Simpson, Tankersley Among First Rankings Of PGA TOUR University

As they prepare to embark on their final season of college golf, Lance Simpson and Cameron Tankersley have compiled impressive bodies of work over the course of their amateur careers that will hopefully lead to opportunities at the professional level.

One of those pathways into professional golf is PGA TOUR University, a ranking system that identifies the best players in collegiate golf and provides membership opportunities on PGA TOUR-affiliated tours. Since its introduction in 2020, PGA TOUR University alumni have won 39 professional events, and 18 alumni earned their PGA TOUR cards for the 2025 season.

PGA TOUR University released its Top 25 preseason ranking last week in advance of the 2025-26 college golf season, and both Simpson and Tankersley were among the honorees. Simpson, a Knoxville native who competes for Tennessee, was listed at No. 13. Meanwhile, Dickson’s Tankersley was among four Ole Miss golfers ranked, coming in at No. 17.

The University of Virginia’s Ben James is No. 1 on the first ranking of seniors in the Class of 2026. Texas has two players in the preseason top five – No. 2 Christiaan Maas and No. 4 Tommy Morrison – while Michael La Sasso, the reigning NCAA individual champion from Ole Miss, is No. 3, and Oklahoma’s Jase Summy rounds out the top five.

In partnership with the World Amateur Golf Ranking® (WAGR®), PGA TOUR University ranks players based on the last two years of their collegiate careers. Eligible Tournaments include NCAA Division I men's team competitions, official PGA TOUR tournaments and select DP World Tour events. The Ranking Period for the Class of 2026 concludes June 1, 2026, following the final round of stroke play at the 2026 NCAA Championship.

The No. 1 player in the final PGA TOUR University Ranking next June will earn PGA TOUR membership, while players Nos. 2-10 will earn Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2026 and players Nos. 11-25 will earn exempt membership for PGA TOUR Americas Segment II in 2026. Finishers Nos. 2-5 will be exempt into Final Stage of Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, while Nos. 6-25 will be exempt into Second Stage.

Also ranked are Vanderbilt’s Wells Williams at No. 6, and Duke’s Ethan Evans – who resides in Franklin after growing up in Washington – was listed at No. 24.

Tennessee Golfers Poised to Compete in Western Am

With a legacy of former champions that includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ben Crenshaw and Justin Leonard, the Western Amateur is renowned for being the toughest test in amateur golf since its founding in 1899.

The 123^rd playing of the event will take place starting Tuesday at Skokie Country Club in Glencoe, Ill., and a handful of golfers with Tennessee connections will participate in the grueling test.

Current Tennessee Vols Lance Simpson and Evan Woosley-Reed of Knoxville are in the field, along with teammate Jackson Herrington of Dickson. Another future Vol – Tyler Watts of Huntsville, Ala. – is also among the participants.

Also competing is Ole Miss golfer Cameron Tankersley of Dickson, as is incoming University of Tennessee at Chattanooga freshman Evan Rogers of Duluth, Ga. One other golfer with a Tennessee connection is Duke’s Ethan Evans, who lists Franklin as his home base.

The field features 156 invited players from across the world. They play 18 holes of individual stroke play on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which the field is cut to the low 44 scores and ties. The remaining players play 36 holes of individual stroke play on Thursday to determine the low 16 finishers. The "Sweet Sixteen" compete in match play on Friday and Saturday to decide a champion.

Personett Team Leads Yamaha Harold Eller Pro-Am

PGA Professional Loren Personett of Mt. Juliet posted an 8-under 63 to pace his team to the first day lead at the Yamaha Harold Eller Pro-Am at Old Hickory Country Club on Monday.

In the competition that pairs a Tennessee PGA Professional teamed with three scratch amateurs playing one Best Ball per hole, Personett combined with Chip Briggs, Horace Roberson and Ryan Mason to amass 14 birdies to lead by one shot at 14-under 57.

Jared Hodge, assistant professional at Spring Creek Ranch, partnered with amateurs Steve Scott, Sean Casey and John Harrington to shoot 13-under 58, the same score posted by the team led by Tre Mullins of Knoxville’s Fairways and Greens along with teammates Brad Kuester, Grant Bode and Arthur Long.

Six teams are tied for 4^th at 12-under 59, while 11 squads are grouped at 11-under 60 heading into Tuesday’s final round.

Bobby Cochran of Colonial Country Club in Memphis recorded the low round among Open professionals at 5-under 66, while Personett and Allen Fennell of the Tennessee Golf Trail of Warriors Path had matching scores of 8-under 63 to pace the Senior professionals.

Luke Raines led the amateur entrants with a 7-under 64, one better than Jason Millard and Payne Denman. John Harrington and Alan Jones shared honor among senior amateurs at 6-under 65.

Knoxville’s Newman Late Addition to Girls’ Junior PGA Field

Addisyn Newman of Knoxville was added to the field of the Junior PGA Championship, being elevated from First Alternate status to join fellow Tennesseans Poppy Pewitt of Dickson and Carlee Rogers of Hixson in the 72-hole event slated to begin Tuesday at Purdue University’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind.

The rising sophomore at Hardin Valley High School tied for medalist honors in last year’s TSSAA Class AA Girls State Golf Tournament along with Pewitt and eventual champion Sophia Gambini, who won in a playoff.

Brayden Bennett of Nashville, Ben Blackburn of Franklin and Andrew Sciortino of Brentwood comprise the trio of Tennessee products competing in the Boys division.

Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com