CGA Announces the 2024 Players of the Year

The Carolinas Golf Association Announces the 2024 Richard S. Tufts Players of the Year Awards

SOUTHERN PINES, N.C. (January 20, 2024) – The Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) is proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Richard S. Tufts Players of the Year Awards. These seven players have excelled in their respective fields, earning recognition as the top amateur golfers across the Carolinas through their performances in local, regional, national, and international competitions. 

2024 Richard S. Tufts Players of the Year
Carolinas Junior Girls’ Player of the Year: Madison Messimer – Myrtle Beach, S.C. 
Carolinas Junior Boys’ Player of the Year: John John Santospago – Charlotte, N.C. 
Carolinas Women’s Player of the Year: Macy Pate – Winston-Salem, N.C. 
Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year: Sam Jackson – West Columbia, S.C. 
Carolinas Senior Women’s Player of the Year: Kathy Hartwiger – Pinehurst, N.C. 
Carolinas Senior Men’s Player of the Year: Todd White – Spartanburg, S.C. 
Carolinas Super Senior Men’s Player of the Year: Paul Simson – Raleigh, N.C. 

Carolinas Junior Girls’ Player of the Year - Madison Messimer 

Madison Messimer of Myrtle Beach, S.C., delivered an outstanding performance in 2024, earning her the title of Carolinas Junior Girls' Player of the Year for the second consecutive year. 

Among Messimer's top performances were a runner-up finish at the Scott Robertson Memorial Golf Tournament, a tie for fourth at the PGA Junior Championship, a tie for ninth at the Hilton Grand Vacations ANNIKA Invitational, a tie for 19th at the Nelly Invitational, and a tie for 29th at the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions. 

She qualified for the 2024 U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship after earning medalist honors in the qualifier at Spring Valley Country Club in Columbia, S.C. At the championship, qualified for match play and advanced to the quarterfinals. 

Carolinas Junior Boys’ Player of the Year - John John Santospago 

John John Santospago of Charlotte, N.C., consistently competed at a high level on local, regional, and national stages throughout his 2024 season, securing his place as the top-ranked junior boys’ player in North Carolina and earning the title of 2024 N.C. Junior Boys’ Player of the Year.  

Santospago’s performances also earned him the 2024 N.C. Junior Boys’ Player of the Year honor, presented by the Tarheel Youth Golf Association (TYGA) and the CGA. 

Carolinas Women’s Player of the Year - Macy Pate 

Macy Pate of Winston-Salem, N.C., a sophomore on the Wake Forest University golf team, had a remarkable 2024 season, earning her first Carolinas Women's Player of the Year title. In 2022, she became the first player to win both the North Carolina Junior Girls’ and Carolinas Junior Girls’ Player of the Year honors. She was also the 2021 Carolinas Junior Girls’ Player of the Year. 

In 2024, Pate delivered several standout performances, including a runner-up finish at the North & South Women's Amateur and another runner-up finish at the North Carolina Women’s Amateur Championship. She also advanced to the semifinals of the Women's Western Amateur. 

During her freshman year at Wake Forest, Pate earned 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year honors, was named to the 2024 All-ACC Team, and received WGCA All-American Honorable Mention recognition. 

Pate is a five-time CGA champion, with victories including the 2021 Twin States Junior Girls’ Championship, the 2021 North Carolina Junior Girls’ Championship, the 2021 Carolinas Junior Girls’ Championship, and the 2022 Hope Valley Junior Invitational. 

Carolinas Men’s Player of the Year - Sam Jackson 

Sam Jackson of West Columbia, S.C., continued to excel in 2024, earning his second consecutive Carolinas Men's Player of the Year title. 

Jackson’s highlights in CGA events included a tie for sixth at the Carolinas Amateur Championship and a tie for eighth at the Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship. He also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Carolinas Four-Ball Championship with his partner, Jordan Sease. Jackson also represented the CGA on the Captain’s Putter Match Roster going 2-1 and earning 2 points against the Virginias in October. 

For the third consecutive year, Jackson qualified for match play at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. Other standout performances included a second-place finish at the Palmetto Amateur, fourth place at the South Carolina Amateur Championship, and a tie for third at the South Carolina Mid-Amateur Championship. 

Jackson is a two-time CGA champion, having won the 2023 Carolinas Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2023 Carolinas Four-Ball Championship with Sease. 

Carolinas Senior Women’s Player of the Year - Kathy Hartwiger 

Kathy Hartwiger of Pinehurst, N.C., added to her impressive golf resume during the 2024 season, earning the title of Carolinas Senior Women's Player of the Year for the third consecutive year. 

Hartwiger’s exceptional performances in CGA events included victories at the North Carolina Senior Women's Amateur Championship and the Carolinas Senior Women’s Amateur Championship, an event she also won in 2022. She also secured a fourth-place finish at the Carolinas Senior Women's Four-Ball Championship. 

For the third straight year, Hartwiger claimed the Women’s Eastern Senior Amateur Championship. She also finished as the runner-up at the Women's Southern Senior Amateur, placed seventh at the North & South Senior Women's Amateur, and finished seventh at the Amateur Golf Alliance Senior Women’s Amateur. On the national stage, Hartwiger reached the quarterfinals of the U.S. Senior Women’s Amateur and qualified for both the U.S. Senior Women's Open and the U.S. Women's Mid-Amateur. 

Before moving to the Carolinas in 2022, Hartwiger was a 10-time champion of the Alabama Women’s State Amateur and holds the record for the most Alabama Golf Association state tournament victories with 21 titles. 

Carolinas Senior Men’s Player of the Year - Todd White 

Todd White of Spartanburg, S.C., had an outstanding 2024 season, earning the title of Carolinas Senior Men's Player of the Year through remarkable performances on national and international stages. 

White’s season was highlighted by a victory at the British Senior Amateur. He also excelled at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, advancing to the quarterfinals. Earlier in the season, White placed tied for 12th at the Coleman Senior Invitational.  

In addition to his achievements in senior men's events, White also competed in men's amateur tournaments, further demonstrating he still has what it takes to hang with golfers half his age. Though these performances did not count toward his senior men's rankings, they underscored his ability to still compete at the highest level. Notably, White along with his partner Nathan Smith, qualified for Round of 32 at the 2024 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship. White also competed in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and the 2024 U.S. Amateur Championship after earning exemptions from his victory at the 2023 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. White finished fifth at the South Carolina Amateur Championship. With 702.5 points, White finished the 2024 season ranked 11th in the Carolinas Men's Amateur Rankings. 

White’s versatility and excellence across divisions solidifies his reputation as one of the Carolinas’ all-time greatest golfers and earned him the Senior Men’s Player of the Year honor for 2024. 

Carolinas Super Senior Men’s Player of the Year - Paul Simson 

Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C., continued his legendary career in 2024, earning the title of Carolinas Super Senior Men's Player of the Year. Simson’s accomplishments this year further cemented his place as the most decorated golfer in CGA history, with an incredible record of 48 CGA championship victories. 

Simson’s 2024 season included a victory in the 70+ Division of the Carolinas Super Senior Four-Ball Championship alongside his long-time playing partner, Donald Detweiler. He also finished as runner-up at the North Carolina Super Senior Championship (65+ Division) and tied for third at both the North Carolina Senior Amateur Championship and the Carolinas Super Senior Championship (65+ Division). 

His additional performances included a tie for 22nd at the Carolinas Senior Amateur Championship, a tie for ninth at the North Carolina Super Senior Four-Ball Championship (65+ Division), a solo fourth-place finish at the North & South Senior Championship, and fifth at the Dale Morey Championship. He also advanced to the Round of 64 at the 2024 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship. 

With a career spanning decades and countless accolades, Simson’s 2024 season was another chapter in his extraordinary legacy. His unmatched consistency and dominance across all divisions have set a benchmark for excellence in Carolinas golf that is unlikely to be surpassed. 

About the Richard S. Tufts Awards 

The Richard S. Tufts Awards were created in 1997 to honor the Carolinas amateur golfers who had exceptional individual tournament performances over the preceding year. Tufts served on the CGA Executive Committee from 1926 to 1964 and was President from 1931 through 1933. The awards are given to the top golfer based on the CGA amateur rankings at the end of the calendar year in seven categories: Girls', Boys', Women's, Men's, Senior Women's, Senior Men's, and Super Senior Men's. The Senior Men's and Senior Women's categories were implemented in 2001, the Junior categories were established in 2003, and the Super Senior Men's award was created in 2017. 

 Nine Carolinas Men's Players of the Year are current or former PGA Tour members, while eight Carolinas Women's Players of the Year have and are competing on the LPGA TOUR. Notable past Tufts award winners include: Jonathan Byrd (1999, PGA Tour), Beth Bauer (1999, LPGA), D.J. Trahan (2000-2002, PGA Tour), Marcy Newton Hart (2000, LPGA), Brandi Jackson (2002, LPGA), Bill Haas (2003, PGA Tour), Webb Simpson (2006, PGA Tour), Dustin Johnson (2007, PGA Tour), Cydney Clanton (2009-10, LPGA), Mark Anderson (2009, PGA Tour), Austin Ernst (2011, LPGA), Katelyn Dambaugh (2016, LPGA), Anna Redding (2018, LPGA), Gina Kim (2019, LPGA). 

About the Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) 

The Carolinas Golf Association (CGA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization established in 1909 to promote and protect the game of golf in the Carolinas. The CGA supports golf clubs and golfers by providing competitions, education, resources, and benefits. It is the second-largest golf association in the country, representing over 700 member clubs and 220,000 individuals. Each year, the CGA conducts 48 championships and five team match competitions across various divisions, including men, women, juniors, and seniors. In addition, it organizes more than 150 One-Day events (net and gross) and manages qualifying tournaments for USGA national championships. The CGA offers a wide range of services and programs to support golf in the Carolinas, including the administration of the USGA Handicap System, tournament management software and support, course measurement and course/slope ratings, agronomy consultation, and guidance on the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, and Handicapping. Additional initiatives include Carolinas Golf Magazine, the Interclub series, the Tarheel Youth Golf Association, the Carolinas Golf Hall of Fame, and expense assistance for USGA Junior and Girls' Junior qualifiers from the Carolinas. Through its charitable arm, the Carolinas Golf Foundation (CGF), the CGA has distributed over $3.2 million since 1977 to support golf initiatives in the region, including junior and women’s programs. 

For more information about the CGA and its programs, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and TikTok at @cgagolf1909, or visit our website at www.carolinasgolf.org. 

 Media Contact: 
Jackson Sveen 
Carolinas Golf Association 
Phone: (910) 673-1000 
Email: jackson.sveen@carolinasgolf.org 

###