IPGA-MARK LABIAK NAMED PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR

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MARK LABIAK Head PGA golf professional at Ruth Lake Country Club in Hinsdale.

MARK LABIAK headlines a field of special award winners from the Illinois PGA Section, for the year of 2020.

Labiak of the Ruth Lake Country Club in Hinsdale, has been named Professional of the Year from the IPGA Section.

“We are fortunate to have such an outstanding group of PGA Professionals that make up the Illinois PGA Section. Selecting a handful of members for these prestigious awards is never easy, but these professionals have shown extraordinary dedication to growing and improving the game the game of golf for everyone within the boundaries of the section,” said Carrie Williams, Executive Director of the Illinois Section. “This year’s Special Award winners exemplify all that PGA Professionals have to offer as experts in the business and game of golf.

Labiak 57, is the winner of the Professional of the Year Award. The award has been presented annually since 1955, which honors the working club professional whose total contributions to the game best exemplify the complete PGA Professional. A special emphasis is placed on the performance or achievement over the past five years and from five different areas.

Labiak has been head golf professional at Ruth Lake since 1988, and a PGA member since 1998.

“I’m extremely humbled to win this award and to be named the Illinois PGA Professional of the Year,” said Labiak. “It’s an honor that my peers have selected me to win this award especially in 2020 when any golf professional could have been Golf Professional of the Year. Other than the day I was elected into membership in 1991, this is the highlight of my career.”

THE OTHER SPECIAL AWARD WINNERS FOR 2020 ARE:

Chris Green, PGA Glen View Club-Teacher of the Year. Mark Hirn, PGA Bloomington Country Club Assistant of the Year. Dan Shelden, PGA Ruth Lake Country Club, Youth Player Development Award. Vince Juarez, PGA Kemper Sports-Bill Strausbaugh Award. Nick Papadakas, PGA Onwentsia Club, PGA Professional Development Award. Connie DeMattia PGA, Cantigny Golf-Player Development Award. Don Habjan PGA, Makray Memorial Golf Club-Bill Heald Career Achievement Award. Ian Brown, PGA Butterfield Country Club, Merchandiser of the Year-Private. Juan Espejo, PGA Maryville Golf Academy-Distinguished Service Award. Jamie Neito, PGA-The Preserve at Oak Meadows-Deacon Palmer Award. Mike Hainline, PGA-Odyssey Golf Foundation GC, Patriot Award. Mike Williams, PGA Landscapes Unlimited-PGA Executive of the Year.

For more information see IPGA.com.

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.