the PGA Professional Championship to beat out five other golfers for one of the two remaining spots. The assistant golf professional at Royal Poinciana Golf Course in Naples, Florida has played on Tour previously, teeing it up in the Honda Classic each of the last two years. He will be making his first PGA Championship appearance.
