DIEGO BARANDIARAN
Pennsylvania State University - 2024
Diego is an agronomist engineer from Seville (Spain) with a master's degree in turfgrass management. He is currently studying at Penn State in the 2-year Golf Course Management Program and works at Riviera Country Club as a Senior Agronomist.
KAYLA GUTIERREZ
Florida Gulf Coast University - 2024
Kayla Gutierrez is from Hammonton, New Jersey and is currently a fourth-year student at Florida Gulf Coast University. Kayla is studying PGA Golf Management program with dual minors in Marketing and Advertising. Outside of golf, Kayla enjoys photography, traveling, trying new foods, and going to the beach. Kayla is currently completing her fourth internship at the Philadelphia PGA Section as the Marketing/Communications intern. Her future career goals include working in Media, Marketing, and Digital Content Creation, with an emphasis on growing the game and making golf inclusive for everyone!
GAVIN LYONS
Florida Gulf Coast University - 2024
Gavin Lyons is a double major in Professional Golf Management and Turfgrass Management at Florida Gulf Coast University and Penn State University. He has interned at many different golf courses with the most recent at Augusta National Golf Club. His passions are golf, participating and watching sports, weight lifting, and just being with friends and family.
ALEX DURAN
New Mexico State University - 2025
Alex is from Rapid City, SD, and is a third-year student in the NMSU PGM Program. Along with his wife Danielle, Alex is pursuing his golf dreams to become more involved with the industry and the world of golf all together. Alex has interned at the Country Club of the Rockies in Edwards, CO, and is now interning at NMSU GC in Las Cruces, NM.
ALLISON MACKE
Florida Gulf Coast University - 2025
Allison Macke is a Junior in the Professional Golf Management program at Florida Gulf Coast. She was originally born in Naples, Florida, so attending FGCU was bittersweet as I was going back to my "roots." Allison enjoys serving different memberships in the golf industry as well as creating genuine relationships with those people. She hopes to be a Merchandiser/Buyer for a high-end private club and possibly own a golf shop. Her dream is to become a model for a popular golf brand such as Greyson or Peter Millar.
BEN WAGNER
Pennsylvania State University - 2025
Ben lives in central Pennsylvania and is starting his second year in the Turfgrass Science Program at Penn State – University Park. He works for the Beaver Stadium Grounds Crew over the school year and over the summer he interned at the Country Club of York. He works on the course mowing, fixing irrigation and many other things to help him prepare for his future in the industry. Ben hopes to someday be the superintendent of his own course someday as he continues his work in the golf course industry.
MORGAN HORRELL
Howard University - 2026
Morgan Horrell is a sophomore marketing major at Howard University in Washington D.C. where she balances being a full time student and devotes herself to the division I women’s golf program. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, she grew up playing the game of golf and in high school helped led her team to win a State Championship her junior year. After a successful freshman year at Howard, she was named Captain and hopes to lead her collegiate team to reach new heights. Her passions lie in growing diversity in golf and working with children in sports. Recently completing the inaugural USGA Pathways Internship, Morgan has aspirations to work in the golf industry and be a positive role model and leader in her community.
NIKOLAS PITIRIS
New Mexico State University - 2026
Born in Cyprus, Nikolas attends the PGA Management Program at New Mexico State University. He balances his studies with training for the Cyprus National Team, of which he has been a member since 2017. He is an NMSU Crimson Scholar and a PGA Works Scholar. Nikolas holds 44 International Caps playing for Cyprus and has won 4 National Championship titles. He transferred to NMSU from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, where he achieved the SWAC Second-Team All-Conference, recognized by the State of Arkansas Legislature with House Resolution 1050.
This season, he has been busy attending the 2022 106th PGA Annual Meeting as an NMSU and PGA Works Scholar Representative. He received an individual invitation to the 2023 PGA Works Collegiate Championship, competed at the 2023 European Amateur Championship, and is currently training with the Cyprus National Team to compete in the European Team Shield Competition. Nikolas aspirations are to turn pro on the tour and to become the first golfer to represent Cyprus at the Olympics.
DANIEL POLCE
Florida Gulf Coast University - 2026
Originally from Zephyrhills, Florida, Daniel is about to enter his sophomore year as a student in Florida Gulf Coast University's fantastic PGM Program. Daniel’s dad, a decorated PGA Professional and teacher in the North Florida Section, is his core inspiration for his future. Through his help and the guidance of his friends and teachers at FGCU, Daniel is pursuing his dream of becoming a high-level golf instructor. He is currently spending the summer as an Intern at TPC Sawgrass, learning as much as he can about all aspects of the golf industry as he continues forging a career in the field that he loves.
BRIAN MARKLEWITZ
PGM Associate - Level 2
Assistant Professional, Blackstone Country Club
Brian grew up in Woodbury Connecticut playing all sports but fell in love with golf at a young age. Brian received his High School letter for playing on the golf team all four years. He’s currently on his level 3 of the PGA PGM Associate Program. Brian and his wife, Brittany decided to uproot from Connecticut and move to Arizona during the Covid pandemic. He was given an opportunity to work at Blackstone Country Club. He has a lot of opportunity living in Arizona to play golf and spend outdoor time with family and friends. Brian has worked in the golf industry since 2012 with tenure at Somers Pointe CC in Somers NY, True Blue and Caledonia GC in Pawleys Island SC, and Racebrook CC in Orange CT. Brian’s ultimate goal is to become a Director of Golf at a private facility.