VWC Selects Stewart as Golf Coach

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. --- For the first time in the 42-year history of the Virginia Wesleyan College golf program, the Marlins will be mentored by a veteran member of the Professional Golfers' Association.

Phil Stewart, a PGA Class A Professional since 1984, who has enjoyed a standout career as a competitor, instructor, and businessman, has become the new head golf coach at VWC.

Stewart comes to the VWC program after serving as the Head Golf Professional at several Virginia Beach area courses, including Red Wing Lake, Bow Creek, Stumpy Lake, and Kempsville Greens. 

"I am excited to now represent Virginia Wesleyan College and coach our student athletes," said Stewart.  "As a former collegiate player, I understand the balance between academics and the commitment to the sport. I will be working with our players collectively and individually on all aspects of the game. The Old Dominion Athletic Conference is very competitive and I look forward to the challenge of elevating our program to the status of a perennial title contender."

Stewart has already started that endeavor, by searching throughout the nation for qualified student-athletes who can contribute to the VWC golf program immediately. 

"Virginia Wesleyan is fortunate to bring in a coach with the calibre of a Phil Stewart," said VWC Athletic Director Joanne Renn.  "He is our first PGA professional and I have the utmost confidence he will guide our golf program to highest level of ODAC competition.  Phil has already begun to recruit the calibre of golfer who will help him accomplish that goal."

During his years as a PGA Professional, Stewart also coached and taught for four years at the prestigious Cape Henry Collegiate School.  He guided the Dolphins to the 2006 Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools championship and was named the TCIS Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2006. 

His golf career began as a student-athlete at Princess Anne High School, where he was part of the 1971 and 72 teams that won the Virginia AAA state championship.  He was part of an outstanding team that included Curtis Strange, Allan Strange, and Jay Williams, who all became PGA golfers. 

Stewart's success in golf earned him a scholarship to compete for Virginia Tech, where he helped the Hokies to four Virginia Intercollegiate championships.  He was the state medalist in 1977.  Stewart graduated from Tech in 1978 with a bachelor's degree in Economics.

As a professional golfer, Stewart has been the winner of multiple Pro-Am's in Virginia, he was the leading money winner in Virginia in 1988, he was the Virginia qualifier in the 1987 PGA Club Professional Championship, and he competed in several PGA Tour events, including the Kemper Open and the Michelob Golf Classic.

Stewart becomes the eighth individual to guide Virginia Wesleyan's golf program, one of the College's oldest intercollegiate sports, which began in 1970.

This release is courtesy of the Virginia Wesleyan College sports information department.