Ocotillo Golf Resort’s Kay Cornelius Receives LPGA Honor
Chandler, Ariz. (October 10, 2016) – Ocotillo Golf Resort’s Director of Instruction Kay Cornelius was recently honored as the Central Section award winner for the Junior Golf Leadership honor by the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) Teaching and Club Professional membership. Presented annually to LPGA teaching professionals who demonstrate outstanding accomplishments related to junior golf during the year, honorees are selected by the LPGA Teaching and Club Professional Section Officers and Section Nominating Committee Chair.
Honorees were selected in each of the six sections of the LPGA’s Teaching and Club Professionals. The LPGA Teaching and Club Professional National Awards Selection Committee will now select the overall national award winner in each category from among the section award winners. Cornelius is no stranger to the recognition having won the national honor in 2012.
“It’s a true honor to once again be recognized for this fantastic LPGA award,” said Cornelius. “I have a passion for sharing my love for the game of golf with my students and there is certainly no better place to learn the game, then here at Ocotillo Golf Resort.”
Cornelius began teaching at Ocotillo Golf Resort in 1995 and has been an Ocotillo community resident since 1997. An accomplished junior golfer herself, Cornelius was the youngest winner of the U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship in 1981 at the age of 14. She continued her success as a junior golfer winning the Junior World Championship and the Arizona State Junior Championship twice during the early 80s. As a junior and amateur golfer, Kay played in 19 USGA Championships from 1979 to 1987, including the U.S. Women’s Open in 1982 at age 15. Kay played college golf at Stanford University from 1984 to 1988, competed in four NCAA championships, and earned NCAA All-American honors in 1988. After earning a B.A. in sociology from Stanford University, she turned professional and competed on the worldwide professional tours. Since 1996, she has fulfilled her passion for teaching and coaching golfers at the Troon-managed Ocotillo Golf Resort. She has a special gift for teaching junior golfers and has taught several current and past NCAA Division I collegiate players. Even though junior golfers encompass a large part of her clientele, Kay teaches/coaches men and women golfers of all ages and ability levels.
“Congratulations to Kay Cornelius for being recognized by the LPGA Central Section for the Junior Golf Leadership honor,” said Mark Bakeman, director of golf, Ocotillo Golf Resort. “Kay has done so much wonderful work growing the game here at Ocotillo Golf Resort, especially with her developmental programs for the junior golfer. She shares her passion for the game in a way that is truly contagious to all. Kay is a tremendous asset to Ocotillo Golf Resort and we are truly thankful for having such a talented individual on our staff.”
For more information on Kay Cornelius or instructional opportunities at Ocotillo Golf Resort, visit www.OcotilloGolf.com or call 480.917.6660.
Media contact:
Rob Myers
Troon
480.477.0506
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