Since 1991, the North Florida PGA recognizes its Members for lifetime dedication to the profession and game of golf through leadership, promotion of the game, serving their communities, and playing accomplishments. We are honored to announce the following inductees to the Hall of Fame Class of 2023: Paul Azinger, PGA; Jim Furyk, PGA; and Jim Slattery, PGA.
Let’s meet the Hall of Fame Class of 2023. *Each Member is listed alphabetically.
| Paul Azinger, PGA
A PGA Member since 1988, Azinger has gone on to play in over 500 tournaments, has won seventeen times worldwide, including 12 PGA Tour victories and the 1993 PGA Championship. He spent almost 300 weeks in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between 1988 and 1994. He is a four-time Ryder Cup Player and in 2008, Azinger was chosen as the Ryder Cup Captain at Valhalla Golf Club, which led his team to victory over the European squad in 1999. The team’s victory was largely credited to his innovative strategy. Known as a fierce competitor, was recognized for his remarkable comeback after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma by receiving the “Golf Writers Association of America’s Ben Hogan Award” in 1995, given to the individual who has continued to be active in golf despite a physical handicap or serious illness.
Following a successful playing career, Azinger went on to serve as the Lead Golf Analyst for ABC and, subsequently, ESPN from 2006-’15, and Fox Sports in 2016 for its coverage of the USGA Championships. Currently, he is the Lead Analyst for the Golf Channel & NBC.
In 2021, Azinger and his wife, Toni, opened the doors to the “Azinger Family Compassion Center.” Through this multi-purpose distribution center, foster children, single moms, struggling families, and surrounding communities are met with life-changing needs. As of 2023, over 1 million meals have been distributed, over $3 million dollars of household items have been given, and 85 non-profits are benefitted on an ongoing basis. Paul and his wife Toni, live in Bradenton, Florida near their two daughters: Sarah Jean and Josie.
| Jim Furyk, PGA
A PGA Member since 1993, Furyk has played in over 600 events and has seventeen PGA Tour and PGA TOUR Champions victories including the 2003 U.S. Open and 2021 Senior Open. He is a nine-time Ryder Cup member and was chosen as Vice Captain in 2016, 2020, and was named Captain in 2018. Recently, Furyk was announced as the Vice Captain for the 2023 Ryder Cup, Captain for the inaugural World Champions Cup, and the 2024 President Cup.
Furyk’s trademark looping golf swing and deliberate approach to the game have earned him nicknames like “The Grinder” and “The Businessman.” Also known as Mr. 58, Furyk on August 7, 2016, Furyk shot 58 and became the first to shoot 58 in a PGA TOUR event. This also made Furyk the first PGA TOUR professional to card two rounds under 60.
2010 was a banner year for Furk. Furyk had his best year as a PGA TOUR Professional, founded the “Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation” with his wife, Tabitha, and won a career-best three tournaments on the PGA TOUR. The most notable victory was the season-ending Tour Championship. This triumph earned him the 2010 FedEx Cup. His stellar performance in 2010 won him the PGA Player of the Year and PGA TOUR Player of the Year.
The “Jim and Tabitha Foundation Furyk Foundation” was created to collaborate with a number of organizations such as Wolfson’s Children Hospital, Blessings in a Backpack, and Community PedsCare. Their mission is to provide the necessary funding to communities to become stronger, healthier, and educationally enriched. In 2020, Furyk created the “Constellation Furyk & Friends.” This tournament is specifically for PGA TOUR Champions held in Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville. Through “Connstellation Furyk & Friends”, over $2.5 million dollars had been raised for local charities in Northwest Florida in just two years. Jim and his wife, Tabitha, live in Ponte Vedra Beach and have two children Tanner James and Caleigh Lynn.
| Jim Slattery, PGA
Jim Slattery became a PGA Member in 1991 and has a career dedicated to the promotion of the game, coaching, and leading. His career began with humble roots as a valet and worked his way up to be the Director of Golf & Director of Instruction. He has been so loyal to the work and the promotion of the game that he has been at Belleair Country Club for forty years and has given over 55,000 golf lessons ranging from high school golf teams, now college athletes, to ladies, men, and juniors.
Along with teaching juniors, he is also determined to keep the game fun and growing. Throughout the years, he has served on the West Central Chapter’s Leadership Board: Marketing Director, Secretary, Vice President, and President. Slattery is a regular in all of our Section and Chapter tournaments and won the 1991 West Central Chapter PGA Assistants Championship, the 2015 and 2016 West Central PGA Senior Championship, and the 2000 Noth Florida Section PGA Senior/Junior Championship. Recognized by his peers as the ultimate PGA Professional, Slattery has been honored twice by the North Florida PGA as Golf Professional of the Year. Jim and his wife have a family of three boys and reside in Belleair, Florida.
We will be recognizing their significant accomplishments at this year’s Celebration of Members on Sunday, June 25th at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
Paul Azinger: Paul Azinger- Season: 2018 — Pictured: Paul Azinger — (Photo by: Cy Cyr / Golf Channel)
Jim Furyk: AUCHTERARDER, SCOTLAND – SEPTEMBER 23: Jim Furyk of the United States poses for a portrait during the USA team photocall ahead of the 2014 Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary course at the Gleneagles Hotel on September 23, 2014 in Auchterarder, Scotland. (Photo by Getty Images/Getty Images)