Charles Schwab Challenge website
Sam Burns was a Champions' Choice in 2018. He came back to Fort Worth to win the tournament in 2022.
It’s not only election season for local government and school board offices. The 47 living Charles Schwab Challenge champions also have some voting to do.
The Champions’ Choice tradition at the Charles Schwab Challenge started in 1953 when champions from the inaugural Colonial tournaments (1946-1952) cast their ballots for the first two Champions’ Choices — two young players selected to play in that year's tournament.
The original past-champion voters — Ben Hogan, Clayton Heafner, Sam Sneed, and Cary Middlecoff — selected Milon Marusic and Fred Wampler as the tournament’s first Champions’ Choices.
Over the 72 years of this unique tradition, the pool of voting champions has grown from the original four to 47 living tournament champions who, this year, will collectively choose two young professionals who have never before been eligible for the prestigious invitational event.
This year’s two Champions’ Choices will be announced on May 1.
Charles Schwab Challenge champions have a good track record with their selections. Champions’ Choice invitees who made their professional debut in Fort Worth include Paul Azinger, Billy Mayfair, Mark O’Meara, Curtis Strange, and Stewart Cink.
Some choices have returned to win the tournament later in their careers.
Eleven years ago, eventual 2015 Masters and U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth was invited as a Champions’ Choice. He later became the 2016 Colonial champion.
2022 Charles Schwab Challenge champion Sam Burns was a Champions’ Choice invitee in 2018 and became the eighth such player to come back and win the event in their career. In all, 76 of the former 137 choices have become PGA TOUR tournament winners, racking up 427 victories and 29 majors.
The 79th Charles Schwab Challenge will be contested May 19-25 at Colonial Country Club. Tickets are on sale at charlesschwabchallenge.com.
Without further ado, here is the ballot — the 12 Champions’ Choice Nominees for 2025. Good luck, fellas.
Blades Brown
17 year old Nashville, Tennessee native, made his professional debut at the American Express in January. Best finish on tour is a T34 at the Mexico Open. Has also competed twice on the Korn Ferry Tour with two made cuts.
Frankie Capan III
Minnesota native, currently residing in Dallas. Played college golf at Florida Gulf Coast University. Earned PGA TOUR Card by finishing in the top 30 on the Korn Ferry Tour. Has made 11 starts on the PGA TOUR his best finish is T-12 at the American Express.
Ricky Castillo
California native played college golf at the University of Florida. A tour rookie, he has made seven cuts this season including a T12 at the Valspar Championship. Won the Kansas Wichita Open in 2023.
Johnny Keefer
Maryland native, played college golf at Baylor. Currently sits 11th on the KFT points list, after finishing 1st on the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas. Has made cuts in seven of eight events, with three Top 10 finishes, including a runner-up finish at the Panama Championship.
Christo Lamprecht
South African native played college golf at Georgia Tech. Earned Korn Ferry Tour status with a second-place finish in the 2024 PGA TOUR U standings. Completed eight starts on the KFT, including a second-place finish at the Astara Golf Championship and a fourth-place finish at the Great Abaco Classic in the Bahamas.
William Mouw
California native, played college golf at Pepperdine University. Earned PGA TOUR card after finishing in top 30 on Korn Ferry Tour in 2024. Made five cuts this season, including a T6 finish at the Puerto Rico Open.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen
Native of Denmark. Has placed in the top 25 in both starts on the PGA TOUR this year, including a second-place finish in Puerto Rico. Also has three international wins to his credit.
Matthew Reidel
Houston native. Played college golf at Vanderbilt University. Finished fourth in 2024 PGA TOUR U standings. Earned TOUR card finishing in the Top 5 at recent PGA TOUR Qualifying School. Made six cuts on TOUR this season with a best finish of T26 at the Puerto Rico Open.
Cole Sherwood
An Austin native, played college golf at Vanderbilt. Earned full exempt status on Korn Ferry Tour following a 7th place finish on the 2024 PGA TOUR U standings. Had made five cuts this season on the Korn Ferry Tour, including a T2 in Argentina and a T3 at the Club Car Championship.
Neal Shipley
Pittsburg native, played college golf at Ohio State University. Currently, No. 3 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list. Has 2 Top 10s this season, including his first win at 2025 Lencom Classic. Was low amateur at both The Masters and the US Open in 2023.
Jackson Suber
Florida native played college golf at Ole Miss. Turned pro in 2022. Has made five cuts on the PGA TOUR in 2025, including a tie for sixth place at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Michael Thorbjornson
Stanford golfer earned his TOUR card by finishing No. 1 in the 2024 PGA TOUR U standings. Has made four cuts on TOUR this season, recently securing his best finish, a tie for second at the Corales Puntacana Championship.