East Lake pro earns $50K prize for winning The Drew golf tournament
Dan Merriman can probably afford to celebrate his 35th birthday at a top restaurant Saturday.
Merriman, the head PGA golf professional at East Lake Golf Club, won The Drew golf tournament Monday at East Lake to earn a check for $50,000 — the largest prize in the history of the Georgia PGA.
“It’s really going to change our life,” Merriman said. “Look, it’s not $5 million, but $50,000 to us is a lot of money. What we’ll do with it, I have no idea yet. I never wanted to get that far ahead of myself.”
The 72-player field — determined by the Georgia PGA’s points list — played 18 holes, with the top four advancing to a one-hole playoff. Chad Ferrell of Cherokee Town and Country Club and Ian Trace both shot 72, and Merriman and Jeff Cammon of the Sea Island Golf Club shot 73. Peter Jones of Cherokee and J.P. Griffin of the Capital City Club missed the playoff by one shot.
On the playoff hole, which started at the par-5 18th, Merriman and Cammon both made birdie; Merriman nearly holed a shot from the greenside bunker and made a tricky 6-footer, while Cammon barely missed a 15-foot putt and tapped in for birdie. Trace and Ferrell made par and were eliminated.
On the second playoff hole, Merriman won the jackpot with a par, holing out on the same green that Tommy Fleetwood won the Tour Championship in August.
“I don’t know if I felt like Tommy or not, but it was awesome,” said Merriman, who had never won a section event. “I was just trying to get it over with quickly, get that thing in the hole, because I’m about to throw up on myself, honestly.”
Merriman was accompanied around the course by his father, Paul, who was caddying for his son for just the second time. Merriman’s wife, Katie, and their 15-month-old daughter, Natalie, were waiting at home.
He admitted that the strategy was simple: keep the ball in play and avoid the big mistakes.
“I knew how the golf course was playing and I knew that even 1 over had a chance to get into the shootout,” he said. “I was just trying to stay in the moment, do the best I could and make par on every hole.”
Merriman said he got “a little wobbly” with a bad bogey on No. 8 and a three-putt for bogey at No. 9. He got things straightened out with a solid birdie at No. 11 when he made an eight-footer.
The make-or-break shot came at No. 17, where his tee shot wandered away and rested 165 yards away underneath a tree. He was able to hit his approach to six feet and made the clutch putt for par.
Merriman was born in Chicago but grew up in Cobb County, graduating from Walton High School. He played golf for two years at Reinhardt College and for two years at West Georgia. After deciding he wanted to get into the golf business, Merriman has been able to work at top golf courses under top professionals — Shawn McKinnon at Berkeley Hills, Scott Schroeder at Atlanta Country Club, Donn Perno at Peachtree Golf Club and Chad Parker at East Lake, where he began in 2024.
“I can’t really put it into words,” Merriman said. “It’s kind of like a movie script.”
East Lake was playing under tough circumstances. The rough wasn’t as thick as it was for the Tour Championship, but the greens were running at 13 and the runoff areas were running 12s. Players were greeted by cold, blustery conditions when they stepped onto the first tee. It was apparent that it wasn’t a day for the field to go low.
The first-year event had an elite feel. Competitors had to walk instead of using a golf cart; some hired East Lake caddies, others brought their own, and some — like Georgia Golf Hall of Famer Stephen Keppler — carried their own bag.
The tournament honored the life and legacy of Drew Dunn, who began his golf career as a caddie and worked his way to becoming head golf professional at East Lake. Dunn died suddenly of a heart attack when he was only 41.
The tournament also marked the establishment of “The Drew Grant,” a fund designed to support the professional development and provide financial assistance to those who aspire to become Class-A PGA members.
About the Author
Stan Awtrey has been covering sports for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution since 1977. He currently writes about high school sports, Georgia State University athletics and golf.
