There’s a lot to be said for creating a legacy.
No matter where we are in our careers or trades, we instinctively think about what will eventually be left behind. This takes shape in a number of forms and can oftentimes be something we don’t totally realize until we take a moment and look behind us as the wake is being made in the path we’ve carved.
For Maria Villamil – legacy hits close to home when it comes to the game of golf. Born and raised in Colombia, like many Maria was introduced to the game by her father, whose father also helped him fall in love with the game. While Maria didn’t take a liking to the game at first – naturally playing every other sport under the sun as many kids do – she eventually realized how unique the game actually is while also recognizing her own family’s generational heritage in the game.
In 1972, Maria’s grandfather Rogelio Villamil alongside a group of individuals established the Club Popular de Golf La Florida – a nine-hole golf course that served as a cornerstone for Maria’s upbringing. “I can remember my grandfather showed me hickory clubs that he would use back when he played, and I always found the history behind that part of my family so interesting,” says Maria. While she’s only played the course one time, she resonates deeply with the significance of how fate has led her to falling in love with the game herself.
As Maria grew up and became more serious about playing the game competitively, she won a tournament as a junior golfer that awarded her a scholarship to travel to Orlando, Florida for two weeks and train at the IJGA’s Bishops Gate Golf Academy – one of the world’s premier junior golf academies providing elite coaching and state-of-the-art facilities. “This experience changed my perspective on the game of golf,” says Maria. “I realized the discipline that people applied to their games in the U.S. versus Colombia was night and day different. The reality is, at the time, there was no established college golf in Colombia compared to the U.S. I needed to get more serious about where I actually wanted to take this journey for myself.”
Upon returning home from Orlando, Maria’s point of view was forever changed. She remembers going to her parents and declaring that she will play college golf back in the United States – even asking them to pull her out of traditional school so she could move to a new school that was more convenient for her to go practice at the local country club.
“I knew this wouldn’t be any small feat,” says Maria. “In Colombia, you attend the same school with the same kids from the time you are three years old all the way to graduation. So I knew this would mean me putting much of my social life and friendships on hold to ensure I gave myself every opportunity to succeed.”
At just fifteen years old, Maria was full-speed ahead, and laser-focused. As she geared up for graduation, she managed the entire college recruiting process on her own, sending in video after video and letter after letter. Every application she hand-wrote herself to college coaches across the United States, hoping one of them would give her a chance. Sure enough, fate came calling. Coach Randy Bickel from Lincoln University of Missouri gave Maria her dream – offering her a full-ride scholarship to play golf for the Blue Tigers.
Mission accomplished.
During her time at Lincoln University, Maria describes it as everything a collegiate athlete could have imagined. Specifically, she remembers fondly the times her team got to participate in the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship.
Founded in 1986, the event is known as the most culturally significant championship in collegiate golf. The inspiration behind the event remains true almost forty years later – to elevate the game at minority colleges and universities while exposing student athletes to career opportunities both within and beyond golf, all while maintaining a high-level of competition so athletes can play on the biggest stage.
During last year’s PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, Maria reconnected with one of her old teammates at Lincoln, Nyah Singh – who at the time was wrapping up her time as the PGA WORKS Fellow for the Indiana PGA Section. As Maria was deciding what was next after graduation, she knew there were tons of opportunities within the golf space just having been exposed to them over her college career – but she still didn’t have that next step nailed down completely.
That is until Nyah encouraged Maria to look at PGA WORKS Fellowship openings. “I remember Nyah saying to me, ‘You will not regret pursuing a Fellowship,’” says Maria. “She told me I just had to go for it.” One thing led to another and, sure enough, an opportunity landed in her lap to become the PGA WORKS Fellow for the Kentucky PGA Section.
The PGA WORKS Fellowship is more than a job. It creates an immersive experience for a young leader to be integrated into a PGA Section’s operation so they can be exposed to all the game has to offer. The Fellowship fosters growth and development offering a wide range of job functions so the Fellow is ready to take on what’s next in their career upon completing the Fellowship – whether they pursue a career in golf or beyond golf.
“I just love it so much,” says Maria. “It’s amazing getting to work alongside a team who shares a passion for the game and the people who play it.” During her time as a Fellow, Maria has been stewarded from former Fellow for the Middle Atlantic Section, Kara Madden – who now helps lead the operations for the Section’s foundation and its programs like PGA HOPE, Drive, Chip & Putt, and PGA Jr. League. “It’s special to learn from someone like Kara, because she knows exactly how it feels to be in my shoes. She’s become a very close mentor and just someone I can lean on for advice.”
As Maria’s Fellowship begins to wrap up, there is one week that she has had circled on her calendar for quite some time – the 2026 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship taking place May 4 - 6 at The Park in West Palm Beach, Florida. However, this time, Maria won’t be focused so much on what’s happening inside the ropes, but return as getting to be a part of the operations team and seeing the championship come to life.
“This is my favorite tournament, no doubt,” says Maria. “I’m going to be so happy to be back and seeing it from a whole new point of view. This event has given so much to groups of people and students who wouldn’t normally get this opportunity, and I’m just excited to be able to play a small role in that now being on the other side of my playing career.”
For the more than 120 student-athletes who will be descending on The Park and the 39th edition of this championship, Maria says her advice to them is to just stay in the present. She remembers that it’s the little moments from this championship that she recalls being the most memorable and impactful – some wise words we can all take to heart in our own lives.
“This is something that not a lot of people get the chance to be a part of, so I just hope the students soak up as much as they can!”
It’s clear Maria is a direct example of exactly who the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship was created for. It represents more than just a chance to compete, but it’s a chance to connect, learn, challenge ourselves, challenge each other, and build towards a future where golf can be a game and industry for all of us.
Looking ahead, Maria sees a more accessible golf industry and believes the game is trending in that direction. If anything comes out of her Fellowship, she says she hopes she is creating a legacy that says this is space for anyone. “Golf is now becoming a universal game,” says Maria. “I just hope I can continue to play a role that brings in new groups from all backgrounds.”
I think it’s safe to say the fifteen-year old Maria who set out with a goal – knowing this was her path all along – would be proud to see where her journey has taken her.
Through PGA WORKS, we are committed to helping equip the next generation of leaders. It’s our why behind being as intentional as possible when it comes to opening doors for new professionals to make an impact on the golf industry and beyond. We’re serious about establishing golf as both a game and a business open for anyone – and it takes all of us to get there. Learn more →