SCOTTSDALE – As Tommi Avant approached the final green at the 68th Southwest PGA Championship last September, he was 47 feet away from the hole and an exemption to the 2026 WM Phoenix Open. While the Valley native still had two chances to sink the putt for the win that would help him capture the tournament for a second time after winning it in 2022, Avant only needed one attempt.
Once the ball rolled in, the second-place finish from the 67th Southwest PGA Championship when he fell one stroke short became a thing of the past. He had secured his first opportunity to participate in a PGA Tour event at TPC Scottsdale, just 20 minutes from where he celebrated his win.
“It was a very cool, full-circle moment,” Avant said. “When I finished second in 2024, we thought that was going to be it. So to grow up and be a standard bearer here, have friends play in this tournament, have past champions reach out, it’s just an amazing feeling, and I’m excited for what’s to come.”
He isn’t the only Avant to compete in the tournament. His father, Greg, tied for 26th at 11 over par, but the 1997 PGA Southwest Invitational quickly shifted attention from his performance to his son’s once his afternoon on the course had ended. As he watched Tommi’s putt hit the bottom of the hole, Greg went from pro golfer to proud father.
“18 was a really tough hole,” Greg said. “All of a sudden, he’s got a putt to win. That’s what you want, but it wasn’t an easy putt. He made it, and I threw my hat and had to stop myself from screaming because he did it. I was stoked, and it was very emotional.”
With Tommi’s win, he and Greg became the first father-son duo to win the same Southwest PGA sectional event, and they will share another accolade once Tommi tees off Thursday. Greg, a two-time participant in the Phoenix Open in 2000 and 2002, missed the cut both years. Tommi will look to fare better at The People’s Open.
“Back then, it wasn’t quite as crazy,” Greg said. “Hole 16 was still a horseshoe with tons of people, but you get to stay at home and play a home game. It was incredible with all my family, high school and college friends, and he’s going to have that same experience.”
Arizona has become a hub for golfers in recent years, with some of the top names in the PGA, like Wyndham Clark, Max Homa and Brooks Koepka, residing in Scottsdale, but the Avants have been in the desert for decades. Following his graduation from Arizona State, Greg stayed in the Valley, eventually opening Lone Tree Golf Club in Chandler in 2001. After attending Hamilton High School in Chandler, Tommi played collegiate golf for the Drake Bulldogs from 2015-2019 before returning to Arizona.
“We’re a little spoiled down here,” Tommi said. “There are tremendous athletes out here, and Arizona is always the best place to come back to. It’s home for me and a lot of people, and to be the local representative this week playing the sport I love, you couldn’t ask for a better script.”
Growing up with his father playing professional golf, Tommi was constantly around the sport at its highest level. While he may have been too young to recall memories of the Phoenix Open, Tommi’s love for golf has grown exponentially. Once he was old enough, Tommi also began to work for Greg at Lone Tree Golf Club’s pro shop, when he’s not playing in tournaments.
“You find out a number of things when you grow up with this game,” Greg said. “He’s hanging out with older people all the time, he’s playing with tons of professional athletes, and you find out they’re just guys who have a skill and they love sports. Those are all levels that are hard to get to, but when you see that, it’s infectious.”
With TPC Scottsdale just a 38-minute drive from Lone Tree Golf Club, Tommi’s hometown fans found a way to stand out in the sea of supporters last weekend: hordes of fans wore neon green shirts with “Team Tommi” sitting above a picture of him. While it can serve as a quick laugh for Tommi, Greg emphasized it as a way for Tommi to calm his nerves, seeing familiar faces.
“It’s not just a joke, it’s real support,” Greg said. “When you start to understand we’re in this business, and this sport is the most fun, it’s a perspective piece. I think he’s prepared for it now, and he’ll get a laugh out of it, but it’s going to be fun.”
As Tommi walked the course throughout the week, he and Greg were in constant communication about this week’s expectations. Although it is Tommi’s first time on the PGA Tour, the 28-year-old Chandler native is looking to be more than just a participant while still taking in the surrounding environment.
“I try not to get too far ahead of myself,” Tommi said. “I have a true perspective on what it takes to play out here. I know my place, and I think with where I’m at in my game, I can compete with a lot of these guys. I’m a very proud member of the PGA of America, and I can’t thank them enough for opportunities like this.”
When Tommi offered Greg the opportunity to caddy for him, Greg politely declined. Alongside Tommi throughout the week will be Louis Kelly, winner of the 2023 Burlington Classic Pro-Am and the 2022 New Jersey State Open. While Greg may not be on the course with his son, he will still feed him plenty of advice ahead of the tournament.
“Soak it in and enjoy the experience,” Greg said. “I want him to understand he should expect to play great. The circumstances weren’t that great, but you never know. You may not have your ‘A’ game, and then you find it. You just have to do your best, soak it all in, and we’ll talk about it after.”
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