HOOVER, AL (October 16, 2025) The 20th Men’s Southeastern Challenge Match will take place at Rivermont Golf Club, in Johns Creek, GA, on Oct. 18-19, 2025. The event highlights 12-man teams representing Alabama, Florida and Georgia. Each team consists of seven mid-amateurs (age 25+), one amateur (age 21+) and four senior amateurs (age 50+) selected by their state golf association.
Meet the 2025 Alabama Team
Mid-Amateur Team
Hunter Hawkins (Fort Payne) will be making his third consecutive Southeastern Challenge appearance. Hawkins won the 2025 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship after finishing second the last three years and made it to the Round of 16 in this year’s State Match Play Championship. Hawkins advanced to the Round of 16 at the 2021 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. “I’m super excited to represent Alabama again in the Southeastern Challenge Matches,” said Hawkins. “It’s one of the most fun events we get to play in and we have a good group of guys, so hopefully we can bring home the cup this year.”
Blake Watts (Fort Payne) with partner Will McCurdy, advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, advanced to the Round of 16 at the State Match Play Championship, and qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. He has competed in five USGA Championships to date. This will be Watts’ second appearance on Team Alabama. “I am really excited to represent the state of Alabama in this year’s Southeastern Challenge Matches,” said Watts. “Two years ago in Florida we made a good run, but came up a little short. So, expectations are high this year and I look forward to the competition.”
Will McCurdy (Auburn), along with Watts, advanced to the Round of 32 at the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship, finished T5 at the Alabama State Amateur Championship and was a quarterfinalist at the State Match Play Championship. McCurdy was declared co-Champion in the 2021 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship. McCurdy will be making his third consecutive appearance at the Southeastern Challenge. McCurdy grew up in Fort Payne, AL, and is joining two of his Fort Payne High School golf teammates on this year’s Team Alabama (Watts and Hawkins). McCurdy played collegiate golf at Auburn University.
Ben Reeves (Birmingham) won the 2024 Alabama State Mid-Amateur Championship and reached the Round of 32 in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship. He finished T11 in this year’s State Amateur Championship and T17 in the State Mid-Amateur Championship. This will be Reeves’ first Southeastern Challenge appearance. “It's a true honor to represent Alabama in the Southeastern Challenge Match,” said Reeves. “I’m proud to be part of such a talented team, and I’m excited for the opportunity to compete against Georgia and Florida. This event showcases some of the best mid-amateur golf in the south, and I’m grateful to be a small part of it.”
Logan Rawson (Elberta) was a Quarterfinalist in the Alabama State Four-Ball Championship, a Semifinalist in the Alabama State Match Play Championship and finished T9 at the State Mid-Amateur. Recently, Rawson and his partner qualified to compete in the 2026 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. This will be Rawson’s first Southeastern Challenge appearance. “I’m extremely excited and honored to represent the state of Alabama in this year's Southeastern Challenge Match,” said Rawson. “We have a great group of guys and some really good players so it’s gonna be a lot of fun to team up and see what we can do!”
Casey O’Toole (Trussville) will be making his first appearance at the Southeastern Challenge Match. O’Toole finished T2 in the State Mid-Amateur and 49th in the State Amateur. O’Toole won the 2012 Alabama State Match Play Championship.
Blaise Wilson (Cullman) will be making his first appearance at the Southeastern Challenge Match. Wilson finished T2 in the State Mid-Amateur, made the Round of 16 at the State Match Play Championship and finished T52 in the State Amateur. Wilson played college golf at Wallace State and The University of North Alabama where he was a two time All-American. “Representing Alabama, brings about a sense of excitement and pride,” said Wilson. “I am not only standing for myself, but my family and home, as well.”
Jackson King (Hoover) will be playing in his second Southeastern Challenge. King finished T2 at the State Mid-Amateur. “It’s an incredible honor to represent the state of Alabama in the Southeastern Challenge Match,” said King. “Golf has always been a huge part of my life, and to compete alongside such talented players from across the South is something I’m truly proud of. I’m grateful for the opportunity to wear Alabama’s colors and represent the place I’m proud to call home.”
Senior Team
Shaw Pritchett (Montgomery) is an eight-time AGA State Champion, including this year’s Alabama State Senior Match Play Championship and his recent win with partner and teammate, Jeff Taylor, at the Senior Four-Ball Championship. He was the 2022 and 2023 Alabama Senior Player of the Year and will be making his fourth Southeastern Challenge team appearance. “I am truly excited to represent the state of Alabama for the 4th time in the Southeastern Challenge Match,” said Pritchett. “This event is circled on the calendar at the start of the year and I am proud to have earned another selection to the team.”
Chris Hummel (Birmingham) finished 3rd at the Alabama State Senior Amateur Championship and was a quarterfinalist at the Alabama State Senior Match Play. This will be the second time Hummel has represented Alabama. “Each year, one of my top goals is to make this team, and I’m truly honored to represent the golfers of Alabama,” said Hummel. “I’m excited for the opportunity to compete alongside the best amateurs in our state and go head-to-head with top talent from Florida and Georgia.” Hummel played collegiate baseball at Troy University. After graduation, Hummel continued to be a competitive athlete in golf.
Claud Cooper (Birmingham) is a three-time AGA State Champion and will be making his fourth Southeastern Challenge appearance this year. Cooper finished T5 in the Alabama State Senior Amateur and T3 in the US Senior Challenge. Cooper and his partner recently took home second place at the State Senior Four-Ball Championship. Cooper played collegiate golf at The University of Alabama.
Jeff Taylor (Montgomery) holds five AGA State Championship titles. He finished T7 at this year’s Alabama State Senior Amateur Championship and was Runner-Up to Pritchett at the Alabama State Senior Match Play. Taylor and his partner Shaw Pritchett recently took home their third State Senior Four-Ball Championship title together. This will be Taylor’s fourth Southeastern Challenge. “I’m truly honored and thrilled to represent Alabama in the Challenge Match,” said Taylor. “Competing alongside some of the state’s top golfers is an incredible experience, and I can’t wait to bring my best to the matches in Georgia. It’s a privilege to represent the AGA and showcase Alabama golf on this stage.”
Format
Southeastern Challenge Match Format consists of four-ball, foursomes (alternate shot), and three-ball matches (A vs B, B vs C, C vs A). Each match is worth one point with a half-point awarded for halved matches.
Selection Criteria
The AGA selects a twelve player team to represent Alabama in this biannual competition against Florida and Georgia consisting of seven (7) Mid-Amateurs (25 and older), four (4) Senior Amateurs (two (2) players 50 and older; two (2) players 55 and older), and one (1) player 21 years and older. An individual must have competed in an AGA Championship within the last two years as of September 1, 2025 to be eligible.
The team selections include:
- (1) Current State Senior Amateur Champion
- (1) Senior player with the highest point totals from the Alabama Senior Men’s Amateur Rankings as of September 1, 2025
- (2) Senior Amateur player selected by the AGA Championship Committee
- (4) Mid-Amateur players with the highest point totals from the Alabama Men’s Amateur Rankings as of September 1, 2025
- (3) Mid-Amateur players selected by the AGA Championship Committee
- (1) Amateur player 21 and older selected by the AGA Championship Committee Any designated selections which are not filled due to ineligibility or other reason will be selected by the AGA Championships Committee.
The Men’s Southeastern Challenge Match debuted in 1989 as an event intended to promote goodwill and competition between the best amateur players, playing as a team, from Alabama, Florida and Georgia. The event is played biannually with men competing in odd-numbered years and women in even-numbered years.
- Past Winners: Florida has won ten matches, Georgia with eight victories and Alabama with one win. Alabama’s sole victory came in 1991 at The Country Club of Birmingham.
- Lake Nona Golf Club in Orlando, FL hosted the first Challenge Match in 1989 where Florida defeated Georgia and Alabama with total scores of 32, 21 and 18.5, respectively.
- The 2023 match was played at Banyan Golf Club, in West Palm Beach, FL with Florida earning 25.5 total points over Alabama’s 20.5 and Georgia’s 17.
About the Alabama Golf Association (AGA)
The Alabama Golf Association is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational organization founded in 1915 whose mission is to serve and promote amateur golf in Alabama. AGA membership consists of 122 member clubs represented by over 33,000 individuals. The activities and services of the Alabama Golf Association are governed by a Board of Directors consisting of Alabama golfers who wish to serve the game and the association through service. A full-time professional staff of seven individuals handles day-to-day activities.
Based in Hoover, the AGA is the USGA's Allied Golf Association in Alabama conducting national championship qualifying, administering the World Handicap System including the GHIN Handicap service, course & slope rating, and Rules of Golf & Handicapping education. The AGA annually conducts 24 championships; team match competitions for men, women, junior and seniors. The AGA manages the Junior Golf Alabama program that is a joint venture between the AGA and Alabama-NW Florida PGA Section.
In addition to competitions, the AGA administers the AGA Scholarship Fund through the Alabama Golf Foundation that is dedicated to assisting young golfers in higher education. Additionally, the Alabama Golf Foundation supports the Youth on Course Alabama program providing facility access to junior golfers and provides funding for the Alabama Turfgrass Research Foundation. In 2016, the AGA earned the Gold Tee Award for “Outstanding Tournament Operations – Small Association” by the International Association of Golf Administrators (IAGA).
Since 1980, the AGA has managed the affairs of the Southern Golf Association which includes conducting the historic Southern Amateur Championship and Southern Junior Championship, in conjunction with the SGA Board of Directors.
For more information about the Alabama Golf Association, visit www.alabamagolf.org.
Media Contact:
Mikayla King
Director of Media, Marketing & Communications
Alabama Golf Association
205-803-6524
mikayla@alabamagolf.org
