PGA Pro

The sun was setting in Greenville, South Carolina, in June 2022, and the star of Brandon Matthews, EDU ’16, was rising.  

Matthews’ childhood dream to play golf professionally on the PGA Tour was being realized. The week after qualifying for the U.S. Open, Matthews finished the final round of the BMW Charity Pro-Am—surpassing the points threshold to earn his PGA tour card. 

“Earning my card has been the culmination of a lot of dreams, hard work and dedication to a game that has given me so much over the years,” he said. “It was a very special feeling.” 

All teed up

Matthews grew up in Dupont, a blue-collar borough of 2,500 people nestled between Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. His father worked in the trucking industry and his mother for Goodwill Industries until an accident left her with a disability. 

It wasn’t the most conducive of circumstances to succeed in a sport where golf course access, greens fees and expensive equipment dominate the landscape. But his father’s love of the game combined with Brandon’s love for the sport persevered.  

“I have great memories of my early childhood, begging my dad, ‘Come on, it’s 4 o’clock. Let’s go get nine holes in,’” laughed Matthews. 

Par for the course

But you can’t buy plane tickets with love. Matthews says youth golf is dominated by prestigious tournaments located across the country, where scouts from college programs look to find their next recruits.  

Largely bound to courses in Northeast Pennsylvania, Matthews wasn’t on many radars until he won a state championship for Pittston Area High School in 2010. By then, golf scholarships at the nation’s top golf programs were already awarded. But in came a call from Temple golf Head Coach Brian Quinn: He had a scholarship offer for Matthews. 

“Coach Quinn was incredibly generous at a later stage of the game, getting me to go to Temple,” Matthews said. 

It paid off for all parties. Matthews would win eight collegiate tournaments at Temple, tied with former PGA pro and fellow Owl Geoffrey Sisk, FOX ’88, for most all-time wins. Matthews credits his occasional play partners, which include basketball legends Fran Dunphy, former men’s basketball head coach, and Aaron McKie, SSW ’02, current men’s basketball coach; program staff; and Coach Quinn for bestowing important life lessons.

“The overall Athletics Department at Temple is incredible and played an instrumental part in shaping me through my time there,” Matthews said. 

Swinging for the stars

The road to the PGA tour was not an easy one. In November 2019, Matthews was on the brink. He’d spent the seasons following graduation working his way through golf’s developmental professional tours, while also dealing with chronic back issues that left discs bulging and herniated. 

He was a pro playing on the PGA tour Latinoamérica and found himself in a sudden death playoff at the Visa Open de Argentina. A win would earn him an exemption into The Open Championship. As Matthews pulled the putter back, a loud shout went up from the crowd, startling Matthews, and he missed the putt. 

Matthews quickly learned it had come from a spectator who was overcome with excitement. In a moment that went viral, Matthews asked to meet with the fan, gave him a hug and signed his glove for him to make sure the fan didn’t feel bad about what happened. 

And once again, Matthews bounced back. Subsequent strong play on the Korn Ferry Tour—the second most prestigious golf circuit—qualified Matthews to play on the PGA tour in 2022, including the U.S. Open. Now, he has a chance to prove himself anew almost every weekend. 

“It’s pretty cool to understand that I’m realizing my dream,” Matthews said. “However, I realize I have to stay disciplined. The journey’s not over, it’s just beginning.”