Ask Alan Morin about his most memorable moment competing as a PGA of America Golf Professional, and he’ll likely share details about competing in six PGA Championships, the 1998 and 2003 U.S. Opens or five consecutive Senior PGA Championships. He might mention his experience as a member of the 2003 and 2015 U.S. PGA Cup teams, or making the cut three times in the Honda Classic on the PGA TOUR.
But don’t be surprised if the 11-time South Florida Section PGA Player of the Year and four-time Section Senior Player of the Year places his victory in the 2024 Senior PGA Professional Cham pionship at Sunriver (Oregon) Resort at the top of his list of career playing accomplishments.
And why not? After coming close previously, the 56-year-old Morin etched his name on the Leo Fraser Trophy by out-birdying 263 of the finest senior professionals representing all 41 PGA Sections one year ago to win his first senior title.
“Finishing first among such a large, talented field was extremely gratifying. Everything came to gether and my game was good,” recalls Morin (pictured), who tied the final-round Senior PGA Professional Championship record with a closing 65 to secure a two-stroke victory at 14-under-par 271.
“Guys who have played in the PGA Professional Championship and the Senior PGA Professional know how difficult it is to come out on top because there are so many great players.” Morin now switches gears and prepares to defend his championship with hopes of becoming the first PGA of America Professional in history to win back-to-back Senior PGA Professional Championships. His quest unfolds Oct. 23-26 at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, some 3,035 miles from his 2024 title run in Sunriver, Oregon.
“It will be a whole different set of golf courses (at PGA Golf Club), but it’s a lot closer to my home base than it was last year,” notes Morin, an Assistant Professional at The Club at Ibis in Royal Palm Beach, Florida. “I’ve played the (Wanamaker and Ryder) courses at PGA Golf Club several times, so I’m familiar with the lay of the land.
“It’s hard to do it two years in a row, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Morin’s victory in the 2024 Senior PGA Professional Championship punched his ticket to the 2025 Senior PGA Championship at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland. He missed the cut at Congressional with rounds of 76-75, but will be gunning for one of the 35 spots on the Corebridge Financial Team to compete in the 2026 Senior PGA Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Florida, April 16–19.
“That’s what’s so great about playing as a PGA Professional – you have a lot of playing opportunities from the Section level to the national level,” says Morin, who has competed in a whopping 21 PGA Professional Championships.
He will see some familiar faces as he pursues his second Senior PGA Professional Championship, including a leaderboard of former champions, at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie.
Last year, Robert Russell of Stilwell, Kansas, chased Morin to the finish line before finishing two strokes back at 12-under 273. He returns in 2025, along with Jeff Gove of Sandpoint, Idaho, Tracy Phillips of Tulsa, Oklahoma, who tied for third a year ago, and fifth-place finisher Steve Holmes of Simi Valley, California.
A leaderboard of former Senior PGA Professional Champions, including several who won their titles at PGA Golf Club, will also challenge Morin in the 72-hole stroke-play event. Bob Sowards, who won the 2018 and 2023 Senior PGA Professional Championship at PGA Golf Club, will anchor the champions’ roster — along with Matt Schalk (2022), Paul Claxton (2021), Omar Uresti (2020), Scott Hebert (2019), Steve Schneiter (2016) and two-time winner Frank Esposito (2014 and 2017).
“PGA Golf Club, especially the Wanamaker Course, always requires you to be at your best from a ball-striking perspective and always provides a great champion,” explains Sowards, a five-time PGA of America Senior PGA Professional Player of the Year. —Roger Graves
