Stafford, Va. – Charismatic golf radio host Michael Williams of CBS Radio’s “The 19th Hole” is the 2014 recipient of the Middle Atlantic PGA’s Earle Hellen Sports Media Award. This award bestows special recognition on an outstanding member of the media who best exemplifies a commitment and service to golf and sport reporting and who demonstrates the same genuine appreciation for the role of the PGA Professional as was demonstrated by the late Earle Hellen (formerly of the Newport News Newspapers). Williams will be recognized in front of the membership at the MAPGA Hall of Fame and Awards banquet to be held on March 8, 2014 at the Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va.
Williams has been involved in golf in the mid-Atlantic region for over 20 years and continues to be a tremendous supporter of PGA Professionals and the MAPGA. His radio show “The 19th Hole” has a regular spot on Saturday mornings on CBS Radio’s 106.7 The Fan.
Born in Washington, D.C., Williams has lived in or visited over 40 countries but has a special appreciation for his native city. He was the first African-American male to attend The Sidwell Friends School from Kindergarten through High School and continued his education at the University of Maryland at College Park where he majored in English Literature. He started to play golf in 2000 after the passing of his brother Thomas and shortly after that, joined the staff of Pros and Hackers magazine.
In 2003, Williams became Director of Marketing and Communications for Golf Course Specialists, Inc., the largest golf course operator for the National Park System (NPS). In this role, Michael was responsible for the three NPS golf courses in Washington, D.C. He was tasked with connecting the playing public to the game, and in that capacity he was involved with the conception and implementation of such groundbreaking national programs as Patriot Golf Day, Play Golf America Day and Women’s Golf Week/Month.
Williams is currently working with a wide range of outlets in traditional and electronic media. In his first year as host of “The 19th Hole Golf Radio Show” in Washington D.C., he led the show to become a top-rated golf show in the 7th largest market in the United States. He also produced and hosted “Sticks and Stones” on the Fox Radio network, a critically acclaimed show that combined coverage of the golf world with interviews of the Washington power elite. That and his television work on Newschannel8’s “Capital Golf Weekly” as Contributing Editor for the last eight years and as a correspondent on “SportsTalk” have established him as one of the area’s most trusted sources for golf and other sports reporting. In addition, Michael has established a national following with his writing for GolfWRX.com, a subsidiary of Golf Digest that caters to the true golf enthusiast.
A supporter of important causes, Williams also contributes to a many charitable organizations with an emphasis on protection for abused women and children, heart and vascular disease, and career development for the formerly incarcerated. He is also a member of the United States Golf Association and the Golf Writers Association of America.
About the Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA of America
The Middle Atlantic Section of the PGA (MAPGA), located in Stafford, Virginia, is one of 41 Sections of The Professional Golfers’ Association of America (PGA), headquartered in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. As a part of The PGA since 1925, the MAPGA consists of over 1,100 members and apprentices in Maryland, Virginia, the District of Columbia and small portions of Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Together, the MAPGA golf professionals, volunteers and staff support the mission of The PGA to promote enjoyment and involvement in the game of golf and to contribute to the game’s growth by providing services to PGA Professionals and the golf industry.
Contact:
Stephanie Jennings, PGA
sjennings@pgahq.com
(540) 720-7420 ext. 116
