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Staff Spotlight: Blair (Thompson) Sumner

Staff Spotlight is a weekly feature that helps showcase some of the incredible members of the AJGA staff.

By AJGA Staff, February 03, 2021

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Fast Facts

  • Name: Blair (Thompson) Sumner
  • Hometown: Jefferson City, MO (Fun Fact: It is the capital of Missouri…a lot of people assume it is someplace else!)
  • Internship Year(s): 2011 & 2012
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My intern team!

  • Began Full-Time: 2013
  • Role(s) during time with the AJGA: Tournament Director / Director of Development / Director of Recruiting (current)
  • College/Graduation Date: University of Missouri, May 2012
  • Major/Minor: Communications
  • Married: January 3, 2020
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My wedding day!

  • Favorite TV show: FRIENDS
  • Favorite movie: Legally Blonde
  • Favorite artist: Garth Brooks
  • Favorite sports teams: Mizzou Tigers, St. Louis Cardinals & Kansas City Chiefs
My favorite day as a Mizzou fan! We beat #1 Oklahoma and rushed the field.
My college roommates and I in St. Louis the night the Cardinals won the World Series.
My dad and our dog, Gus...two big Chiefs fans!

Get to know Blair

  • What’s one thing people don’t know about you? Growing up in the capital city had its advantages. I’ve known every Governor since I was born and one of my close friends’ dads became our Governor when I was in 5th grade. I got to spend a lot of time playing in the Governor’s mansion, going to sporting events, concerts, etc. with them….and the secret service! And my junior prom date was another Governor’s son!
  • Were you involved in golf before the AJGA? How were you introduced? I have grown up playing golf my entire life. I played with my dad as a kid & played for four years in high school. I did two internships with the Missouri Golf Association as a P.J. Boatwright intern before doing the AJGA internship.
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Me playing golf as a kid.

  • What sports did you play growing up? Any significant accomplishments? In high school I ran track, played golf and was a cheerleader…but my main passion was track. I ran Varsity track all four years and we won four State Championships. We actually never lost a track meet in four years! My highest individual place was second at the state meet. Sports has always been a big part of my life.
My track team right after winning the state championship for the second time.
My cheerleading days!

  • What’s your favorite AJGA experience/memory? I have SO many amazing memories at the AJGA! Going to amazing golf courses, meeting our incredible juniors and their families. While my years as West Wyndham Cup Captain have been amazing, my favorite memory has been being the Assistant Captain for the 2017 US Junior Solheim Cup team (and we were victorious!).
  • What’s your favorite thing to do outside of the AJGA and golf? It is hard to pick just one thing I love to do out of work….I love to go to concerts (can’t wait to do that again), I’m a total concert junkie! I also love to read and watch really trashy television like The Real Housewives and Keep Up With the Kardashians.
  • What’s the best day or moment of your life to this point? The best day of my life so far as been without a doubt getting married! I think that’s the obvious answer, so I’ll go with number 2. 😊 Getting to watch the Chiefs win a Superbowl for the first time in my lifetime was something I will never forget. I just wish I could’ve been with my dad!!
  • What’s your favorite interaction with a junior/sponsor/alumni/etc? One of the best experiences I’ve had with an AJGA stakeholder is when I ran the Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex in 2018. Annika is such an INCREDIBLE person all around….incredible golfer, mother, business woman, etc. She is a huge inspiration and it is so cool that the greatest female golfer of all time (and one of the greatest period) gives back to juniors and does so with the AJGA.
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Photo from the 2018 Diamond Resorts ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex.

  • Who’s been your biggest influence in life? There is no doubt my parents are my biggest influence. I love them so much it hurts! My mom is an absolute boss! She has had an amazing career while continuing to work her way up to the top. She also has been an amazing mom, wife, friend, etc. She somehow does it all & shows me every day that you can have it all & females can be in power too! And my dad is just genuinely the best guy around. He is so kind, supportive, hardworking and competitive. I am a lot like my mom, but I am pretty much a carbon copy of my dad (it is truly kind of scary)
My dad with my sister and I from my wedding.
My mom and I at my wedding.