BETHESDA, Maryland (May 23, 2025) — PGA of America Golf Professional Jeffrey Schmid, Teaching Professional at Brown Deer Golf Club in Coralville, Iowa, leads eight Corebridge Financial Team Members into the weekend at the 85th Senior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club.
With rounds of 70-74, Schmid, a member of the Iowa PGA Section, will make the cut at the Senior PGA Championship for the third consecutive year at T-22, even par.
His 2-under 70 on Thursday had him T-7 after the opening round, however Schmid found more opposition today on Congressional’s Blue Course, carding four bogies against two birdies.
“It got a little gusty for a while, so it was tough picking clubs,” Schmid said. “I played well yesterday and I played okay today. Just the margin for error is really small out here.”
Schmid is one of 36 PGA of America Golf Professionals playing under the Corebridge Financial Team moniker this week. Corebridge Financial has partnered with the PGA of America to sponsor the PGA of America Member teams in the Association’s three Major Championships: PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship and KPMG Women’s PGA Championship.
“It’s awesome to represent the PGA, represent the state of Iowa,” Schmid said. “The privilege of playing a tournament like this is great for me.”
In the race for low PGA of America Golf Professional honors, a trio of players sit one-stroke behind Schmid at 1-over T-31: Tim Cantwell, PGA Teaching Professional at PGA National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.; Australian native Mick Smith, PGA Director of Instruction at Mick Smith Golf in Summit, Wis.; and Birk Nelson, PGA Director of Instruction at Orange Whip Golf & Fitness and Teaching Professional at Shadow Hills Country Club in Eugene, Ore.
Cantwell claimed the low round of the day for the Corebridge Team members, and shared the low-round of the morning wave (68) with Vijay Singh. He followed up his first-round 5-over 77 with a 4-under 68 with only one blemish on the card and five birdies.
However, Cantwell wasn’t the only one making their way up the leaderboard in the second round. Oregon native Nelson holed out for eagle from 120 yards in the fairway on the par-four 8th hole, en route to a Friday 2-under 70, moving up 40 spots on the leaderboard and safely within the 4-over cut line.
“It all started coming together at No. 7 when I made a nice little putt for birdie,” Nelson explained. “I hit a good tee shot on eight, so I was hoping to knock it in there tight to make another putt and keep that momentum going, but instead I holed it.”
Nelson played college golf at Oregon State University from 1992-96 and then tried his luck on the mini-tours before becoming a Head Golf Professional for six years at Diamond Woods Golf Course in Monroe, Ore. He then took a seven-year break from the golf industry, working in IT Sales until realizing it wasn’t his passion.
“I realized you’ve got to enjoy what you’re doing,” Nelson said.
His love for competitive golf helped bring him back to the industry. “I find it so fulfilling, and I love situations like this, like today, just the big stage where you can focus and hit good shots or not hit good shots, but really it puts me in my happy place.”
Jeff Gove with a longgggg birdie putt to kick off his Senior PGA Championship run. pic.twitter.com/lNGlPnJyfh
— PGA of America (@PGA) May 22, 2025
Corebridge Financial Team Playing the Weekend
Jeffrey Schmid, PGA (E, T22) - Iowa City, Iowa - Brown Deer Golf Club, Iowa PGA Section
Tim Cantwell, PGA (+1, T31) - Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. - PGA National Golf Club, South Florida Section
Mick Smith, PGA (+1, T31) - Summit, Wis. - Mick Smith Golf, Wisconsin PGA Section
Birk Nelson, PGA (+1, T31) - Eugene, Ore. - Orange Whip Golf & Fitness, Pacific Northwest PGA Section
Bob Sowards, PGA (+2, T42) - Dublin, Ohio - Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club, Southern Ohio PGA Section
Jeff Gove, PGA (+3, T49) - Sandpoint, Idaho - PGA Life Member, Pacific Northwest Section
Greg Bisconti, PGA (+4, T61) - South Salem, N.Y. - The Saint Andrew’s Golf Club, Metropolitan PGA Section
Scott Hunter, PGA (+4, T61) - Hilton Head Island, S.C. - Wexford Golf Club, Carolinas PGA Section
