While many are familiar with the sudden elevation shifts and dodgy perched greens at Valhalla Golf Club, host of this year’s PGA Championship, Fabrizio Zanotti is one of several players making his first appearance at the year’s final major.
Zanotti, of Paraguay and a student of top coach Gary Gilchrist, was one of 41 players to receive a special exemption from the PGA of America to compete for the Wanamaker Trophy. Zanotti made is case for a spot following his first European Tour win earlier this year when he claimed the BMW International Open in Germany. The 31-year-old from Asunción became the first pro from Paraguay to win on the European Tour.
Zanotti received immense support from his home country following his monumental win. With a first place finish this week, Zanotti would certainly cement his name in the record books by becoming the first player from Paraguay to achieve a win at this prestigious competition.
The road to Valhalla can be a challenge of a lifetime, since the event is limited to the amount of players it accepts. There is no shortage of eager players looking to re-write history at this course, which was extensively re-designed by the famed golfer Jack Nicklaus with supervision of superintendent Roger Meier in 2011-2012, but a win here can quickly propel any golfer into stardom.
There are still two spots up for grabs for the 96th running of the PGA Championship. The procedure starts with a guarantee entry to the winners of the WGC Bridgestone Invitational and the Barracuda Championship, then followed by the winners from several years prior, as well as, top ranked golfers.
Exemptions were announced earlier this week by PGA of America with a total 154 players to play in the 96th PGA Championship.
ABOUT GGGA
The Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, located near Orlando, FL in Howey in the Hills, is the world’s premier junior golf academy. In addition to the junior golf program, GGGA also features summer golf camps, winter golf camps and programs, training and golf lessons for amateurs, professionals and adults.
The Academy is committed to excellence in every facet of golf, fitness, personal development and academics, evident through exclusive relationships with Montverde Academy, an acclaimed private college preparatory school, and the American Junior Golf Association.
Gary Gilchrist, founder of the Gary Gilchrist Golf Academy, has been recognized as a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher 2013-2014 and as a Golf Digest Top 50 Teacher in America 2012-2013 and 2014-2015. Gilchrist teaches many of the games top juniors and pros at the Academy, including Morgan Hoffmann, Shanshan Feng, Fabrizio Zanotti and many more.
