The Southwest Section PGA announced its 2009 Special Award Winners at its Annual Awards dinner on January 15, 2010 at Firesky Resort & Spa in Scottsdale.

Brett Upper, Director of Golf at Arizona Country Club since 1998, was named 2009 PGA Golf Professional of the Year, one of the highest honors the organization bestows on a working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional.

Dean C. Vomacka, PGA, of Oro Valley and the Stone Canyon Club, was named 2009 Bridgestone Player of the Year. Vomacka, won six events in 2009, including the PING Southwest Section PGA Championship at Mesa Country Club, and the Southern Chapter Championship at Golf Club Vistoso. He earned nearly $20,000 in 25 events, finishing inside the top 10 in all of them.

Ralph West, PGA, of Avondale and the lead instructor at Drew Reid Golf located at Hillcrest Golf Club in Sun City West, was named 2009 Bridgestone Senior Player of the Year. West, who won four times in 2009, tied for fourth in the Southwest Section Championship and was second in the Southwest Section Senior Championship. He was fourth in the Bridgestone Player of the Year race won by Vomacka.

Bill Grove, PGA, won the Bill Strausbaugh Award, which recognizes PGA Professionals “who by their day-to-day efforts have distinguished themselves by mentoring their fellow PGA Professionals in improving their employment situations and through service to the community.” Grove serves as a Regional Director of Operations and Revenue Management for Daily Fees for the PGA TOUR’s TPC Network as well as General Manager/Director of Golf at TPC Scottsdale

Christopher P. Cain, M.S., PGA, of Las Vegas won the Horton Smith Award, which recognizes the PGA Professional who is the model educator of PGA Golf Professionals. The award is designed to give special recognition to an individual PGA Professional for outstanding and continuing contributions to professional education. Cain, who has a B.S. and M.S. from The Pennsylvania State University, is director, PGA Professional Golf Management College of Hotel Administration, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Cain, Vice-President, Southwest Section Southern Nevada Chapter since 2007, is an assistant professor and Ph.D. candidate at UNLV.

Mark J. Croft, PGA, of Cocopah Golf Resort in Somerton, AZ, won the Junior Golf Leader Award given to a professional who is a leader in junior golf and who reflects the ideals of those who work with youth.

Mike Malaska, PGA, of Mesa, was named Teacher of the Year, an award that is designed to recognize a PGA Professional who is an outstanding teacher of golf among the ranks of PGA membership.  Malaska, Worldwide Director of Instruction for the Nicklaus Golf Academies, is one of the world’s most innovative golf instructors. Malaska, based at Superstition Mountain Golf & Country Club in Superstition Mountain, AZ., has earned many of the industry’s top honors including being named among Golf Digest Magazine’s 50 Greatest Teachers and GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teacher lists.

Donald H. Rea Jr., PGA, and Gregory S. Leicht, PGA, were given the President’s Plaque, which is designed to recognize a PGA Professional for extraordinary and exemplary contributions and achievements in the area of player development. Rea, of Gilbert, is based out of Augusta Ranch Golf Club and is co-founder of Your Source Golf, where he oversees operations for all managed facilities, business development and long term strategic planning.

Leicht, of Chandler, is director of golf at Vistal Golf Club in Phoenix. Leicht hosted the 2009 Special Olympics State Golf Championships.

Award winners Kyle Jones of Snowflake and Dana Finkelstein of Chandler, both won Junior Player of the Year honors. Jones and Finkelstein were the overall winners of the inaugural FBR Junior Open.

Pamela D. Drake, of Randolph Golf Course in Tucson, Pat J. Miller, PGA, of Omni Tucson National Resort, and Ross L. Farley, PGA of Yuma Golf & Country Club won Merchandiser of the Year in public, resort and private categories, respectively.

Preston O. Otte, PGA, of Sahuarita, was named assistant golf professional of the Year. He works at Heritage Highlands Golf Club in Marana.

For more information, call the SWPGA Office at 480.443.9002 or visit www.southwest.pga.com.