News
Reese Barlow Presented with the 2023 Jace Bugg Award
Pendleton County's Barlow receives this distinguished Kentucky PGA Junior Tour honor.
LOUISVILLE, KY (December 27, 2023) – Reese Barlow, a senior at Pendleton County High School, has been selected as the newest recipient of the Jace Bugg Award. One of the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour’s most prestigious awards, this honor salutes a player who represents golf’s best qualities – outstanding sportsmanship, a positive attitude, and a true friend to his or her peers.
Early in the year, Barlow’s name was mentioned among the Tour’s staff for this award due to her constant bright demeanor and kindness towards everyone she interacts with, especially evident in her conversations with other players, the Tour staff and officials, golf course employees, and the families of her fellow competitors.
“I do not know that I’ve seen Reese one time and she does not have a smile on her face. Regardless of the outcome of her round, she shows class, integrity, and the truest form of sportsmanship,” says MacKenzie Peyton, Director, Junior Tour. “We love seeing players such as Reese come to the first tee/scoring area at every event she plays. She is always so appreciative of our staff and host facilities. We are so proud to have a player like Reese on our Tour!”
“I am so blessed to have been selected to receive the Jace Bugg Award. The experiences I’ve had through the Kentucky Junior Golf program have formed me into the player I am today,” Barlow shares. “Playing golf truly makes me happy and I love getting to play with the girls who compete. I am very appreciative of any chance I get to have on the golf course and I cannot wait to pursue my career within the golf industry through PGA Golf Management. Lastly, I would like to say a big thank you to all of the Junior Tour staff who make these events possible, as well as for being a positive role model to young golfers!”
Barlow’s friendly and kindhearted personality has stretched past the KPGA Junior Tour and to other avenues in Kentucky golf, namely through her time spent at Kenton County Golf Courses as both a player and employee. David Peru II, General Manager at Kenton County Golf Courses, expresses “Reese Barlow is an outstanding young lady who I recently had encountered in competition and as a team member. Her smile lights up the room. She is defined by way more than a smile though. She works hard. She works hard at her game. She works hard at the golf course as a rockstar on our team. She works hard at life. She inspires her coworkers, friends and team members to strive to be the best. I am very proud of Reese to be acknowledged with this award. We need more people like Reese in this game and in life. I am confident she will only get even stronger as life evolves and I thank you for seeing how great Reese is as a person.”
During the 2023 season, Barlow competed in six events on Tour and recorded five top 10 finishes in the Girls 16-18 division. She claimed one win at the Northern Kentucky Junior Championship in June and accumulated 264 points in the Player of the Year race. The spring of 2024 will mark her last season competing in junior golf as she gears up to graduate high school and pursue PGA Golf Management in college.
The Jace Bugg Award is named in honor of the Henderson native who had a terrific Kentucky Junior Golf career which led to a professional career that included two victories. Sadly, Bugg was diagnosed with leukemia which led to him passing away in 2003 at the age of 27. The award was first distributed in 2005 and has recognized a player meeting these characteristics every year since. More information and the full list of honorees can be found by clicking here.
About Kentucky Junior Golf:
Kentucky Junior Golf is part of the Kentucky Golf Foundation, one of three organizations that comprises Golf House Kentucky. Kentucky Junior Golf includes the state’s top tournaments and programs for the state’s golfers aged 18 or younger, featuring the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour, Youth on Course, the Youth on Course caddie program, PGA Jr. League, and Drive, Chip & Putt. Kentucky Junior Golf is dedicated to introducing Kentucky’s youth to the game of golf, providing resources to further enjoyment within the sport, and developing the skills necessary for players to thrive both on and off the golf course.
Media Contact:
Abby Ligons | Golf House Kentucky | aligons@kygolf.org | (502) 792-9703
Early in the year, Barlow’s name was mentioned among the Tour’s staff for this award due to her constant bright demeanor and kindness towards everyone she interacts with, especially evident in her conversations with other players, the Tour staff and officials, golf course employees, and the families of her fellow competitors.
“I do not know that I’ve seen Reese one time and she does not have a smile on her face. Regardless of the outcome of her round, she shows class, integrity, and the truest form of sportsmanship,” says MacKenzie Peyton, Director, Junior Tour. “We love seeing players such as Reese come to the first tee/scoring area at every event she plays. She is always so appreciative of our staff and host facilities. We are so proud to have a player like Reese on our Tour!”
“I am so blessed to have been selected to receive the Jace Bugg Award. The experiences I’ve had through the Kentucky Junior Golf program have formed me into the player I am today,” Barlow shares. “Playing golf truly makes me happy and I love getting to play with the girls who compete. I am very appreciative of any chance I get to have on the golf course and I cannot wait to pursue my career within the golf industry through PGA Golf Management. Lastly, I would like to say a big thank you to all of the Junior Tour staff who make these events possible, as well as for being a positive role model to young golfers!”
Barlow’s friendly and kindhearted personality has stretched past the KPGA Junior Tour and to other avenues in Kentucky golf, namely through her time spent at Kenton County Golf Courses as both a player and employee. David Peru II, General Manager at Kenton County Golf Courses, expresses “Reese Barlow is an outstanding young lady who I recently had encountered in competition and as a team member. Her smile lights up the room. She is defined by way more than a smile though. She works hard. She works hard at her game. She works hard at the golf course as a rockstar on our team. She works hard at life. She inspires her coworkers, friends and team members to strive to be the best. I am very proud of Reese to be acknowledged with this award. We need more people like Reese in this game and in life. I am confident she will only get even stronger as life evolves and I thank you for seeing how great Reese is as a person.”
During the 2023 season, Barlow competed in six events on Tour and recorded five top 10 finishes in the Girls 16-18 division. She claimed one win at the Northern Kentucky Junior Championship in June and accumulated 264 points in the Player of the Year race. The spring of 2024 will mark her last season competing in junior golf as she gears up to graduate high school and pursue PGA Golf Management in college.
The Jace Bugg Award is named in honor of the Henderson native who had a terrific Kentucky Junior Golf career which led to a professional career that included two victories. Sadly, Bugg was diagnosed with leukemia which led to him passing away in 2003 at the age of 27. The award was first distributed in 2005 and has recognized a player meeting these characteristics every year since. More information and the full list of honorees can be found by clicking here.
About Kentucky Junior Golf:
Kentucky Junior Golf is part of the Kentucky Golf Foundation, one of three organizations that comprises Golf House Kentucky. Kentucky Junior Golf includes the state’s top tournaments and programs for the state’s golfers aged 18 or younger, featuring the Kentucky PGA Junior Tour, Youth on Course, the Youth on Course caddie program, PGA Jr. League, and Drive, Chip & Putt. Kentucky Junior Golf is dedicated to introducing Kentucky’s youth to the game of golf, providing resources to further enjoyment within the sport, and developing the skills necessary for players to thrive both on and off the golf course.
Media Contact:
Abby Ligons | Golf House Kentucky | aligons@kygolf.org | (502) 792-9703
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