Lee University’s Drew Zielinski will become the first active Division II golfer to appear in a PGA Tour event this week in Bermuda
photo by Paul Payne
Drew Zielinski has compiled quite an impressive résumé this fall as he embarked on his senior year at Lee University, something he envisioned after a strong initial season with the Flames last year concluded with a runner-up finish at the NCAA Division II national championship.
The native of Ocean Springs, Miss. continued his spectacular play through the fall portion of the schedule. Lee won two of its four tournaments to rise to the No. 1 ranking in the Bushnell/Golfweek DII Coaches Poll for the first time in three years, while Zielinski is ranked as the top individual golfer nationally within his division.
But the crowning achievement of Zielinski’s accomplishments will take place this week as he takes a brief detour outside of the college golf world. Instead, Zielinski will test his skills among the world’s best golfers as he competes in the PGA Tour’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship, becoming the first active Division II golfer to participate in a professional tournament on golf’s biggest stage.
Zielinski earned the right to make his PGA Tour debut by winning medalist honors at the Fripp Island to Bermuda Invite on Oct. 21. hosted by Golfweek at South Carolina’s Ocean Point Golf Course. While Lee was cruising to the team title by an 18-shot margin, deciding who would claim the exemption to Bermuda came down to a showdown between Zielinski and teammate Bennett McNabb.
After establishing a new course record with his opening round 65, Zielinski birdied his last three holes to close with a 66 to earn a two-shot victory over McNabb. He will be the third Lee golfer to compete in a PGA Tour event, joining former Flames MJ Daffue and Beck Burnette who were on hand in Bermuda for Monday qualifying.
Daffue missed by two shots of making it into a playoff for the final spot in the field after carding a 6-under 66, while Burnette posted a 3-under 69 (T29).
“That’s why all of us play golf and to just be given this opportunity is just prayers that are answered,” Zielinski said. “No Division II tournament has offered an exemption before, and being able to go to Bermuda and play in that tournament is just a blessing.”
Others in the field include former Masters champion Danny Willett and Open Championship winner Francesco Molinari along with a number of PGA Tour winners including Brandt Snedeker, Sahith Theegala, Matt Kuchar and Kevin Streelman. Also, Nashville’s 18-year-old PGA Tour rookie Blades Brown is listed among those in the field.
Suddenly, Zielinski will find himself squaring off with golfers who have been among the game’s elite over the past few years.
“Just to have my name listed with theirs, it’s an opportunity that’s just very rare,” Zielinski said. “I’m just trying to soak it all in and trying to compete. I don’t feel like I’m going there just nosing around. I want to take everything I can out of this opportunity and go out there and compete.”
Making the trip to Bermuda more enjoyable for Zielinski is the fact McNabb will be accompanying him to serve as his caddie for the week. The duo arrived on Saturday to familiarize themselves with the golf course with several practice rounds before the tournament is scheduled for Nov. 13-16.
“It will be awesome to have Bennett on the bag,” Zielinski said. “He will help keep things light, and I 100-percent trust him with the golf. I’ve tried to look at some stuff about the golf course on YouTube, but we’re going to hit the yardage books pretty heavy whenever we get out there.”
Zielinski began his college golf career at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College where he helped lead his team to the 2024 NJCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship. His rapid development after waiting until high school to pursue competitive golf has gained the admiration of Lee golf coach Evan Spence.
“This the first time this ever happened at the Division II level,” said Spence, now in his third year leading the program after concluding his playing career at Lee. “When you sign up for this job, it’s not even really something you expect to happen. For a guy like Drew, it’s even more special. He’s a late bloomer. He is just someone who’s steadily worked and gotten a lot better every single year, a super strong competitor. Just to watch him continue to grow and now have this opportunity, it’s just so rewarding. I can’t wait to go out there and support him and watch him do what he loves.”
Joining Spence in Bermuda will be Zielinski’s parents, his brother, and his girlfriend. While he’s looking forward to spending the week with family in Bermuda, Zielinski has bigger plans than simply enjoying a week in paradise.
“I don’t want to set a goal like just making the cut. I want to put that as the baseline,” Zielinski said. “Being able to compete on the weekend, having it where somebody’s noticing my name on the leaderboard, that would make for a good week.”
Zielinski got his first taste of life on the PGA Tour during his practice rounds, enjoying a conversation with Tour veterans Sam Stevens and Theegala.
“The atmosphere is so surreal,” Zielinski said. “Everything is at your fingertips, and everyone wants to help you. It’s fantastic. Just the fact that you’re hitting and putting next to the best players in the world and they are such normal guys is amazing.”
Spence is confident that Zielinski’s even-tempered demeanor will serve him well in his first professional start despite being thrust upon such a big stage.
“I think one thing that Drew has done an excellent job of over the past year and a half that I’ve known him here at Lee is managing his game and getting it in order for the biggest events,” Spence said. “He finished runner-up at the national championship last year. He’s had two college victories, with one of them coming at arguably the biggest college event we’ve played outside of postseason.
“I’m sure the jitters are going to be going when he stands on that first tee, but he’s certainly going to be prepared. Drew’s going to be representing all of Division II golfers this week, and I know there’s going to be a lot of eyes on him. I’m thankful for us to have that opportunity for him to be the face of DII for a couple of days.”
The event is the sixth of seven fall events on the PGA Tour, carrying with it a final opportunity for those seeking to finish inside the top 100 in points to secure full status for 2026.
In addition to Brown, Snedeker and Zielinski, others with Tennessee connections will be part of the field of 120 golfers. Dickson native Hunter Wolcott survived 2-for-1 playoff to secure the last of four spots against PGA Tour winner Adam Long by shooting 8-under 64 in a qualifier held Oct. 13 at The Country Club of Winter Haven. The 27-year-old Tennessee graduate will be making his PGA Tour debut as well, coming on the heels of his first professional win back in May at the Diners Club Peru Open on the PGA Tour Americas.
Also in the field are former Vanderbilt stars Gordon Sargent and Matthew Riedel, two-time PGA Tour winner Luke List who prepped at Baylor School before attending Vanderbilt, and high school phenom Tyler Watts of Huntsville who is a Tennessee commit.
Paul Payne can be emailed at paulpayne6249@gmail.com
