Adamonis Family: In 1980, Dave Adamonis, Sr. noticed a gaping hole in the New England Junior golf community. There wasn’t much of an opportunity for junior golfers to compete in the summer. He decided to take matters into his own hands.

 

He created The United States Challenge Cup ("Challenge Cup") Junior Golf Foundation to grow junior golf and to give kids in New England chances to develop through the game of golf and in life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Adamonis played collegiately at Providence College and went on to become the coach of the Johnson and Wales Miami golf team, where he led the Wildcats to eight straight NAIA National Championship appearances, including a 2005 National Championship and the NAIA Coach of the Year designation.

 

But when Adamonis was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, his oldest son Dave, Jr. took over the Challenge Cup and enhanced the program. In 2022, it ran more than 40 events. Providing countless opportunities for young kids to compete to help them prepare to play collegiately and for life.

 

Brad, the youngest of the Adamonis brothers, played on the PGA TOUR as a full-time member in 2008-09 with his best finish being a T2 at the John Deere Classic, where he lost in a playoff to Kenny Perry. He won on the Nationwide Tour in 2007 (now Korn Ferry Tour) and was inside the Top 25 on the money list that year to earn his tour card for the first time.

 

Brad won the Rhode Island Junior Amateur in 1990, qualified for the U.S. Amateur in 1992 and was the medalist in the 1996 Rhode Island Amateur.

 

Adamonis, Sr. died in 2009, but the Adamonis family legacy still stands in the Rhode Island and New England golf communities through the continued efforts and dedication of Dave, Jr. and the Challenge Cup.

 

Some of the Challenge Cup’s most notable alums include: five-time PGA TOUR winner and major champion Keegan Bradley, two-time Solheim Cup participant Megan Khang, Rob Oppenheim, Jon Curran and former LPGA Tour player and NCAA Individual Champion Anna Grzebien.