Jim McLean Golf Schools Named Title Partner of Sixth Annual Labor Day Classic

West Palm Beach, FL - The South Florida PGA has hosted a premier three-day event on Labor Day weekend since 2020. This year, the tradition takes on new significance as it will be held in partnership with South Florida PGA Professional Jim McLean and his Golf School as we join forces to present the Jim McLean Labor Day Classic, set to take place at PGA National Resort from August 30 – September 1.


Few names in the golf instruction carry the weight and legacy of Jim McLean. A 2013 South Florida PGA Hall of Fame Inductee, 1994 PGA of America Teacher of the Year, and 2020 PGA of America PGA Professional Development award recipient, McLean’s career began in 1975 at Westchester Country Club in New York, where he led a junior program with over 1,800 members. Even early in his career, McLean was shaping the future of the game—coaching standout players such as George Zahringer III, who went on to play for the U.S. Walker Cup team in 2003.


McLean is no stranger to the South Florida PGA Junior Tour. In its early years, he sponsored six tournaments, helping to grow the Tour into what it is today.


“I wanted to give back to junior golf,” McLean said. “All of my boys were in junior golf.”


This year marks a new chapter in the partnership between McLean and the South Florida PGA Junior Tour, culminating in the launch of the Jim McLean Labor Day Classic.


The 2025 Jim McLean Labor Day Classic is more than just a competitive event—it’s a celebration of mentorship, development, and giving back to the game. As the South Florida PGA Junior Tour continues to create life-changing opportunities for young golfers, the support and vision of leaders like McLean help ensure that the next generation is well-prepared, both on and off the course.


Throughout his career, McLean has taught and mentored many notable players including Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr, and Erik Compton. Compton, once the top-ranked junior golfer in the United States, overcame extraordinary health challenges—surviving two heart transplants—and reached the PGA Tour against all odds. After retiring from professional play, Compton joined the Jim McLean Golf School as an instructor.


“Erik has been a very special person and has done many things in hospitals across the country for transplants,” McLean said. “He is a really unbelievable person.”


Stories like Compton’s highlight McLean’s lasting impact—not just on competitive golf, but on the lives of his students. This year’s Jim McLean Labor Day Classic adds an even more meaningful chapter to that story, as Erik’s daughter, Petra, will be among the 168 junior golfers competing. For McLean, seeing the next generation of a former student take part in the event is a true full-circle moment—one that perfectly reflects his lifelong commitment to growing the game.


McLean’s commitment to junior golf remains as strong as ever.


“Golf teaches kids so many great things in their life,” he said. “I liked teaching the kids and I still do to this day!”


His passion lies not just in refining swings, but in using the game to instill discipline, integrity, and perseverance. After nearly two decades as a club professional in New York, McLean moved to Miami in 1991 and opened the Jim McLean Golf School at Doral in 1993. Today, the school has expanded to seven locations worldwide—including Coral Gables, New York, Utah, Mexico, Spain, and South Korea.


SFPGA Junior Tour / SFPGA Foundation / Jim McLean Golf School


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