By Terry Moore
Caledonia’s Ben Cook is heading to the PGA Championship at famed Bethpage Black — as a competitor, not a spectator.
The 25-year-old teaching professional at Yankee Springs GC in Wayland earned his way into golf’s second major of the season by finishing tied for fourth at the recent PGA Professional Championship in South Carolina. Cook joined 19 other PGA professional who punched their ticket into the prestigious PGA due to their Top 20 finish. 
Cook put together rounds of 69-73-72-71 for a 2-under par total of 285, eight shots behind winner Alex Beach. Playing in the third to last group on the final day, Cook knew early on his chances of winning the tournament were slim.
“The tournament did an amazing job of posting the scores that last day so I knew Beach was playing well,” said Cook, a two-time All-American at Ferris State University. “So basically I focused on finishing well and staying inside the top ten.”
Cook said his ball-striking ability is his strength and it was evident at Belfair in Bluffton, South Carolina.
“I really think I hit the ball as well as anyone that week. My caddie and I chatted before each tee shot and picked out a spot,” said Cook who qualified for the championship by finishing first at the 2019 Michigan PGA Championship. (Note: He didn’t raise the trophy due to a Section stipulation that winners need to be employed 60 days prior to the tournament.)
“I was striping my drives and probably hit 13-14 greens in regulation each day.”
For the week, Cook earned $26,000, the biggest check of his promising career.
Along with his caddie/coach Mike Mignano and his father Ben, he will fly to New York this Sunday and check into Bethpage after stopping at a residence on Long Island.
“I’m blessed that a member at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach, Florida, where I’m an assistant pro during the winter, is allowing us to stay at his house near Bethpage.”
Cook says he plans to play nine holes at Bethpage Black on Sunday afternoon.
“The PGA said the practice rounds are unstructured so whenever I want to play I can just go out. I don’t have any plans to play with any specific players yet but I’m really looking forward to it. This will be my first time in New York.”
Here’s hoping Ben Cook takes a bite out of the Big Apple.
