2019 PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

Walicki repeats as POY

Wiemiller, Benton, Blau also come up big in 2019

AGA NEWS AGA NEWS

2019 AGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR O P E N D I V I S I O N

It took nine years of AGA competition for Adam Walicki to secure his first Player of the Year award in the Open Division. The second came much quicker as Walicki became a backto-back winner in 2019. “I think the first one probably felt a little better because it took so long ADAM WALICKI

and I was so anxious to get it,” Walicki said. “Maybe that relieved some of the pressure and made the second one a little easier, although it’s never really easy because we have so many good players here.” Walicki got off to a fast start in 2019 by winning the San Tan Amateur in comeback fashion, shooting 65, which marked his best round of the year. He closed out the season by finishing second in the Northern Amateur and sixth in the Players Cup. He also reached the quarterfinals of the Arizona Amateur before being eliminated, and was an alternate in both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. MidAmateur, which he has played in four times. “That was the one disappointment because that is one of my goals, to make it into at least one of those national events every year and I didn‘t quite get it done,” he said. “But there were a lot of positives to the seasons, too. “I always strive to finish in the top 10 of every event I play and being able to do that in several state events was pretty satisfying.”

The Michigan native competed on the GatewayTour in 2005-06, then walked away from golf for two full years. After regaining his amateur status, he returned to competition in AGA events in 2009.

24 | AZ GOLF Insider | PREVIEW 2020 Adam Walicki AGA PHOTO

“The criteria we have put together in the AGA is a true assessment of who was the Player of the Year,” he said. “I think it’s become a more accurate representation of how guys have played throughout the year, which favors more people. So to come out on top of that is a good feeling. “I have looked through the records to see who has won Player of the Year and how many times, so I have a good feel about that. Each one really means a lot because it’s so hard to win them. So even though the first one was probably a little more special, this one isn’t far behind because I know how few guys have done it more than once.”

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

2019 AGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR M A S T E R S D I V I S I O N

AARON WIEMILLER

Aaron Wiemiller says that once he started winning the game between his ears, his game on the golf course got much better, and that showed in 2019 when he earned the Player of the Year Award in the Masters Division.

Wiemiller, a retired police officer from Minnetonka, Minn., didn’t play high school or college golf, but he has made his mark in both the Minnesota Golf Association and the AGA.

“When I was 13, a good friend suggested going to hit golf balls one day and I was hooked immediately,” he said. “I grew up on a ninehole, semi-private course, and I remember spending my days as a kid on that course from sunup to sundown.”

He moved to Arizona in 2013 and, after rehabbing a work-related knee injury, began playing in AGA events. Wiemiller got his 2019 season rolling by tying for fifth in his division of the Senior Stroke Play and followed that up by winning the Falcon Amateur.

“Compared to Minnesota, the AGA events are much more competitive,” he said.

www.azgolf.org AGA PHOTO Aaron Wiemiller

“There’s a really strong field of players here and that has contributed to my improvement. It has pushed me to get better and more mentally focused.

“I never thought I would win an award like this. It’s always been a dream of mine, so playing well this past year was pretty rewarding. The mental aspect of my game has gotten much better, being able to move on from mistakes when I make them, and that has made a big difference.”

There’s a really strong field of players here and that has contributed to my improvement.

2019 AGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR S E N I O R D I V I S I O N

JEFF BENTON

Player of the Year awards are getting to be routine for Jeff Benton, who secured his third in a row in 2019 by putting together a solid season, capped off by winning his division of the Players Cup Championship.

Benton, 56, also won POY honors in the Senior Division

PLAYERS OF THE YEAR

in 2018 after claiming the Masters Division title in 2017. “This one was pretty special because I had such a great year of golf,” said Benton, who played most of his events in the Open Division. “I actually came close to winning it in the Open Division, which is pretty gratifying considering all the good young players they have.” Benton, an Arkansas native, also finished second in the Falcon Amateur and Senior Stroke Play for the fourth year in a row, and was third in the Southern Amateur.

He was medalist in local qualifying for the U.S. Senior Amateur and finished as low amateur in the Arizona Senior Open. Benton is the head of a golfing family, with three children who were standout college golfers. His daughter Kaylee was an All-American last year as a senior at Arkansas, where she was an honor student, and played on the Palmer Cup team.

“My plan this year was to play in open events with strong competition to try to get ready for the Senior Amateur,” he said. “There are so many good players here in Arizona so I felt privileged to win the qualifier and make it to the national event.

“Winning three (POY awards) in a row is pretty special, but I know that winning a fourth one will be even harder.”

AGA PHOTO

2019 AGA PLAYER OF THE YEAR L E G E N D S D I V I S I O N

Tim Blau earned his second Player of the Year award, but 2019 also was a year of firsts, which were equally gratifying for the Wisconsin native.

Blau, 68, also won the Legends POY award in 2017 but competed in 2018 in the Senior Division due to a change in the age criteria.

“Consistency really is the key to it, and I was able to put together very consistent finishes in the big events,” Blau said. “It’s always a challenge but I still enjoy TIM BLAU

26 | AZ GOLF Insider | PREVIEW 2020 Tim Blau

Consistency really is the key to it, and I was able to put together very consistent finishes in the big events.

practicing and hit a lot of golf balls, which I’m sure has made a big difference.” Blau won his Divisional Match Play event, 1-up, over Murph Mitchell; finished second in Senior Stroke Play, the Southern Amateur, Northern Amateur and Players Cup; was third in the Falcon Amateur; and fifth, with partner Kevin Gregory, in the Arizona Four-Ball. For good measure, he won the senior division of the Mesa City Amateur. The retired stockbroker, who now works with cryptocurrencies, also carded his first hole in one in 60 years of golf while shooting a 64 at Dobson Ranch, which marked the first time he has shot his age or better.

“Murph also had a great year and we really kind of battled it out the whole season for the points lead,” he said. “Either one of us could have won it, so I was fortunate to come out on top. I’m still having a lot of fun playing, and as long as I am able, I’m going to keep playing.” n