Grayson Wood has spent much of his life on a golf course.
He honed his game at Lee’s Hill Golf Club in Spotsylvania County as a kid, became a two-time Virginia High School League all-state honoree while playing for Massaponax High School, and has excelled at both Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Georgia in recent years.
But two weeks ago, Wood accomplished something that perhaps even he never dreamed of.
A clutch performance in the final round buoyed Wood to victory at the White Sands Bahamas Men’s Invitational on Dec. 16. That result earned the 20-year-old a PGA Tour exemption, meaning he’ll have the option to participate in either the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open or ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
In doing so, Wood will make history. It is believed that he is the first golfer from the Fredericksburg area to ever qualify for a PGA Tour event. Bruce Lehnard, the former pro at Lake of the Woods Golf Club off State Route 3 in Orange County, played in PGA Championships in 1983, ’87 and ’92 and the 1971 U.S. Open.
Wood began his high school career at James Monroe — where his older brother Marshall was also a standout athlete — before transferring to Massaponax.
“Winning in the Bahamas was amazing,” Wood said. “I was genuinely just excited to go to such a beautiful and tropical place and compete, and it turned out to be a super special week.”
White Sands attracts many of the top amateur golfers in the world for a two-day gauntlet that features 36 holes on Day One and 18 on Day Two. Wood bounced back from a disastrous double bogey on the first hole and managed to notch five birdies over his final 10 holes to earn the win and the PGA Tour exemption. His final shot was a 25-footer that he sank despite facing a downhill pitch and gusty winds. He finished at 8-under par.
“I wasn’t looking at the leaderboard, but I did have somewhat of an idea on where I was during the last few holes,” Wood said. “I knew that I could make something happen if I made a birdie or two in the final two holes, and I did.
“There have been very few times in my career where I have come back and won, so to do that was outstanding,” he added.
Wood’s career is already a decorated one. After a stellar run at Massaponax, he attended the prestigious Junior Players Golf Academy in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where he is now a member of its hall of fame. As a freshman at VCU, he was named both the Atlantic 10 Conference’s freshman of the year and golfer of the year in 2024. He’s now in his second year at Georgia, where he recorded three top finishes last spring.
However, he said the PGA Tour exemption clearly takes the cake.
“Having the privilege of playing in a PGA Tour event is mind-boggling,” he said. “I figured I would make it to the Tour when I’m older, which is just how I dreamt of it happening. But never in college. … It just feels surreal.”
The Puerto Rico open is scheduled for March 5-8, while the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic is set for May 7-10.
Whichever event he chooses to enter, Wood is anticipating the experience of a lifetime.
“I’m expecting to have a whole bunch of fun,” he said. “I obviously want to play well, make the cut and try and win. … But having fun and making the most of a special week is the [main] goal. A lot of my family will be there and I’m hoping I can make them proud.”
