Jason Caron normally has a khaki-colored hat in his rotation for Sundays when he’s playing in tournaments. And normally on Sundays, he’s wearing that hat and not playing with Vijay Singh and against Padraig Harrington.
But for the PGA of America Golf Professional at Mill River Club on New York’s Long Island, 2024 hasn’t been all that normal. Instead, Caron’s donning a blue hat with his course’s name on it, designed by his wife Liz, that served as maybe the ultimate good luck charm in the latest chapter of an absolutely amazing year.
Caron has parlayed a historic T-4th finish at the 2024 KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship into an unbelievable hot streak of performances on the PGA Tour Champions, including finishing tied for third at the Simmons Bank Championship in late October and securing full-time status on tour for next year. Caron also claimed a spot in last month’s season-finishing Charles Schwab Cup Championship among the top 36 players.
“I’m in disbelief,” said Caron after a final-round 68 at the Simmons Bank Championship that punched his Top 36 ticket. “I’m not going to say I didn’t want this to happen, but I never thought it’d actually happen. It’s mind-boggling.”
What’s truly mind-boggling is how Caron – who is Mill River’s PGA of America Head Professional and manages the golf operation alongside his wife and fellow PGA of America Member – put together a serious resume throughout the year. A quick summary:
• Everything got rolling at Harbor Shores, where he finished T-4 at the Senior PGA Championship in May, earning entry from his performance in the 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship.
• Getting into the field as an alternate, Caron finished T-31 at the American Family Insurance Championship just weeks later.
• After a missed cut at the U.S. Senior Open (he got in via local qualifier), Caron rolled out another T-3 at the Rogers Charity Classic in August. He got into the field as an alternate.
• Due to that finish, he played the Ally Challenge the following week, finishing T-47.
• At the Constellation Furyk & Friends in early October, gaining entry via sponsor’s exemption, he finished T-4. Caron follows that with a T-47 the next week (getting into the field again based on performance) at the SAS Championship.
• Caron did enough to qualify for the PGA Tour Champions Playoffs, and finished T-26 in the first event. It allowed him to get into the 54-player Simmons Bank Championship, where he finished T-3.
“I just kept plugging away (at Simmons Bank) and tried to take it one shot at a time,” explains Caron. “I really was never nervous. I was just playing golf.”
Job No. 1 for Caron has always been working at Mill River Club and he’ll work out a schedule that suits both parties. He’s hoping Liz and his daughters, Caroline and Julia, can come out to see him play competitively more often in 2025. While you can tell Caron is excited for what next year has in store, it’s refreshing to hear him never waver from what’s most important.
“It should be a lot of fun again,” Caron says, “but chasing the white golf ball down a fairway is not my priority. My kids are.”
Oh, and about the hat. Will we see it more often?
“I was thinking, ‘Man, I’ve played good every time I’ve worn that hat.’ Obviously, it works,” jokes Caron. “Maybe it’s all in the hat.”—Ryan Adams, PGA