As Chairman of the Executive Committee of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship for 2018, Sam Abdelnour is absolutely in his element right now — fully six months before the first ball takes flight at Harbor Shores. The affable Whirlpool exec stood with me at center ice in the John & Dede Howard Ice Arena in St. Joseph this afternoon and was virtually aglow in anticipation of the event coming over the Memorial Day weekend next spring, saying this is the best part of his job.
While most of us are concentrated on the winter holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years, Abdelnour and his executive committee are hard at work with staff members from the PGA of America laying the groundwork for what they hope will be the biggest and best performance yet for the Championship when it hits the links at Harbor Shores.
Abdelnour and Championship Director Ryan Ogle joined KitchenAid’s Deb O’Connor, St. Joseph Mayor Mike Garey and newly elected St. Joseph City Commissioners Laura Goos and Peggy Getty at center ice today to commemorate the unveiling of the bright red 2018 Championship logo embedded in the gleaming new sheet of ice which minutes later was welcoming practicing players from local hockey teams and will open to the general public on Wednesday afternoon for the first time this season.
Ogle says sponsorship of center ice “Is a great way for us to support a community that is supporting us so well.” He adds, “The city has been tremendous in their support, and have given us a lot of opportunities to continue to enhance the championship, so we look to find ways in which we can return that support, like this initiative where youth in the community benefit from that support.”
The City’s Communications Director Susan Solon was also pumped, calling the new logo, “A great thing for our community — and not very many communities get to do something like this — and we very much appreciate the partnership.”
For Chairman Abdelnour, this is the best part of the job. He says, “My favorite part, believe it or not, is the work we do leading up to the Championship. Then, once we get there, it’s almost anticlimactic, because you get to see it happen real time, and you know the PGA of America does so much to put this thing together in the final days.”
Sam voiced great excitement as he and the others were positioned for photographers and TV videographers, saying, “I think we’ve got such a great community, and a great group of people working on the Championship, and I think the thing that I’m most surprised at, is how excited everybody is to look forward to 2018, knowing that we’ve done it already three times before.” He promised some great new things during Championship week, “that we haven’t done before.”
Some have asked Abdelnour about attracting young people, and he promised that will be a big part of new innovations next year, saying, “That’s why we’re here at center ice, and it’s why we’re talking to different groups in the community say ‘This is real golf. This is Championship golf. These aren’t the old guys that are moving on, this is the real thing,’ so I think there’s so much to be excited about, but believe it or not, we’re already running out of time. It looks like winters’ just getting ready to start, and it’s already almost showtime!”
Another enhancement in 2018 will be the Southwest Michigan Makers Trail 19th Hole, an enhanced experience featuring many craft beers, SW Michigan wines and locally distilled spirits in a fun atmosphere where folks can refresh themselves on the golf course while having a little fun and watch some great golf.
While some need to slog through winter’s gray days to get to the other side, Championship Chairman Sam Abdelnour says this is his favorite part. The getting ready part. Because, “Seeing friends and neighbors and people from the community all out there volunteering or spectating, and enjoying what’s going on — not tired out…not worn out…full of energy about what’s happening — because they absolutely delight in showing off our community.”
Ryan Ogle says it will definitely be shown off with an amazing amount of air time on NBC TV and The Golf Channel for world wide broadcast coverage and exposure that is almost immeasurable.
So, when you take the family skating over the Thanksgiving weekend and throughout the winter season, don’t forget to order up your tickets to be a part of one of the most prestigious events in the world of sports right here in our own back yard. I recently shared details on special pricing going on right now, and you can access that link be clicking here:
https://www.moodyonthemarket.com/2018-kitchenaid-senior-pga-tix-now-on-sale/
Shown in the photo accompanying this story on Moody on the Market.com are (from left to right) newly elected St. Joseph City Commissioners Peggy Getty and Laura Goos, Mayor Mike Garey, Championship Chair Sam Abdelnour, KitchenAid’s Deb O’Connor and Championship Director Ryan Ogle.
