Pacific Northwest Golf Association Selects 2023 Players of the Year
Tacoma, Wash. – The Pacific Northwest Golf Association (PNGA) has announced the region’s Players of the Year for 2023. Those honored include Men’s Player of the Year, Cooper Humphreys of Vernon, B.C.; Women’s, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.; Men’s Mid-Amateur, Zach Foushee of Portland, Ore.; Women’s Mid-Amateur, Gretchen Johnson of Portland, Ore.; Senior Men’s, Tom Brandes of Bellevue, Wash.; Senior Women’s, Lara Tennant of Portland, Ore.; Junior Boys’, James Lee of Whistler, B.C.; and Junior Girls’, Lauren Kim of Surrey, B.C.
The PNGA Player of the Year candidates are nominated by the state and provincial golf associations that comprise the PNGA (British Columbia, Idaho, Oregon and Washington), and are selected by a vote of the PNGA Championship Committee.
Men’s Player of the Year
Cooper Humphreys – Vernon, B.C.
Having previously won a national title in Canada, Humphreys added to his collection in 2023 by winning the 121st BC Amateur by six shots over the second-place finisher. He also qualified for the U.S. Amateur, finished 39th in the Canadian Men’s Amateur, and finished 10th in the Toyota Junior World Cup. Humphreys has committed to play for Oregon State University in the fall of 2024.
Women’s & Junior Girls’ Player of the Year
Lauren Kim – Surrey, B.C.
Not since 2008 has one person been named PNGA Player of the Year in two categories in the same year. Kim had a great year in 2023, winning the Canadian Women’s Amateur, making the round of 32 in the U.S. Women’s Amateur, and was a semifinalist in the U.S. Girls’ Junior. She had three top-5 finishes in AJGA events and won the Jackson T. Stephens Cup. Kim was selected for Team Canada at the World Amateur Team Championship, where she finished tied for eighth individually. Competing against professionals, she received a sponsor’s exemption to play in the CPKC Women’s Open held at Shaughnessy G&CC, competed in the U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach, and had a top-10 finish in the Mizuho Americas Open. Last year, Kim was named the PNGA Junior Girls’ Player of the Year. She is now a freshman on the University of Texas women’s golf team.
Men’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year
Zach Foushee – Portland, Ore.
In 2023, Foushee won the Callaway Invitational and the OGA Tournament of Champions, with his most impressive win coming at the 114th Oregon Amateur. On the national stage, Foushee qualified for the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. He had top-10 finishes at the Oregon Open Invitational, competing against the region’s PGA professionals, and also at the Oregon Mid-Amateur. Foushee tied for 11th at the Pacific Coast Amateur.
Women’s Mid-Amateur Player of the Year
Gretchen Johnson – Portland, Ore.
This is the third time Johnson has received this award, having previously been named in 2018 and 2019. In her home state, she was a quarterfinalist in the Oregon Women’s Amateur, and finished fourth in the Oregon Women’s Mid-Amateur. On the national stage, she was a semifinalist in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and finished second in the LNGA Mid-Amateur.
Senior Men’s Player of the Year
Tom Brandes – Bellevue, Wash.
This is now the ninth time Brandes has been named Player of the Year. In 2023, he won the Washington Senior Men’s Amateur and the Washington Senior Men’s Champion of Champions. He finished second in the PNGA Senior Men’s Amateur, made the round of 16 at the PNGA Master-40, and continued his streak of being named to every PNGA Lamey Cup since it began in 2006. He was also medalist at a qualifier for the U.S. Senior Amateur. In 2015, Brandes was inducted into the PNGA Hall of Fame.
Senior Women’s Player of the Year
Lara Tennant – Portland, Ore.
Tennant won three titles in 2023 – the Oregon Senior Women’s Amateur (for the seventh year in a row), Oregon Senior Women’s Stroke Play, and the OGA Tournament of Champions. She was the medalist at the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur held at her home club of Waverley Country Club, where she made it to the round of 16. She also made the round of 64 at the U.S. Women’s Mid-Amateur, and played in the U.S. Women’s Amateur. This is now the fifth time she has been named Player of the Year. Tennant was inducted into the PNGA Hall of Fame in 2022.
Junior Boys’ Player of the Year
James Lee – Whistler, B.C.
In 2023, Lee saw success throughout Canada and the western U.S. He won the NCGA Junior Championship and the BC Junior Boys’ Championship. He finished second in the Canadian Junior Boys’ Championship, and in the Bayonet Amateur. He also had top-20 finishes at the NextGen Selection Camp and the Canadian Men’s Amateur. He finished 26th at the Pacific Coast Amateur, and strong showings at five other elite-level events.
About the Pacific Northwest Golf Association
The PNGA was founded on February 4, 1899. It is a 501c3 charitable, international, amateur golf association dedicated to preserving the true spirit of the game by supporting its member associations, conducting quality championships, and promoting activities beneficial to golfers in the Pacific Northwest. For more than a century the Association has been a pioneer in developing competitions and services, and its mission has grown and evolved. Today, the PNGA remains committed to being a truly regional organization by providing additional benefits to the membership of each Member Association throughout the Northwest.
