KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. – There has been several benchmark moments in major championships for PGA Professional Jeff Coston. One occurred on a Sunday at The Ocean Course in the 68th Senior PGA Championship.

Coston, a 51-year-old PGA teaching professional at Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Wash., overcame a rocky start to this final round, rallying for a closing 2-under-par 70 to tie for 19th and earn Low PGA Professional honors in the most prestigious event in senior golf.

Jeff Coston finishes as the Low PGA Professional in the 68th Senior PGA Championship.
Jeff Coston, PGA teaching professional at Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Wash. (Photo: The PGA of America)
Coston learned he had won the honor in the clubhouse when fellow PGA Professional Mike San Filippo of Hobe Sound, Fla., stumbled on the 72nd hole. Tied for the award with Coston on the 18th tee, San Filippo hit two different sand bunkers on the 18th, and closed with a double bogey to finish two strokes back at 294.

Coston's 4-over-par 292 performance was worth $20,600, and he was presented a crystal bowl by PGA of America President Brian Whitcomb on the 18th green before a worldwide television audience. Earlier, he was greeted on the green with a hug by Senior PGA Champion Denis Watson, whom had befriended Coston when they met at Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando. The two exchanged tips on bunker play, and met again at The Ocean Course in practice rounds and stepped into a bunker to continue the impromptu clinic.

"I'm proud of you, Jeff," said Watson during the traditional clubhouse Champion's Toast. "Great playing today."

For Coston, his Senior PGA Championship debut ranks among his most memorable major championship moments. The most prominent, and the subject of a printed card that he hands to friends, students and strangers he meets, features a photo of his son, Kyle, who caddied for him on Father's Day in the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The other moment was his posting a 68 in the second round of the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wis.

"To play well this week means a lot," said Coston. "Basically, because it's the PGA Championship — whether it's the regular or Senior PGA — it's a great opportunity for guys that are in the program or work for a living. I mean, it's just a neat thing. It's a memorable thing.

"I just love the opportunity The PGA of America presents for club professionals, whether it's the senior or the regular, it's a great, great opportunity and I don't take that lightly at all."

Standing on the porch of the new Ocean Course clubhouse, Coston recalled his 2000 U.S. Open experience, when he was gazing at another ocean – a blue Pacific framing Pebble Beach.

"I'm playing the fourth round with Colin Montgomerie, it's Father's Day, in the year 2000, I have a 12 year old kid, and we're on the 18th hole at the 100th U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, and there's a lot of people around, everybody knows my son's caddying for me, there's a lot of stuff going on. And, a lot of people are pulling for me.

"So I hit this wedge that's kind of like oscillating in the air, on the 18th hole, and thousands upon thousands of people are around this green and you hear this, ‘Roll! Roll!". You hear this deafening roar. And at the pinnacle of the deafening roar, my son puts his face right next to mine and he goes, ‘Happy Father's Day, Dad.' "

What looms large for Coston is that he is slowly working his way into form to contend among the best on the Champions Tour. He jokes that he is a "fossil," and on "the 13th hole of life." But, the truth is that Coston is really just beginning to understand his potential.

His caddie at the Senior PGA Championship was Dudley Logan of Windsor, Calif., who played with Coston on the mini-tours and later caddied from 1996-2000 for Tom Lehman and Duffy Waldorf.

"I caddied for Jeff at Tour Qualifying School (1987), and we were really struggling with 10 holes left and it didn't look like we were going to make it," said Logan. "But, we got it together and he went 8-under for the next nine holes to earn his card. "He's getting better, and there‘s still a level of tension that if he can get rid of, he'll get better. But, he's a lot better player than these scores indicate. He started bogey-bogey today, and then he settles down. He's a great golfer and I have to remind him of that."

The defending Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Champion, Coston is building momentum for when he competes among his younger peers, June 21-24, in the 40th PGA Professional National Championship at Sunriver (Ore.) Resort.

"I have a lot of great memories about Sunriver, and one of them was the 1995 Oregon Open," Coston said. "I won on the Meadows Course. It's a beautiful site and we are looking forward to going back."

The following chart highlights the PGA Professionals and their performance in the year's first senior major championship:

PGA Professional Performances in the 68th Senior PGA Championship

Pos. Player/Residence Results Earnings
T-19 Jeff Coston, Blaine, Wash. 72-75-75-70—292 $20,600
T-27 Mike San Filippo, Hobe Sound, Fla. 78-69-74-73—294 $12,750
T-33 Kirk Hanefeld, Acton, Mass. 75-72-75-73—295 $9,542.86
T-33 Ron Stelten, Palm Desert, Calif. 78-71-73-73—295 $9,542.86
T-52 Gary Robison, Canton, Ohio 78-74-73-74—299 $4,200
T-68 Bill Britton, Rumson, N.J. 75-77-73-78—303 $3,750
T-74 Bill Schumaker, Columbia City, Ind. 80-72-75-79—306 $3,612.50
76 Lindy Miller, Fort Worth, Texas 75-77-77-79—308 $3,575
78 Bobby Heins, Purchase, N.Y. 75-77-81-79—312 $3,525

Did Not Make the 36-Hole Cut
Tom Herzan, Findlay, Ohio 78-75—153
Jon Fiedler, Camarillo, Calif. 76-78—154
Chris Starkjohann, Cardiff by the Sea, Calif. 79-75—154
Mike Lawrence, Easley, S.C. 74-80—154
George Forster, Blue Bell, Pa. 81-74—155
John Godwin, Pine Mountain, Ga. 82-73—155
Mike Burke Jr., Towaco, N.J. 78-78—156
Jerry Tucker, Stuart, Fla. 81-75—156
Roy Vucinich, Moon Township, Pa. 77-79—156
Wheeler Stewart, Royal Palm Beach, Fla. 84-72—156
Reed Hughes, Senatobia, Miss. 77-79—156
Perry Arthur, Plano, Texas 78-78—156
John Mazza, Beaver Falls, Pa. 83-74—157
Rick Neal, Springfield, Mo. 82-75—157
Bob Ackerman, West Bloomfield, Mich. 81-76—157
Darrell Kestner, Glen Cove, N.Y. 78-79—157
Steve Groves, Worthington, Ohio 79-79—158
John Calabria, Naples, Fla. 84-75—159
Billy Ziobro, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 80-79—159
Mick Soli, San Carlos, Calif. 82-78—160
Larry Mackin, Mesa, Ariz. 83-79—162
Kim Thompson, Salt Lake City, Utah 82-80—162
Steven Snyder, San Rafael, Calif. 80-82—162
Jerry Impellittiere, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 86-77—163
Stan Stopa, Metairie, La. 83-82—165
Bob Ralston, Little Rock, Ark. 83-82—165
Eddie Mudd, Louisville, Ky. 85-81—166
Tom Anderson, Laurel, Mont. 83-84—167

(Note: 35 Players earned berth from the 2006 Callaway Golf Senior PGA Professional National Championship; with 3 Special Invitees – Mike Burke Jr., Kirk Hanefeld and Mike San Filippo)

PGA Professionals Making the Cut in the Senior PGA Championship (since 1996):

1996 - 11
1997 - 9
1998 - 15
1999 - 9
2000 - 8
2001 - 10
2002 - 13
2003 - 7
2004 - 10
2005 - 8
2006 - 7
2007 - 9

The PGA of America is the world's largest working sports organization, comprised of 28,000 men and women golf Professionals who are the recognized experts in growing, teaching and managing the game of golf while serving millions of people throughout its 41 PGA Sections nationwide. Since its founding in 1916, The PGA of America has enhanced its leadership position in a $62 billion-a-year industry by growing the game of golf through its premier spectator events, world-class education and training programs, significant philanthropic outreach initiatives, and award-winning golf promotions. Today's PGA Professional is the public's link to the game, serving an essential role in the operation of golf facilities throughout the country.