Can you feel it? That growing sense of anticipation? With Tuesday League’s finals coming up and the rest of the BMC golf season over, it’s that time again. Time for The Virtual 19th Hole to announce its selection of the 2024 BMC Champion Golfer of the Year. Yes, for the third consecutive year, this tradition continues.
If you’re new to the BMC, or new to The Virtual 19th Hole, bear in mind that this award, while inspired by the famous tradition originated at the Open Championship in Britain, takes its own approach. And that’s not only because golfing skills at the highest professional level are not required. It’s also because only one path can lead to becoming Champion Golfer of the Year– winning the Open Championship. In contrast, becoming the BMC Champion Golfer of the Year requires multiple elements: having at least one notable golfing achievement, such as winning a BMC championship; having played consistently solid golf throughout the season; and having participated actively in BMC-sponsored leagues and competitions.
Each year many BMC members accomplish their own unique combinations of those benchmarks and so, once again, we have several nominees this year and some honorable mentions as well. Here they are:
Honorable Mentions
Greg Baron is a 33-year BMC member who, based on his participation in BMC leagues and events, qualified yet again for the Ed White Shootout. He also came in first in Best Weekly’s D Flight and first in this year’s Individual Match Play League. Greg, with a current USGA handicap of 16.9, also serves as coordinator for our Metro Seniors Team and the BMC’s Individual Match Play League.
Steve Tanner is a 29-year member who came in first this year in Ed White Shootout points. Steve, with a current USGA handicap of 16.1, came in second this year in Individual Match Play and came in third in Best Weekly’s D Flight. Steve is also coordinator for the Ed White Shootout.
2024 Nominees
Nick Neudigate: Nick, a fourth-year BMC member, is the BMC’s 2024 Club Champion. Over the two days of the Club Championship, playing from Braemar’s championship tees, Nick shot an even par total of 144, beating second-place finisher Drew Gumlia in a sudden-death playoff. Nick, with a current USGA handicap of 1.9, plays on our accomplished 16-Man Traveling Team and is a member of Wednesday League.
Rick Passolt: Rick is a first-year BMC member who has made his presence felt quickly. Among other highlights, he came in second in the Senior Club Championship, shooting a two-day total of 143, one-under. With a current USGA handicap of 1.4, Rick plays in Saturday Stroke Play and is a regular on our talented 8-Man Senior Team. Rick also qualified this year for the MPGA’s Senior Amateur Championship and made the cut, finishing tied for forty-first place.
Mark Paetznick: Mark is another first-year BMC member who made an immediate splash this year. Among other highlights, Mark tied for third in the Senior Club Championship, shooting a one-over total of 145. Carrying a current USGA handicap of 3.9, Mark plays in Best Weekly and is a member of our 8-Man Senior Team. In an 8-Man match this summer Mark helped Braemar take down Baker National by shooting a 68 at Braemar. Like Rick Passolt and only four other BMC members, Mark qualified this year for the MPGA’s Senior Am.
Drew Gumlia: Drew is a second-year BMC member who shot even par in the Club Championship and took eventual champion Nick Neudigate into a sudden-death playoff, winding up in second place. Drew plays on our 16-Man Team and is a member of the Individual Match Play League, Four Ball League and Best Weekly. He sports a current USGA handicap of plus 0.9.
Mike Kavanaugh: Mike is a 27-year BMC member. He plays in Wednesday League, Saturday Stroke Play and Best Weekly. Mike competes regularly on our 8-Man Senior Team and led the way all season on our 4-Man Over-70 Super Senior Squad. Mike also came in third this year in Best Weekly’s A Flight. With his 2.7 USGA handicap, Mike is living proof that experience and patience can vanquish youth and vigor.
Tim Smith: This yearTim became a repeat Ed White Shootout Champion, narrowly beating long-time member Dennis Russell by draining a challenging 6-footer on the final hole. A 12-year BMC member, Tim is also a two-time Senior Champion. With a current USGA handicap of 4.2, he plays on our 8-Man Senior Team and in Wednesday League. For many years Tim served on the BMC board, including a stint as Secretary, and has served for years as the League Coordinator for Best Weekly.
Jeff Roseland: Jeff is our 2024 Senior Club Champion, having mowed down a slew of skilled opponents with a blistering 7-under total of 137 in the Senior Club Championship (second place finisher Rick Passolt, with a one-under score of 143, might well have had the winning score any other year, but unbelievably wound up six strokes back). A second-year BMC member, Jeff, like Drew Gumlia, holds a sporting plus USGA handicap, in Jeff’s case a +0.5. He plays regularly on our outstanding 8-Man Team and is a member of our Metro Seniors and 16-Man Teams as well. He came in second in Best Weekly’s A Flight behind first place winner Steve Bloomquist. Like Rick Passolt, Jeff qualified for the MPGA’s Senior Am and wound up having the best finish of the six BMC members who qualified, making the cut and tying for 38th. Finally, Jeff, who normally plays the E tees, has the distinction of holding Braemar’s course record from the I Tees, a 5-under 67.
BMC Champion Golfer of the Year
Taking into account all of the foregoing, The Virtual 19th Hole is pleased to announce its selection of the 2024 BMC Golfer of the Year: Jeff Roseland. Jeff’s 7-under score in the Senior Club Championship, together with his consistently solid play all year, including his success in high caliber non-BMC competitions, and combined with his active participation in BMC golf activities, make him a worthy champion.
Congrats, Jeff— well deserved! And congrats to all the 2024 nominees and honorable mentions for the impressive seasons they had!
Dick Helde
Editor, The Virtual 19th Hole
helde.richard@gmail.com
612-306-3590