SIOUX FALLS – The Sanford International has awarded its first sponsor’s exemption for the 2023 tournament to Sioux Falls golfer Ryan Jansa.
Jansa, who will turn 50 on April 15, is a seven-time South Dakota Golf Association Male Golfer of the Year. He has won 33 SDGA tournaments throughout his career including eight SDGA Amateur Championships and nine SDGA Husband/Wife Championships.
The New Mexico State graduate was the Big West Conference Individual Champion in 1995 and a first-team all-conference selection in 1996.
Jansa plans to compete in 11 qualifying events for PGA TOUR Champions tournaments leading up to the Sanford International, beginning with the Mitsubishi Electric Classic in Duluth, Georgia, in May.
“From the time I was three-years old, golf has been my life. My game is at a point where I feel good about how I’m playing, and I’m excited to take on this challenge,” said Jansa. “I’m grateful to Davis, the Sanford International and Sanford Health for this opportunity to compete in my hometown and live out a childhood dream.”
“Ryan is a legend in the South Dakota golfing community, and we can’t wait to see the amount of support he will have at the Sanford International,” said Davis Trosin, tournament director of the Sanford International. “The local communities play such a vital role in PGA TOUR Champions events, and we feel having Ryan in the field will make this year’s tournament a bigger community event for Sioux Falls than ever before.”
A sponsor’s exemption on the PGA TOUR Champions is when the title sponsor invites a non-exempt player to the event to bypass local qualifying.
About the Sanford International
The Sanford International, a PGA TOUR Champions event contested in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, will be played at Minnehaha Country Club the week of September 11-17, featuring a $2 million purse. In its sixth year, the Sanford International will continue to focus on charitable giving and making a lasting impact in Sioux Falls.
