LAKE BUENA VISTA, Florida – Nearly 100 golfers from 23 states teed it up and bridged the generation gap for a fun-filled two days at the second annual PGA Family Golf Championship Sept. 28-29 at Disney’s Palm Golf Course operated by Arnold Palmer Golf Management.
This championship brought together teams of 2 to 4 players, who are either biologically or legally related, for a magical weekend of golf. The threat of Hurricane Helene never materialized in Central Florida, and players only had to endure a 55-minute lightning delay on Saturday before completing the opening round.
Champions were awarded in four divisions – Junior/Adult, Adult, Professional/Adult and Professional/Junior.
2024 PGA Family Golf Championship Division Winners:
- Junior/Adult: Teams include at least one adult and one junior
- CHAMPION: Nick Kondratiuk and Andrew Kondratiuk (brothers), Dallas, Texas, -8
- Adult: Teams include all adults
- CHAMPION: Nate Murphy and Stephen Peltier (cousins), Dalton, Mass., -9
- Professional/Adult: Teams include at least one PGA of America Golf Professional or LPGA Professional
- CHAMPION: Danny Elkins, PGA, and wife Leslie Elkins, Roswell, Georgia, -6
- Professional/Junior: Teams include at least one PGA of America Golf Professional or LPGA Professional and at least one junior
- CHAMPION: Dave DeSantis, PGA; Holly DeSantis and Gordie Gatrell (grandson), Salt Lake City, Utah, -11
Brothers Nick and Andrew Kondratiuk had the lead for most of the two-day event in the Junior/Adult division and captured the championship with a -8, four shots better than second place.
“It’s pretty special to play on a course where Tour Professionals have played,” Andrew Kondratiuk said. “There are signs on the holes that show the history of this course, and it’s great to be in the moment and play at a place where so much history was made.”
Nick added, “Each hole has a special story, so it gives you a really good feeling when you are playing well on such a tough course.”
First time participants Nate Murphy and Stephen Peltier shot under par in all four rounds in the Adult Division winning the championship with a -9, six shots ahead of the second place team.
“We thought it would be a good task for our golf game,” Peltier said. “I played in the national club championship a couple of years ago in Kiawah, so I brought Nate with me to get away and enjoy Florida for a week.”
Danny Elkins, PGA, was quick to credit his wife, Leslie, with their first-place finish in the Professional/Adult division.
“She made the putt on the last hole to win,” said Danny Elkins, PGA, of his wife, Leslie, who paired with him to capture first place. “That was very cool, and she knew she had to make it to win.”
Repeat participants Dave DeSantis along with wife Holly and grandson Gordie Gatrell defended their title with a win in the Professional/Junior division with a -11, four better than the second place team. They plan to go for championship number three next year.
“We will be back next year, and as many times as we can for sure,” said Gatrell, who teamed with his grandparents, Dave and Holly DeSantis. “This was a great tournament and we will be in Whistling Straits next year.”
Competitors were treated to the picturesque natural beauty featuring shimmering lakes, majestic palm trees and tropical sands which made Disney’s Palm Golf Course a pleasure to play.
“It’s really a special Florida-style resort golf course,” said Texan Shelby Neal who made the trip with his 14-year-old daughter Olivia for the second consecutive year. “It almost looks like it’s part of the Magic Kingdom, but it’s actually real nature.”
A HAPPY PLACE FOR RALPH LANDRUM, PGA
Ralph Landrum, PGA, returned to Disney’s Palm Course with a special piece of history, his yardage book from the 1985 Walt Disney World Classic where he competed as a PGA TOUR player.
This time, he teamed with his two adult sons, Kyle and Joe, in the Pro-Adult Division and finished runner up with a -5, one back of the champion.
“This is a good spot and it’s pretty special that I can be here with my kids and grandson.” Landrum (World of Golf, Florence, Kentucky) played on the PGA TOUR for three years (1983-85) and is a member of the PGA of America Player Development Adult Committee.
JUST GOOFIN’ AROUND
Disney’s legendary character Goofy attended the player’s welcome reception to open festivities on Friday (Sept. 27) evening on Walt Disney World Resort’s new Putting course and took photos with all of the participants, young and old.
HURRICANE HELENE MOVES AROUND ORLANDO
The Orlando area was spared the wrath of Hurricane Helene on Friday (Sept. 27) with player registration and practice rounds going on as scheduled without any delays or rain. On Saturday (Sept. 29) afternoon, lightning, which was detected within a 10-mile radius, forced a 55-minute delay.
PUTT PUTT GOLF:
Golfers were treated to a fun putting contest on the brand new 18-hole grass putting course which has been graded to give the area contours and elevation changes. The Top 5 Finishers, based on their stroke total on the 18 holes were:
- Champion: Cal Kondratiuk, 34 (Brookhaven Country Club, Dallas, Texas)
- 2nd: Andrew Kondratiuk, 35 (Brookhaven Country Club, Dallas, Texas)
- 3rd: Sean Lim, 37 (Shady Canyon Golf Club, Irving, Calif.)
- T4th: Mike Abate, PGA, 38 (Divide Golf Club, Matthews, North Carolina)
- T4th: Mike Brockway, 38 (Creekside Golf Club, Salem, Oregon)
WELCOME BACK
More than 41 golfers from the 2023 PGA Family Golf Championship returned to play in this year’s event.
PGA PROFESSIONAL FAMILY TIME:
There were six PGA Professionals playing with their families in the event, including
Ralph Landrum, PGA (World of Golf, Kentucky) and his sons Joe and Kyle; Danny Ekins PGA (Georgia Golf Center) and wife Leslie; Dave DeSantis, PGA, (Golf Galaxy, Salt Lake City, Utah), wife Holly DeSantis and grandson Gordie Gatrell; Mike Abate, PGA, and his son Nicholas (Charles T. Myers Golf Club, Charlotte, NC); Michael DAgostino, PGA (Penfield Country Club, New York) and his son Anthony; and Matt Montecucco, PGA (Chambers Bay, Tacoma, Wash.) and his cousin Avery Marie Renggli.
PGA JR. LEAGUE PLAYERS
Nearly 20 of the families playing in the 2024 event have a child who is currently on a PGA Jr. League team or was on a PGA Jr. League team.
FAMILIES FROM 23 STATES REPRESENTED
The following states were represented by families in the championship:
Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, North Carolina. Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
PGA FAMILY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP FORMAT
The first round was a scramble format where two players hit a tee shot. Teams selected the best shot and two players played from that spot and continued this process until the ball was holed. For those competing in a junior division, one adult and one junior must have attempted each shot. The final round was a modified alternate shot format where two players hit a tee shot.
Teams then selected the best shot and alternated shots between players until the ball was holed. Junior division teams alternated their shots between adults and juniors. The team with the lowest 36-hole stroke play total at the end of round two was named the champion of their division.
2025 PGA FAMILY GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
The third annual PGA Family Golf Championship will be held at the renowned Blackwolf Run and Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, Aug 30-31, 2025.
