SOUTHWEST PGA'S CRAIG HOCKNULL TO COMPETE IN THE 2022 WM PHOENIX OPEN

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - February 9, 2022 - Craig Hocknull will once again be representing the Southwest PGA in the WM Phoenix Open taking place February 10-13 at TPC Scottsdale. He earned the exemption after winning the 64th Southwest PGA Championship/PPC on the Cholla Course at We-Ko-Pa Golf Club last September.

“It’s a huge honor to be representing the Southwest PGA at the WM Phoenix Open,” said Hocknull. “I’ve been out here all week working on my game and enjoying the environment. I know that we have a lot of outstanding PGA Professionals in our Section and I’m looking forward to representing everybody well this week. I know I’m going have a lot of friends locally following me as well as members and staff of Glenwild Golf Club in Park City where I teach in the summer. It’s going to be a blast!”

A dual member of the PGA of America, Hocknull serves as the PGA Director of Instruction at Saber Golf in Gilbert, Ariz., and in the summer months, in the same capacity at Glenwild Golf Club in Park City, Utah.

His quest to become the first Southwest PGA Professional to make the cut since 2005 begins Thursday with his opening round time at 9:05 a.m. off the 10th tee and Friday’s second round at 1:30 p.m. off No. 1. Don Yrene was the last Southwest PGA Professional to accomplish the feat finishing T69.

The WM Phoenix Open appearance will be Hocknull’s second. He missed the cut in 2017 playing his first PGA Tour event of his career but since then has played in the Shriner’s Hospitals for Children Open and two PGA Championships.

“It’s going to be a lot different this time as I’m going to feel a lot more comfortable,” said Hocknull when asked about playing in the WM Phoenix Open. “I definitely know what to prepare for and since I’ve had some other PGA Tour starts and major starts. I’m going to feel like I’ll be much better prepared this time.”

Hocknull is the only Southwest PGA Professional in history to have won every Southwest PGA major championship, and with his recent Section Championship title, has won them all twice except for the Arizona Open: The Southwest PGA Championship (2016, 2021), Arizona Open Championship (2013), Southwest PGA Match Play Championship (2013, 2018) and the Spring Masters Championship (2020, 2021). He has two victories in the stand-alone Southwest PGA Professional Championship in 2011 and 2017 when it was separate from the Section Championship. He was previously honored as the 2013 Southwest PGA Player of the Year and the 2014 Southwest PGA Teacher of the Year.