Gary Van Sickle and Ann Liguori each won first-place honors in two categories to lead the way in the 30th Annual ING Media Awards program. Results in 13 categories were announced Wednesday at the PGA Show.
The International Network of Golf, a non-profit, media-based networking organization, conducts the awards program for its members. ING membership is open to anyone in the golf industry and media. Nearly four-dozen First-Place and Outstanding Achiever awards were announced at the presentation press conference. Media Awards’ sponsors this year were Bridgestone Golf, CertiFresh Cigar, PGA Show, American Fit, and Zero Friction Golf.
Van Sickle (pictured), who writes for SI.com and other outlets, won First-Place in the Opinion/Editorial category with “The PGA Tour Is Losing Its Identity.” He also was tops in the Profile category with “Caddyshack Cameo” which appeared in NewEngland.Golf. Van Sickle also was an Outstanding Achiever winner in four categories.
Liguori’s winning entry in the Radio Segment category was her interview with Bernhard Langer on her Talking Golf With Ann Liguori show in New York. She also won the Podcast category with her interview with Gary McCord.
The Met Golfer was selected the winner in the Publications Category with its August/September issue. Top Radio Show, for the second straight year, went to Chuck Garbedian’s Garbedian on Golf, PGA Championship Edition, WRNW, Milwaukee. Steve Kashul’s The Golf Scene won in the TV Show Category.
An independent panel of three judges in each category determines First-Place Winners and Outstanding Achievers. Judges use a point system with several criteria. Scoring is done by judges when possible without knowledge of the person responsible for the work, or of the other judges in the category. The number of Outstanding Achievers in a category is determined by total entries and scoring range in the category.
A category chairperson is responsible for securing the three judges.
For more information, visit www.inggolf.com.
Results by category in the 2023 ING Media Awards
BUSINESS WRITING
1st Place: Brett Cyrgalis, The Met Golfer (“Opening Doors”).
Outstanding Achievers: Kathy Bissell, ProGolfNow.com (“Steve Stricker’s New ‘Non-Poisonous’ Beer: Strick9!”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“Of Course, Of Course”).
COMPETITION WRITING
1st Place: Sean Martin, PGATOUR.Com (“Hovland Masters The Art Of Improvement”).
Outstanding Achievers: Gary D’Amato, Wisconsin.Golf (“With Seve-like Resolve, Rahm Becomes Masters Champion”); Bill Fields, Masters.Com (“On Ballesteros’ Birthday, Rahm Becomes The Fourth Champion From Spain”); Paul Hodowanic, PGATOUR.Com (“Sahith Theegala Stays True To Himself In Maiden Victory”); Gary Van Sickle, SI.Com (“Rahm Runs Away From Koepka To Win A Magical Masters”).
EQUIPMENT & APPAREL WRITING
1st Place: Ken Van Vechten, The Met Golfer (“Get A Grip”).
Outstanding Achievers: Kathy Bissell, ProGolfNow.com (“Most Unusual Putter Ever”); Gary Van Sickle, SI.com (“He Shoots. He Scores!”); Ken Van Vechten, FORE Magazine (“Big Is Beautiful”); Len Ziehm, LenZiehmOnGolf.com (“Check Out These Innovative Products”).
FEATURE WRITING
1st Place: Kathy Bissell, Ponte Vedra Recorder (“Should TPC Sawgrass Name Its Holes?”)
Outstanding Achievers: Tom Cunneff, The Met Golfer (“Recovery Shot”); Bill Fields, The Albatross (“Better-Than-Most Boy”); Ed Sherman, Chicago District Golfer (“Long Live The Lido”); Gary Van Sickle, SI.Com (“Meet the API’s Red Cardigan Sweater”).
INTERNET VIDEO
1st Place: Adam Hawk, Southern California Golf Association (“The Rodriguez Family”).
Outstanding Achievers: Fred Altvater, Back Nine Report (“From The Floor Of The PGA Show”); Helen Farrelly, Met Golf Association (“121st Met Amateur Championship”).
OPINION/EDITORIAL
1st Place: Gary Van Sickle, SI.com (“The PGA Tour Is Losing Its Identity”).
Outstanding Achievers: Tony Dear, Colorado Avid Golfer (“The Golf Ball Distance Debate Reaches A Zenith”); Adam Hawk, FORE Magazine (“Golf Is A Game, Not Agenda”); John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“A Win-Win At Connecticut Club”); Ed Travis, California Golf & Travel (“Full Speed Into The Past”); David Weiss, FORE Magazine (“Full Swing; Half Empty”).
PODCAST
1st Place: Ann Liguori, Golf Innerview (“Liberated Gary McCord Lets Loose”).
Outstanding Achievers: Gary Van Sickle/Kathy Bissell, The Golf Show (“Davis Love Interview”); Colin Weston, The ModGolf Podcast (“The Healing Power Of Golf For Kids”)
PROFILE WRITING
1st Place: Gary Van Sickle, NewEngland.Golf (“Caddyshack Cameo”).
Outstanding Achievers: Paul Hodowanic, PGATOUR.com (“Meet The PH.D Student”); Tom Mackin, Global Golf Post (”Entrepreneur At Heart”); Cameron Morfit, PGATOUR.com (“Jason Day’s Long Road Back”); Gary Van Sickle, Memorial Tournament Magazine (“Larry Nelson, Golf’s Original Invisible Man”).
PUBLICATION
1st Place: The Met Golfer, August/September Issue (Helen Farrelly, MGA).
Outstanding Achievers: FORE Magazine, Fall Issue (Adam Hawk, Managing Editor); Golf Oklahoma, August/September Issue (Ken MacLeod, Editor); NCGA Golf, Summer Issue (Adam Schupak, Editor).
RADIO SEGMENT
1st Place: Ann Liguori, Talking Golf With Ann Liguori, WLIW-FM, New York (“Bernhard Langer Interview”)
Outstanding Achievers: Charles Humphries, The Golf Shop Radio Network, Charlotte (“Bob Harig Interview”; Rory Spears, Golfers On Golf, WNDZ, Chicago (“White Sand In Ohio”).
RADIO SHOW
1st Place: Chuck Garbedian, Garbedian On Golf, WRNW, Milwaukee (“The PGA Championship Edition”).
Outstanding Achievers: Frank LaRosa, Golf To Go Radio Hour, SacTown Sports (“From The Langley Charity Tournament”); Ann Liguori, Talking Golf With Ann Liguori, WFAN, New York (“PGA Tour/LIV Announcement Shocker”).
TELEVISION SHOW
1st Place: Steve Kashul, The Golf Scene (“2023 Episode 4”).
Outstanding Achievers: Tony Leodora, Traveling Golfer {“Yuengling Brewery And Schuykill CC”); Dave Lockhart, Golf360 (“Authentic August”).
TRAVEL WRITING
1st Place: John Steinbreder, Global Golf Post (“Tiny Anguilla Delivers Big Thrills With A View”).
Outstanding Achievers: Tom Mackin, Troon Magazine (“Desert Transplant”); Jeff Neuman, The Met Golfer (“Untroubled”); Joe Passov, FORE Magazine (“The Greens Of Utah’s Color Country”); Gary Van Sickle, SI.Com (“Even At A Premium Price, Playing TPC Scottsdale Is A Must”).