Jeremy Wells, director of player development at Cypress Lake Golf Club in Fort Myers, has qualified for the prestigious PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Rochester, New York. In the second of the PGA TOUR’s four major championships, he’ll be competing against the likes of Jon Rahm, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
Wells, of Estero, was among 312 PGA professionals competing for just 20 available spots in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill. PGA professionals are members of the Professional Golfers Association and often work as golf club pros, club managers, course superintendents, golf instructors and tournament directors.
“I have been playing golf since I was 5 years old, always dreaming about the chance to play in a major and compete with the world’s best golfers,” Wells said. “It’s a great opportunity and I’m excited to share this experience with my family and friends who will be there, too.”
Wells played golf collegiately at the College of William and Mary, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing. After moving to Southwest Florida, he competed professionally on the West Florida Golf Tour for a few years before becoming a full-time teaching professional, first at a driving range and golf center before joining Cypress Lake Golf Club in 2019 as the historic club launched its 60th anniversary celebration.
At Cypress Lake Golf Club, Wells provides individual instruction, clinics and playing lessons for golfers of all abilities, incorporating technology like Trackman, Boditrack, Blast Motion, Eyeline Golf and Perfect Putter into lessons. Cypress Lake has an expansive practice area that includes a full driving range, short range, fairway and greenside bunkers, and a putting green.
Wells qualified for the PGA Championship after a solid all-around performance at the PGA Professional Championship, held April 30 to May 3 at the Twin Warriors Golf Club and Santa Ana Golf Club in New Mexico. Wells made the cut, but after the third round, he was in 29th place – outside the top 20 that would be granted spots at the PGA Championship. After completing the front side at 1-under par, Wells birdied 10 and 11 before making eagle on the 12th and one more birdie on the 17th. His final round score of 66 was the lowest of the day. His caddy was Chris Black, a Cypress Lake club member and board member.
Wells, a member of the South Florida PGA, has finished strong at several recent events, including a third-place finish at the 2022 South Florida PGA Section Championship, fourth at the 2021 Florida State Open and third at the 2021 National Assistant PGA Professional Championship.
“Going into the back nine, I knew that I’d need a run to finish in the top 20,” Wells said of his performance at the PGA Professional Championship. “After a birdie, birdie and eagle on consecutive holes, I knew my form was strong and I just needed to keep making aggressive swings to hit my targets. After reaching the green in two shots on the 18th hole, I was finally able to relax and enjoy what I’d just accomplished. It was by far the most important nine holes of my career.”
Wells earned a $21,000 payday for his 7th place finish.
The PGA Championship will be held May 18-21 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester. Early estimates are calling for upwards of 200,000 fans to come through the gates at Oak Hill, but Wells takes comfort in the fact that family and friends will be by his side, including his caddie and childhood friend, Daryl Chappell.
“I teach for a living, so being able to take a week to play in the PGA Championship with my family there is incredible,” Wells said. “If I hit the ball well and make my putts, hopefully I’m in a position to make the cut after the second round, and that would be quite an accomplishment playing alongside the best golfers in the world.”
PGA Professional Championship
April 30-May 3, 2023
Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico
Round-by-Round Totals for Jeremy Wells
- Round 1: 71 (22nd place)
- Round 2: 72 (21st place)
- Round 3: 74 (29th place)
- Round 4: 66 (7th place)
About Cypress Lake Golf Club
Located at 6767 Winkler Road in Fort Myers, Cypress Lake Golf Club is Fort Myers’ oldest and most historic private golf club, boasting three PGA Hall of Fame golfers (Patty Berg, Gene Sarazen and Herb Graffis) as founding members. Founded in 1959, the award-winning Cypress Lake Golf Club is one of the few golf courses in Southwest Florida where walking is encouraged all year long, a feature that perfectly complements the unparalleled beauty of the course. Members enjoy access to golf and tennis, a fully stocked golf pro shop as well as social and dining experiences at the clubhouse. For more information, please call 239-481-1333 or visit CypressLakeGC.com.
