Each year, the SFPGA Ed Ficker Sportsmanship Award honors his deep respect for the traditions of the game. It recognizes one boy and one girl who exemplify the highest qualities of a junior golfer: positivity, grace, integrity, and the ability to uplift others both on and off the course. We are fortunate to have such role models on our Junior Tour circuit.

The 2025 female Ed Ficker Sportsmanship award  recipient is Lilly Parker of North Palm Beach, a 2030 graduate who has quickly become one of the most consistent and respected competitors on the Medalist Tour. Parker competed in eight events this season, finishing inside the Top-10 in all of them and earning a standout victory at Santa Lucia River Club on April 4–5 with a 36-hole total of 9-over-par. She capped her season with a dramatic birdie on the 36th hole of the Tour Championship to force a playoff, ultimately finishing as a Co-Champion of the Girls 13–18 division.

Parker’s journey in golf has been far from linear. She began competing at age eight, admitting, “I was pretty terrible. I got last in all my tournaments.” Due to COVID-19, Parker was given extra opportunity to compete at events because of travel restrictions for international players, therefore intensifying her passion. “Had COVID not happened, I don’t know if I would be playing golf right now,” she reflected. “It just snowballed from there.”

That passion, combined with a tireless work ethic, has driven her growth. “I love competing. I love pushing myself and working hard at something,” she said. “As I get older, I just keep loving it more.”

This was her first year on the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Tour, and it quickly became memorable. She opened with a third-place finish before claiming her first win at Santa Lucia. Later in the season, a coaching change and tough stretch of results tested her confidence, but each challenge helped strengthen her game.

At the Tour Championship, she faced one of the biggest moments of her season: needing a birdie on the final hole to force a playoff. 

“I never thought it was possible,” she admitted. “But I’ve worked really hard on my mental game.” 

With the help of a sports psychologist, she has learned to manage pressure, stay present, and trust her abilities. That growth was evident as she battled Jaime Baker of Lake Worth through two tense playoff holes before the two finished as Co-Champions due to lack of light.

During the awards ceremony, she never expected to hear her name called. “I was surprised. It was really, really cool,” she said. 

The award holds special meaning because it honors character as much as performance and because past recipients include players she admires, like Seminole Golf Club Head Professional Matt Cahill. 

“It’s cool to receive an award that’s not just based on how good you are,” she said. “Some of the hardest parts of golf are for the people who aren’t winning every week.”

Her entire family, her biggest supporters, were there to witness the moment. Her parents surprised her, and a previously canceled flight meant her grandfather was unexpectedly able to stay for the ceremony. “My family is everything to me outside of golf,” she said. “It was really cool that they were all there.”

After a year of breakthrough moments, challenges, and personal growth, Parker looks ahead with gratitude and excitement. “It was a great year,” she reflected. “Up and down, but really, really great. I’m very lucky to be able to play the South Florida PGA.”

With her dedication, humility, and heart for the game, her journey is only just beginning as she looks ahead to next season.

The 2025 Male Ed Ficker Sportsmanship Award recipient is Ryan Toole of Naples. A 2026 graduate, Toole competed in eight events this season on the Medalist Tour and has been a member of the Srixon South Florida PGA Junior Tour for the past three years. His steady growth, strong work ethic, and commitment to the game have shaped a journey that will continue next fall, when he plans to compete for Denison University.

Toole didn’t begin competing seriously until eighth grade, when he entered his first Under Armour events following the COVID-19 quarantine. By his freshman year, he made his high school golf team and began competing in SFPGA events, starting on the Prep Tour and eventually working his way to the Medalist Tour. Each season brought progress, confidence, and a greater belief in his future.

“From the beginning, the long-term goal was college golf,” he said. “But day-to-day, all I wanted was to get a little better and see where it took me.”

That improvement was supported by his team and he credits his coach, Tom Patri; sports psychologist, and his strength coaches. “They’ve all helped me look at the game differently, manage myself better, and get stronger. I owe a lot of my progress to them.”

This season, Toole entered the Tour Championship on a stretch of strong golf and delivered some of his most consistent play yet. “I’d been putting up good scores for a few months,” he said. “But I’d never really played super well in a SFPGA event. Putting it together at such a big event and winning the award meant a lot.”

Receiving the Ed Ficker Sportsmanship Award, with his parents in attendance, was especially meaningful.

“It honestly meant the world to me,” he said. “To know that who I try to be every day is showing, and that I’m affecting the people around me in a positive way, that was really special.”

Ryan models his conduct on the course after one person above all: his dad. “He’s my biggest role model. He always guides me, and I try to be like him every day.”

He added that his mom plays an equally important role in shaping who he is. “My parents are my two biggest role models. They’ve supported me through everything, no matter what, and I’m super thankful for them.”

His family, friends, and faith form the foundation of who he is. “I’ve gone to Catholic school my whole life. It shaped me into who I am. I surround myself with the right people and with friends who support me and keep me grounded.”

While this season held plenty of memorable moments, one stood above the rest. During his college recruiting process, Ryan traveled to Ohio to play in the South Ohio PGA Columbus Junior Classic, hoping a few coaches might come out to watch. What happened instead changed everything.

“I played the two best rounds of my life, 69 and 67,” he said with a smile. “It felt like everything I’d worked on finally came together.”

That performance caught many college coaches' attention but specifically the eye of the Denison University coaching staff. Within 24 hours, Ryan and his family drove two hours to visit campus. He instantly felt at home. The relationship grew quickly, and eventually, he committed.

“That tournament led me directly to Denison,” he said. “It was the highlight of my year.”

Along the way, meaningful connections shaped his journey, including meeting South Florida PGA Junior Tour alum Noah Kent over the summer. The two became fast friends, and Ryan admired the way Noah carried himself while competing at the University of Florida. “He’s an incredible player and an even better guy. Staying connected with him has been really cool.”

As Toole looks ahead to college golf, he’s excited for the team environment most of all. “I love the team aspect. I know it’ll be tough, but I like when things are hard. I like being pushed. And I’m excited to build relationships with my teammates and coach.”

Through every story he shared, Toole’s humility and perspective were clear qualities that make him an ideal recipient of the Ed Ficker Sportsmanship Award.

“I just try to do my part,” he said. “We all have our place in the world, and if we stick to it, we can make a difference.”

With his steady work ethic, gratitude for those around him, and genuine love for the game, Toole’s impact on the Junior Tour, and his future in college golf, are only just beginning.

Lilly Parker Congratulations Video

Ryan Toole Congratulations Video