Drew Zielinski originally had no big plans for this week, just going through a regular week of classes at Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee with the Thanksgiving break right around the corner. But all of that changed three weeks ago, prompting a detour to Zielinski’s studies that has him in Bermuda this week as a trailblazer of sorts among college golfers. He will be the first active NCAA Division II golfer to compete in a PGA Tour event, earning an exemption into this week’s Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
This all came about by virtue of Zielinski 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, who still managed to punch his ticket to Bermuda where he will serve as his teammate’s caddie for the week.
“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 tried to look at some stuff about the golf course on YouTube before we left, but we’re going to hit the yardage books pretty heavy whenever we get out there.”
Zielinski’s latest victory does not come as a surprise to third-year Lee head coach Evan Spence, who had led his alma mater to the No. 1 spot in the most recent Bushnell/Golfweek DII Coaches Poll for the first time in three years.
“It’s definitely going to be a different ballpark out there playing in a PGA Tour event, but Drew has done a really good job of managing his game in the biggest events,” Spence said. “He finished runner up at the (D-II) national championship last year. He’s had two college victories, with one of them being at the biggest college event we’ve played outside of postseason. I’m sure the jitters are going to be there standing on that first tee, but he’s certainly going to be prepared.”
In his second year at Lee after helping lead Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College to the 2024 NJCAA Division II Men’s Golf Championship, the senior from Ocean Springs, Miss. is currently ranked as the top individual golfer nationally within Division II—two spots ahead of his caddie for the week.
“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 handful of PGA Tour winners including Brandt Snedeker, Sahith Theegala, Matt Kuchar, and Kevin Streelman.
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.
“I don’t want to set a goal like just making the cut. I want to put that as the baseline. 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.”
Zielinski will be carrying the banner for all D-II golfers with aspirations of someday making it to golf’s biggest stage, a fact that brings immense pride for Spence in continuing the legacy of golf success at Lee having claimed the national championship in 2022.
“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,” Spence said. “I’m thankful for us to have that opportunity for him to be the face of D-II for a couple of days.”
