Dudley awarded USGA's Joe Dey honor for service to the game
01 Nov 2018
by AmateurGolf.com Staff
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Tom Dudley (USGA photo)
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. (Nov. 1, 2018) - The United States Golf Association has named Tom Dudley, of Jacksonville, Fla., as the recipient of its 2019 Joe Dey Award. The award is given annually to an individual who makes great contributions to the game as a volunteer.
Dudley, a native of Columbus, Ga., and past president of the Florida State Golf Association, has volunteered in more than 100 USGA championships as a Rules official over the past 30 years. That includes 26 U.S. Opens. He has worked more than 300 FSGA championships and qualifiers in addition to his tenure as the organization’s president from 2008-09.
“Tom’s selfless commitment to golf and the timeless values of sportsmanship are the embodiment of what the Joe Dey Award stands for,” said Mike Davis, USGA CEO. “He has been a longstanding friend of golfers everywhere, and we are proud to recognize his countless hours of service and the many ways in which he has given back to the golf community through his passion for the game.”
Dudley served as a referee for countless high-profile players, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy. But his favorites include joining Buzz Taylor as the co-referee for the final 18 holes in the 1994 U.S. Amateur Championship at TPC Sawgrass, won by Woods, and during the 1997 U.S. Senior Open at Olympia Fields, receiving the assignment to walk with his good friend, Bob Duval, and Jack Nicklaus.
“I have been honored to meet so many incredible people – like Joe Dey, P.J. Boatwright and others – and it is the camaraderie in golf that I’ve loved the most,” said Dudley. “The game has given me the great opportunity to visit some of the most incredible places in the country. It has taught me that golf is a game of integrity and honesty and playing by the Rules can show a person’s true character, as It is the only game where you call penalties on yourself. By knowing the Rules and ensuring that the game is played by the Rules has played an important role in my love for the game.”
Dudley’s home golf club, Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, will host the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship next spring.
Dudley will receive the Joe Dey Award at the USGA’s Annual Meeting and Service Awards Dinner in San Antonio, Texas, on Feb. 23, 2019.
Information from the USGA used in this report