Three professionals, one standard
Consistency, perspective and performance define the PGA of America’s Players of the Year
The PGA of America confirmed its 2025 Players of the Year on January 13 in Frisco, Texas, recognising Ben Polland, Sandra Changkija and Justin Hicks with Rolex-presented honours across the Professional, Women’s Professional and Senior categories.
Polland’s season was built on balance as much as birdies. The PGA Director of Golf at Shooting Star in Jackson Hole made four cuts on the PGA TOUR using exemptions earned from his 2024 PGA Professional Championship victory, while also repeating as Rocky Mountain PGA Section Champion and securing a second straight national Player of the Year title with 1,048 points.
“Those starts are really fun to get back and play competitively,” Polland said. “I was comfortable with where I was at in my life, recently getting married, loving my job and good golf came a little easier to me.” His focus now turns to Bandon Dunes in April and the PGA Cup at The K Club in Ireland in September.
Changkija’s year blended sustained excellence with a historic breakthrough. The PGA and LPGA Assistant Professional at Lake Nona earned her second Women’s PGA Professional Player of the Year Award, finishing on 917.5 points, while becoming the first woman to win the Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
“It’s great to win another Player of the Year award,” Changkija said. “I’m always trying to improve and stay ahead of the game.” Her T-6 finish at the LPGA Professionals Championship also secured a place in the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship at Hazeltine.
For Hicks, 2025 marked a new chapter rather than a closing one. The 51-year-old PGA Teaching Professional at Stonebridge Country Club topped the Senior standings, highlighted by victory at the Senior PGA Professional Championship and appearances in both the PGA Championship and U.S. Open.
“I’m always trying to think that my best golf is ahead of me,” Hicks said. “There are so many firsts that are still coming.” With back-to-back South Florida PGA Player of the Year titles and a senior major debut on the horizon, his points total of 845.83 reflected both longevity and momentum.
Across three categories, the message was consistent. Excellence at this level is not defined by one week or one stage, but by the ability to compete, teach and lead while still performing when the scorecard is in hand.