ELMSFORD, N.Y. (January 9, 2026) – The LPGA Professionals in late 2025 announced its Global Awards selections, recognizing outstanding contributions to the game of golf through teaching, professional service, coaching, and junior golf leadership. Megan Younkman, the chief operating officer and director of instruction at Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke, was named Professional of the Year.
The award, established in 1980, is awarded annually to an LPGA Professionals member primarily engaged in a golf operation, golf association, or industry position, promoting the game through player development, growth of the game initiatives, and other golf-related activities.
Related: LPGA Release
Younkman moved to New York in 2019, bringing years of academy experience with her from Florida to work for good friend Kelley Brooke at Bethpage State Park. She now oversees the Golf Channel Academy with Kelley Brooke operations at Bethpage, Montauk Downs Golf Course, Harbor Links Golf Course, Merrick Golf Club, and Lido Golf Club.
“All those years of developing and running my own academies in Florida was teeing me up for something as big as this,” says Younkman, who became a Class A certified instructor in 2007.
After establishing a successful blueprint at Bethpage, Younkman has helped bring similar training facilities and instructional programming to the other sites across Long Island. With word and reputation spreading quickly, facilities have seen growth in participation within all ages.
“I really believe in reputation,” says Younkman. “I think that’s the most important thing. Then there’s a power of referral and that all comes from first impressions. All our teachers are highly awarded and have a lot of purpose – with that kind of mindset and dedication, we can really deliver across the board.”
Younkman and her teachers have developed engaging programming for everyone. They’ve created a sense of community through group instruction for adults, offer a dynamic sports and performance approach for juniors, and recently started to integrate programming for 3–5-year-olds.
Programming has especially taken off in the last year, with junior golf enrollment surging 100% at Harbor Links and Merrick, many adult classes reaching waitlists, and daily registrations growing at Montauk Downs.
Though Younkman must oversee facility directors and make sure operations are delivered at a high level, having time on the lesson tee herself continues to fuel her love for the game.
“The love of and passion for teaching kind of fuels my every day,” says Younkman. “I need to be on that lesson tee. I need to be touching lives and getting better as a teacher myself. It gives me a little more balance, too, keeping my hand in the facilities and talking to people.”
Participants in the Introduction to Women’s Golf clinics offered at Bethpage in partnership between the MGA and Lexus have no doubt seen Younkman’s passion firsthand. Younkman has been a major contributor to the clinic series, which has grown to include two instruction dates and a closing scramble for participants.
Younkman has also played a huge role in the success of the PGA Junior League teams from the facilities, including serving as coach for the 17u national title team from Bethpage in 2024.
Her service with the LPGA Professionals spans more than 20 years, with Younkman playing an integral part of the LPGA Teacher Education Program since 2012, contributing on the Global Education Team as a National Evaluator and Practical Teaching Evaluation Workshop Instructor. She chaired the National Continuing Education Committee from 2014–2018 and participated on the Executive Education Committee 2019–2021.
Younkman’s passion is undeniable with or without an award, but she’s still trying to wrap her head around earning such a meaningful honor.
“This is incredibly humbling,” says Younkman. “It’s one of the most special things that’s ever happened to me – to be recognized by an organization that I’ve dedicated my whole professional life to. Every one of those women that are LPGA members are sisters of mine and it’s just been wonderful to be a part of. It’s overwhelming. I’m still getting used to it, but it’s very, very special.”
To read more about Younkman’s journey in golf, read her First Swings feature in the December issue of The Met Golfer Extra.
