Under clear Florida skies and the buzz of friendly competition, golfers teed off for one of the most anticipated traditions surrounding the 70th Annual Conference of the Food Shippers of America.
Led by returning Golf Chair Justin Allen, Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnerships for Cheema Freightlines, players gathered Sunday, March 1 for both morning and afternoon shotgun starts at the scenic Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, adjacent to the Hilton Bonnet Creek Resort. With camaraderie high and competition friendly, industry colleagues traded business attire for golf polos as they took to the fairways—where a memorable day of networking, laughter, and impressive shots ultimately produced this year’s tournament champions.
The golf event started with an early “Golf Grab and Go Breakfast,” sponsored by Optimal Dynamics, Inc. and Trailiner Corp. The shotgun tournament started at 7:30a.
Visually stunning and immensely playable, the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club is an 18-hole championship golf course enhanced by natural elements such as majestic cypress trees lining the fairways and features a five-tee system to accommodate golfers of every caliber.
Using the land’s natural contours as a canvas and a fertile imagination as a palette, this meticulously designed course was created by acclaimed golf course architect Rees Jones. This 18-hole masterpiece pulls in elements from several of the world’s classic courses – some designed a century ago. The layout blends its traditional character with endless subtleties for a challenging experience. Mindful of the natural elements and in homage to the game’s storied history, Jones created a golf course of great integrity and environmental consciousness that seamlessly folds into the terrain, so it appears to have been here forever.
Allen announced the winners during the Opening Session Tuesday morning of the conference.
Congratulations to these skilled golfers during the FSA 2026 Golf Tournament:
Morning Tournament:
1st Place: Leslie Baird, Rob Mason, Steve Van Kirk and Tyson Wimberly achieved a 59 (-13) score
2nd Place: Chris Blythe, Gunnar Moriarty, and Rick Trautwein achieved a 59 (-13) score
3rd Place: Trevor Powell, Jessee Stuart, Michael Smith and Kregg Wood achieved a 60 (-12) score
Individual awards go to:
Afternoon Tournament:
1st Place: Ryan Canfield, Chris Schmidt, and Mike Rieck achieved a 56 (-16) score
2nd Place: Jack Thrachtenberg, Karl Fillhouser, and Cory Petersen achieved a 61 (-11) score.
3rd Place: Kaleb Groce, Marty Grogan, Keith Huggins, and Tyler Watts achieved a 62 (-10) score.
Individual awards go to:
Stay tuned for details on the next Food Shippers Golf Tournament that will take place Feb. 28, 2027 during the 71st annual Food Shippers Conference at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa in Palm Desert, CA.
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