General Manager of the Year: Bill Hughes

Bill Hughes, general manager of TPC Sawgrass, has been named the General Manager of the Year by the American Junior Golf Association. This award honors the general manager that displays an unwavering support of the AJGA and junior golf by creating a memorable tournament experience for players, families, staff and volunteers.

              
Each year, the AJGA presents awards to the tournaments with the best individual hospitality, Junior-Am fundraising tournament, charitable giving and volunteer base. The AJGA also recognizes the year’s most outstanding golf professional and superintendent, as well as the most improved event, best new tournament, best Invitational and overall tournament of the year.

               
“I dreamed of creating the greatest junior golf tournament on the earth when I arrived at TPC Sawgrass,” Hughes said. “Between the dedication of everyone at the AJGA as well as the desire and resources we have at TPC Sawgrass, we have really created a great event that we all hope lasts for a very long time. I’m just so proud of this event, how it’s evolved and how it’s helped to develop junior golfers.”

               
Hughes was a driving force in creating The Junior PLAYERS Championship presented by TaylorMade-adidas Golf in 2007.

 Hughes and the event staff pride themselves on being one of the most prestigious junior golf events in the world. AJGA juniors are provided professional caddies and the opportunity to play at a world renowned course that has hosted the PGA TOUR’s PLAYERS Championship annually since 1982. Hughes’ vision for the event is to align with the AJGA’s mission of growing developing young golfers by challenging them through competition on the course.

“The AJGA is central to growing the game of golf and through coming up in junior golf without these opportunities as well as 35 years as a PGA professional, it’s been a lifelong dream of mine to make sure I wake up with the focus to grow game of golf each day,” Hughes said.

Hughes’ storied career began on the Bowling Green State golf team. In 1979, Hughes turned professional and became a member of the PGA of America in 1984. Eleven years later, Hughes became a PGA Master Professional and one year following that he was named the General Manager/Director of Golf at TPC Southwind in Memphis, Tenn. When Hughes took a new position and the title of Regional Director of TPC Operations, he moved to Dallas in 2006 to work at TPC Craig Ranch where he began his relationship with the AJGA and became an ambassador of the organization in Dallas and to golf associations in the state of Texas.