Polland, Somers, and Empey Capture Players of the Year Awards
“Rocky Mountain Section PGA Player of the Year” is a dream goal for many and an accomplishment of very few, and 2021 was a year in which the award winners are most deserving. The Section recognizes its players of the year in three categories: The Player of the Year, Women’s Player of the Year, and Senior Player of the Year. The Section wishes to thank ROLEX for their generous support for our Players of the Year.
PGA Assistant Professional Ben Polland, from Shooting Star of Jackson Hole in Wyoming, is the 2021 Player of the Year in the Rocky Mountain Section of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. This marks the first time Polland has earned this award in our Section, and he did it in style. Ben used his 5th place finish at the 2021 PGA Professional Championship and a tie for 3rd at the Section Championship to accumulate more than enough points to capture this most prestigious player’s award.
Katie Somers, PGA Head Professional at BanBury Golf Course in Eagle, Idaho, amassed enough points again in the Section Championship which earned her the right to engrave her name a fourth straight time on the Women’s Player of the Year plaque. Katie is the only recipient of this award since its inception.
RMSPGA members age 50 and older compete for Senior Player of the Year honors and the 2021 winner is Jim Empey, PGA Director of Instruction at Quail Hollow Golf Club in Boise, Idaho. Like Polland, Empey’s finish in the Senior PGA Professional Championship on the national stage clinched his spot as the Senior Player of the Year. Jim also won the Senior Section Championship to fill his trophy case for 2021. This is the 6th Senior Player of the Year Award for Empey.
Polland, Somers, and Empey will formally receive their Player of the Year awards in May of 2022 at the Rocky Mountain Section PGA Annual Meeting and Awards Ceremony.
