WINONA LAKE – Grace College’s Chair of the Sports Management Department, Dr. Darrell Johnson, has qualified to play in the Golf Channel’s Senior Amateur National Championship at PGA West in La Quinta, California.

Johnson has served on the Grace faculty for 29 years and, in the last few years, has been developing the Sports Management Department, which now offers majors in Sport Management, Sport Business, Sport Marketing, Sport Media, Sport Psychology, and Sport Ministry. He was recently selected as the “2014 Sport Management Professional of the Year” from the Indiana Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance (IAHPERD). The award recognizes the work of an individual who exhibits excellence in sport management education at the college/university level. He is an active member of several other professional organizations including NASPE, AAPAR, and NASSM. He is also heavily involved in volunteering at major sports events such as the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, USGA events, and PGA events.

Johnson qualified for the tournament, which is scheduled for four rounds on September 25-28, by finishing second in the summer-long merit points standings in the Indianapolis region. He also won the Indianapolis Regional Tour Championship, a two day tournament played on August 22-23 at The Fort Golf Club in Indianapolis.  Johnson played in the Senior Jones Flight for ten tournaments this summer, as well as in tournaments in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky.

“It has been a great summer,” said Johnson. “I have enjoyed the competition and the professional-style tournaments. It has been great to make new friends. My son, Scott, also plays on the tour. He is the one that got me involved, and I have really enjoyed traveling with him this summer.”

The Golf Channel Am Tour is the largest, most authentic amateur golf tour in North America. It is designed for golfers of all ages and skill levels with more than 7,000 active members and 50 local tours. It offers more than 700 stroke-play tournaments, including more than 30 majors each season, all leading to the National and Senior National Championships. Members from across North America compete at world class golf courses such as Pinehurst, Kiawah Island, PGA WEST, Chambers Bay, Turning Stone, Bayonet & Blackhorse, The Homestead, TPC Sawgrass, and many more.

The Senior National Championship takes place at the end of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour season to determine the Senior National Champions in each player flight. This year’s Nationals will be played on four courses: the Arnold Palmer Private Course, the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course, the Greg Norman Course, and the TPC Stadium Course. Johnson will be competing with 98 players in the Senior Jones Flight over the four days.