Bob Sowards, PGA, Earns Low PGA of America Golf Professional Honors

Bob Sowards, PGA, earned low PGA of America Golf Professional honors on Sunday at the 85th PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club just outside of Washington, D.C. This is the third time in his career that he’s achieved that distinction.

He fired his best round of the week with an even par 72 during a gorgeous and gently breezy day at Congressional. His sixth major round over the last two weeks earned Sowards the best finish of the Corebridge Financial Team by a single shot over Jeffrey Schmid. Sowards ended up at 9-over for the week. He ended the tournament with a steady stretch, impressing with a 3-under run from No. 6 to No. 17, affording him the luxury of making bogey on the iconic 18th.

The PGA Professional out of Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, was pleased with his play for the week.

“I played solid. Yesterday I let the wind blow me away,” Sowards said. “I didn’t handle the wind very well and kind of shot myself out of the tournament. But the three days I played solid. Today I had a lot of birdie putts and just couldn't make any putts.”

Sowards, 56, is coming off two straight weeks representing the Corebridge Financial Team between last week’s PGA Championship at Quail Hollow (missed cut) and this week’s Senior PGA Championship about 400 miles north. A few days off might be in order for a mere mortal, but Sowards is going right back to what he loves, expecting to be peppered with questions about the last two weeks.

“I have lessons starting tomorrow at noon, so I get to take a few hours off in the morning, and then I start right back at it,” Sowards said. “I’m 12:00 pm to 6:00 pm straight and hopefully make it home for dinner.”

Sowards feels that if his play in any way can inspire his juniors and pupils, then it’s a great thrill and makes his efforts that much more rewarding.

“Absolutely,' Sowards said. "One of the things that I try to get across to them is how it feels to be inside the ropes because being nervous and playing well is the ultimate in my opinion,” Sowards said. “It's what you play for is to be nervous. Then coming through and hitting good shots when you're ready to throw up, that's the ultimate.”

Sowards still enjoys playing against the touring pros in these marquee championships. He's won nine national PGA awards, the most in the history of the association, while contending for over two decades. He won the 2004 PGA Professional Championship and the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship. Sowards hopes to keep playing for as long as his length will let him.

"Without question, yes. I'm too old to play with the juniors now, but I'm going to try to play in the U.S. Open, I'm going to try to qualify again,” Sowards said. He made it through qualifying in the 2023 U.S. Senior Open and finished T-38.

“But playing with those guys last week, I'm hitting hybrids and 5-woods into these par-4s," Sowards explained. "As I was growing up and one of the longer guys on the club pro ranking, playing with the older guys and they're hitting hybrids and fairway woods into every hole,” Sowards said. “I was like, I don't know if I'd play if I had to do that. But now I'm playing 7,800-yard courses. But 7,100 I can play and play well. But still trying to improve.”