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For Francisco Bide, competing in his first PGA Championship was about far more than just golf scores and leaderboards. It was the realization of a lifelong dream, and one he shared with the people closest to him.
The Capital City Club Head Golf Professional earned his spot in the 2026 PGA Championship field after a T-10 finish at the PGA Professional Championship earlier this spring. From May 14-17, Bide teed it up alongside the best players in the world at Aronimink Golf Club as part of the Corebridge Financial Team.
“The experience has been so much fun,” said Bide before the championship began. “Being able to play here means the world to me. Super excited to play this championship and to play this golf course. It is going to be a very hard test, but I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”
Even with previous PGA TOUR experience, including competing in The RSM Classic after earning 2024 Georgia PGA Player of the Year honors, Bide quickly realized a major championship carries a different atmosphere.
“Having played The RSM kind of prepared me for what this would be like, except that this is five times bigger,” Bide said. “It helps me not be so star struck with the players, but this is unbelievable.”
Paired with PGA TOUR players Harry Hall and Ryan Gerard, Bide embraced the challenge of Aronimink’s demanding setup, including thick rough and fast, sloping greens.
“I’m sure it is going to be nerve wracking, but I’m just looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “I’m going to play my own game. I know it’s cliché, but I just have to go shot by shot and hit fairways and greens.”
Bide opened the championship with a gritty first round, sitting just 1-over par through 13 holes before a difficult closing stretch led to a 6-over-par 76. On Friday, with the pressure easing and the experience settling in, Bide focused on soaking in every moment of the championship. He carded a 9-over-par 79, but fittingly closed his PGA Championship debut with a par on the final hole before embracing his children beside the 18th green.
While the championship itself was special, it was the moments outside the ropes that made the week unforgettable.
Bide’s parents traveled from Argentina to watch him compete, walking every hole and cheering him on throughout the tournament. Friday also brought another meaningful memory as his brother, Bernardo, served as his caddie during the second round.
Another special Georgia PGA moment came Friday when Georgia PGA Honorary President and District 13 Director, Cary Brown, had the honor of announcing fellow Georgia PGA Professional Francisco Bide to the tee during his round at the PGA Championship.
Just as memorable was the experience shared by Bide’s wife, Leigh, and their children, who were able to see firsthand what life inside a major championship looks like. The kids attended “tour school” activities throughout the week and embraced every moment around the championship atmosphere.
“It meant everything to have our family there,” said Leigh. “The kids loved every minute of it. It also gave me such an appreciation for the wives and families out there every week on TOUR. There is so much going on behind the scenes with the kids and family life that people never see, and it made me admire everything they do even more.”
Leigh was incredibly proud to watch Francisco compete on one of golf’s biggest stages and especially thankful that their children were able to experience the week alongside him.
After his rounds concluded, the family remained at Aronimink on Saturday to enjoy the championship together as spectators, one final opportunity to take in the atmosphere and celebrate a week none of them will forget.
And in true PGA Professional fashion, Bide’s focus quickly turned back toward competition. Despite spending the week at a major championship, he remained committed to returning home for the Georgia PGA Match Play Championship just days later.
“If I have to change my flight, I’ll be happy to do so,” Bide said before the event. “I am very realistic and the chances of me making the cut are not very high, but I am going to try my best.”
Despite the whirlwind week, Bide battled his way to the third round of match play before falling 3 & 2 to eventual champion Matt Nagy.
That mindset, humility, dedication, and love for the game, is exactly what made Bide’s PGA Championship debut such a proud moment for the Georgia PGA.
Matt Nagy, Associate PGA of America Professional at The Fall Line, captured the E-Z-GO Georgia PGA Match Play Championship title with a commanding 6 & 4 victory over Matthew Cleary, Associate PGA of America Professional at The Farm Golf Club in Dalton, at Valdosta Country Club. Nagy closed out the championship match in style, sinking a birdie on the 14th hole to secure the title.
The three-day championship, supported by E-Z-GO, featured many of the Georgia PGA Section’s top match-play competitors battling through six rounds at Valdosta Country Club. In fitting fashion, another “Matt” emerged victorious, following Matt Sanders’ win in last year’s championship.
Nagy, who has been an Associate PGA of America Professional in the Georgia Section for about a year, is already making his mark. His first event with the Section came at last year’s Match Play Championship at The Standard Club, and one year later, he left as champion.
Nagy advanced to the championship match after defeating Todd Ormsby, PGA Instructor at Summer Grove Golf Club, 4 & 3 in the semifinals. Cleary earned his spot in the final with a hard-fought 2 & 1 victory over Jeff Cammon, PGA Assistant Professional at Sea Island Golf Club. Cammon mounted a late comeback attempt with birdies on holes 15 and 16 after trailing by four holes, pushing the match to the 17th hole before Cleary ultimately secured the win.
Reflecting on the victory, Nagy said, “I’m just out here enjoying it. Glad to get a few days of playing a really nice golf course out here at Valdosta Country Club.”
He also credited his putting throughout the week as a key to his success in match play competition. “Match play, if you’re making putts, you know, you’re kind of tough to beat, whether it’s a 10-footer for par, or any length putt to keep you in the hole or win a hole.”
With the victory, Nagy now looks ahead to returning to a familiar venue at Pinetree Country Club for the upcoming Yamaha Atlanta Open on June 1-2. A former Kennesaw State golfer, Nagy is eager to compete again on a course he knows well.
“I haven’t been out there in seven years, so I am excited to go back there and play a course I know really well,” said Nagy.
The Georgia PGA Match Play Championship, one of four Georgia PGA Major Championships, is a pivotal event on the Georgia PGA calendar, counting toward the Section’s Player of the Year points race for eligible competitors. Performances throughout the season contribute to qualifications for season-ending opportunities, including the PGA TOUR’s RSM Classic at Sea Island and the top-72-player finale, “The Drew,” taking place later this year at East Lake Golf Club.
For full results and more information about the Georgia PGA, visitwww.georgiapga.com.
