Our founder, Jim Estes has qualified for the first two senior major championship of 2019. Jim has played in 33 PGA Tour event in his distinguished career and had full status on the PGA Tour in 1998. He played for six years on what is now the Korn Ferry Tour and then called the Nike Tour, winning the 1996 Nike Inland Open. He was also low club professional at the 2017 PGA Senior Championship at Trump National in Virginia.
Jim’s 2019 competitive season is off to a great start.
In May, Jim participated in the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, NY, shooting 77-74 and missing the cut by two shots. He finished tied with Scott Verplank and ahead of major winners like John Daly, Mark Calcavecchia, Bob Tway, Sandy Lyle and Michael Campbell.
In June Jim qualified for the US Senior Open which was held at Warren Golf Club on the campus of Notre Dame University in South Bend, IN. Jim shot 69-73 and missed the cut by just one shot to finish tied for 60th, ahead of the likes of Tim Kite, Scott Hoch and Darren Clarke.
Jim founded the SMGA in 2006 with his friend from junior golf, Jamie Winslow. He is currently our Director of Instruction and runs our SMGA Maryland programs at Olney Golf Park where he is the PGA Director of Instruction.
