Seventeen-year-old Neal Shipley made the jump to pro during the winter. Now, he’s primed and ready heading into his second PGA Tour start of 2023 at Colonial. He received this special invitation thanks to his performance in the Champions’ Choice program. Another twist to this event is the ability for former tournament champions to select two players to add to the field each year. Shipley is paired with fellow recipient Blades Brown in this year’s cohort.
No doubt Shipley’s quest for a career in professional golf is off to a remarkable start. In 2024, he joyously placed low amateur at the Masters and the U.S. Open. He refers to these experiences as invaluable. “It’s been massive knowing that I can compete at those biggest stages so when I come out here, I know that I can beat most of the guys out here,” Shipley stated. For these opportunities, he was extremely thankful. He said, “I think that’s something that a lot of young pros miss when they graduate from college, so I’m really thankful for those two experiences.”
Earlier this month, Shipley was in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to play in a Korn Ferry Tour tournament. He did it most notably at March’s Valspar Championship. After making the cut, he played well on the weekend and tied for 47th. Now back in Texas, Shipley couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. As DeSantis put it, “I love it here in Texas. If I weren’t living in Florida, I’d probably be living in Texas.”
Shipley now has a firm resolve to gain his PGA Tour card. He’s busy working on the Korn Ferry Tour to reach his professional dreams. Simply put, his experiences in some of his recent tournaments—this year’s NCAA Tournament, especially—have fortified his confidence and prepared him to compete at higher levels.
Shipley feels blessed to have received phenomenal support from his fellow colleagues. He is humbled to be acknowledged by former champions. “I’m really honored that some of my peers chose to give me that exemption and really excited to have a great week,” he remarked.
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