Embracing The Journey — All You Need to Know About the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup

The 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup is just a few short weeks away – needless to say the countdown is on. For the twelve competing teams representing PGA of America Sections across the country, the countdown has been going for much longer.

In its ninth edition, the Secretary’s Cup is a unique experience for the participating PGA HOPE Graduates and their lead PGA of America Golf Professional. Established in 2016, the event is a salute to PGA HOPE and all that it stands for. The event also recognizes the PGA of America REACH Foundation’s long-standing partnership with the Department of Veterans Affairs and our Memorandum of Understanding by celebrating the Secretary of the VA. For our Heroes, it’s their major golf championship.

In order to compete in the Secretary’s Cup, PGA HOPE graduates and PGA of America Golf Professionals who lead PGA HOPE programs collaborate with their PGA Section to field teams of Veterans who will be deeply impacted in their golf journey by participating in the tournament. The Secretary’s Cup is not about competition – it is a testament to the journey that each Veteran navigates in their life after service, in their journey in golf, and in the PGA HOPE community upon graduation.

Each fielded team must work together in order to compete, but also must positively represent their PGA Section while also giving back to their local PGA HOPE community of graduates.

Passion. Pride. Competition. Honor.

All of these themes and more ramp up to the highest degree every May at the beginning of PGA Championship week. Even though camaraderie and community remain at the forefront of PGA HOPE, don’t be fooled – each team brings with them a level of zeal and ‘chip on their shoulder’ energy driven by the support from their home PGA Section.

Let’s get to know the teams who will be making the journey to Charlotte and Carmel Country Club for the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup.

Distance Traveling – 195 miles
Total Years of Service – 63

The home team – PGA HOPE Wescott is honored to represent the Carolinas Section at the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. With a rich history of success, Team Wescott is proud to carry the tradition of excellence, camaraderie and resilience to this one-of-a-kind event. This year’s team is led by PGA HOPE Instructor Richard Sierzega, PGA. The team is made up of PGA HOPE Graduates, Caleb Vanderhorst (Active Duty U.S. Navy), Greg Miller (U.S. Army Veteran), H.P. Bordeaux (U.S. Air Force Veteran), and Ryan White (U.S. Air Force Veteran). With over 900 graduates – 650 from Westcott alone – PGA HOPE Charleston has continued to transform Veterans’ lives through the healing power of golf.

Distance Traveling – 490 miles
Total Years of Service – 112

The team representing the Country Club of Harrisburg emerged as champions at the second annual PGA HOPE Philadelphia Cup in 2024 at Riverton Country Club. As a result of their victory, the team earned the honor of representing the Philadelphia PGA Section at the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. Led by PGA of America Golf Professional Jeffrey Breiner, the team includes George Vasiloff (U.S. Air Force Veteran), Michael Jaye (U.S. Army Veteran), Antonio Wallace U.S. Army Veteran), and Bob Stock (U.S. Air Force Veteran). Together, this team will proudly represent the 20 PGA HOPE program locations in the Philadelphia PGA Section. Since its inception, PGA HOPE Philadelphia has impacted more than 1,500 Veterans and the Section is incredibly proud to have these five individuals showcase the strength and spirit of PGA HOPE.

Distance Traveling – 1,071 miles
Total Years of Service – 52

The 2023 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup champion, team Northern Texas will make their way to Charlotte to try and find the same energy and magic. Led by PGA of America Member, Chris Lawson, he says PGA HOPE is the single greatest thing to happen to him in his professional career. “Not only has it allowed me to teach, but it has also helped me develop deep, lasting friendships and build a close-knit community of like-minded individuals,” says Lawson. Team Northern Texas is made up of three U.S. Army Veterans and one U.S. Navy Veteran – Kenny Edwards, Colin Cremin, Marco Garcia and Ryder Johnson.

Distance Traveling – 2,729 miles
Total Years of Service – 37

Team NorCal is back in 2025 with an all-star team! This group of dedicated individuals has not only embraced golf as a source of healing and camaraderie, but has also taken on leadership roles for PGA HOPE within the Section. The team is led by PGA HOPE Instructor Dennis Urabe, PGA – who is the lead instructor at Travis Air Force Base golf course Cypress Lakes, and has graduated 300 Veterans in the Vacaville area. The team is made up of three U.S. Army Veterans and one U.S. Navy Veteran, Trish Doumar, PGA HOPE Northern California Ambassador Robert Olaires, Roxanne Anderson, and Scott Nelson.

Distance Traveling – 1,568 miles
Total Years of Service – 40

The inaugural PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup team from Colorado is ready to take on the journey to Charlotte. This team, formed through the PGA HOPE program at Buffalo Run golf Course in Commerce City, Colorado is led by U.S. Army Veteran Jordan LeBlanc, PGA who also serves as the PGA HOPE Training Team Leader – teaching other PGA of America Golf Professionals how to serve Veterans through PGA HOPE in their communities. In the last three years, he has trained and certified over 300 PGA of America Members across 15 different PGA Sections. The team from Colorado, who achieved victory at the 2024 PGA HOPE Colorado Cup, includes U.S. Army Veteran Jeremiah James, U.S. Air Force Veteran Paul Garcia, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran Erich Posdzich, and U.S. Navy Veteran Joshua Lee. The team hopes their journey to the Secretary’s Cup commemorates their shared experiences and inspires other veterans to participate in PGA HOPE. Their mission extends beyond the Cup, as they are committed to giving back and encouraging further Veteran involvement in PGA HOPE.

Distance Traveling – 740 miles
Total Years of Service – 32

Meet Chuck Bootz (U.S. Army), Rick Holbrook (U.S. Army), Ruben Rodea (U.S. Army), and Pat Shannon (U.S. Air Force, Army Reserves) – the four Veterans of the PGA HOPE Midland program whose journey from service to civilian life is defined by resilience, camaraderie, and a shared love for golf. The PGA HOPE program has been a vital part of their transformation, allowing these Veterans to embrace community. Led by PGA of America Member, Doug Temple, their shared team theme is “Beyond The Battlefield.” To them, this group understands their journey is far from over, and that golf and PGA HOPE will continue to be a source of healing, growth and brotherhood for years to come.

Distance Traveling – 381 miles
Total Years of Service – 93

PGA of America Golf Professional and U.S. Navy Veteran Jack Aschenbach is leading the inaugural team from North Florida to the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. As the North Florida PGA’s Northern Chapter Patriot Award winner for 4 years, and being a consistent PGA HOPE Instructor for the last 5 years – Jack’s commitment to PGA HOPE remains steadfast. The team from the Jacksonville Beach PGA HOPE program is made up of Don Moore (U.S. Army), Chris Hundley (U.S. Navy), Felix Rios (U.S. Army) and Andrew Ramirez (U.S. Marine Corps). As one of the of the Section’s most active PGA HOPE locations, this team has a true heart for the program and how it has impacted their lives. PGA HOPE Jacksonville Beach serves about 80 Veterans every year and is only a 15 minute drive from Naval Air Station MayPort, which has helped create a strong military presence for the North Florida Section.

Distance Traveling – 544 miles
Total Years of Service – 37

For the first time in the Section’s history, Northern Ohio is proud to have a team represented at the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. In 2025, the Northern Ohio Section will host 22 programs dedicated to serving over 340 Veterans. Their Secretary’s Cup team is led by PGA of America Master Professional, Barry Friedman who has dedicated himself to PGA HOPE’s mission since 2022. Barry has instructed in 16 PGA HOPE sessions, impacting 200 Veterans across the Northern Ohio community. The team is made up of two U.S. Navy Veterans – Jason Strejcek and Jennifer Baun as well as two U.S. Army Veterans, and brothers – Trip and Paul Heaverly.

Distance Traveling – 740 miles
Total Years of Service – 80

Another inaugural team, PGA HOPE South Florida has selected their team for their dedication to pay it forward by advocating for and inspiring other Veterans – each team member is a living example for the mission of PGA HOPE. PGA of America Associate and U.S. Army Veteran Zach Anzaroot leads the team as the Assistant Golf Professional at The Rookery at Marco in Naples, Florida. The rest of the team is made up of U.S. Air Force Veteran Patti Baker, U.S. Navy Veteran Richard George, U.S. Army Veteran Chris Short, and U.S. Navy Veteran Dwight Hanners.

Distance Traveling – 497 miles
Total Years of Service – 35

As the first team to represent the Southern Ohio PGA Section at the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup, there is so much this team is looking forward to once they arrive in Charlotte. The all-women Veteran team is led by PGA of America Member Matt Starr. In their PGA HOPE journey, the lead instructors who ran their programming were impressed by the ladies’ engagement and initiative – attending all their sessions, from basic training to graduate-level programs, and participating in the 2024 Southern Ohio PGA HOPE Cup at the end of last season.

Distance Traveling – 1,249 miles
Total Years of Service – 78

Southern Texas is excited to make their first appearance at the PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup. The team says they are ready to represent the Section and to bring the experience and knowledge gained at the event back home to their communities and assist other Veterans and Active Duty personnel. Leading the team is PGA of America Member and U.S. Air Force Veteran, Jamie Smith. Jamie is entering his second year of PGA HOPE instruction, where he is able to relate to what many Veterans are going through due to his retired military status. The rest of the team includes U.S. Marine Corps Veteran David Cano, U.S. Navy Veteran Raimond Booker, U.S. Army Veteran Bradleigh Lane, and U.S. Air Force Veteran Darren Cormier. Since 2015, PGA HOPE Southern Texas has expanded to serve over 720 Veterans at 16 program locations in 2024.

Distance Traveling – 2,104 miles
Total Years of Service – 42

Another team making their debut in the 2025 PGA HOPE Secretary’s Cup is PGA HOPE Southwest. Their team motto is “Built For More,” as each of their Veterans were built through their decades of service and subsequent community involvement representing their families and the Armed Forces through courage, strength and hope. PGA HOPE Southwest has seen exponential growth over the past four years and will host over 58 sessions at 23 facilities in 2025 – powered by the strength and commitment of the Section’s PGA of America Membership. The team is led by PGA of America Member and PGA HOPE instructor, Jamey Lewis who serves as the General Manager and Director of Golf at Sun City Country Club as well as the Chairman of the Southwest PGA Foundation. The team represents four of the six U.S. military branches and includes U.S. Army Veteran Matt Jackson, U.S. Navy Veteran Terry Braun, U.S. Marine Corps Veteran John DuTemple, and U.S. Air Force Veteran Tony Miller.

PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is on a mission unlike any other – to change and save Veteran’s lives through the power of golf. The program introduces and teaches golf to Veterans and Active Duty Military to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. Led by PGA of America Golf Professionals, the program is inclusive of a developmental 6-8 week curriculum. All programs are provided at no cost to all participating Veterans. To learn more or donate, visit pgahope.com.