COLUMBUS, Miss. – The W golf assistant coach Scott Milam (Tupelo, Miss.) was recently feted as the Gulf States Professional Golfers of America (GSPGA) Assistant Player of the Year for 2025, sponsored by Rolex, at the organization's annual awards dinner at the Reunion Country Club in Jackson, Mississippi. Milam earned the prestigious honor in his first full year of playing in GSPGA events.
 
The Gulf States section of the PGA consists of members from Mississippi and Louisiana. Those competing for the Assistant Player of the Year honors included assistant club professionals and coaches, as well as anyone working in an assistant/associate capacity. The Player of the Year was based on accumulated point totals from 14 different tournaments throughout the year, each with various weighted point values.
 
Milan, 33, participated in 12 of the events and amassed 1,425 points. His "big fish" for the year was a first place at the 2025 Gulf States Assistant PGA Professional Championship, held at Money Hill Golf & Country Club on August 11-12, 2025, which earned him 450 points. Milam claimed the Assistant PGA Professional Championship tournament honors with a score of 67-66=133, including a 5-under front nine in the final round to propel him into the solo lead of the tourney.
 
In the final tally for the Player of the Year totals, Milam had three first place finishes, a pair of seconds, and was third once. Milam placed in the top-10 at 11 of the 12 events played, with a top-25 in the other. Milam had a scoring average of 69.7 and had six total rounds shooting in the 60's.
 
"The competition was really stiff," Milam said of his accolade. "Getting the honor to play in it in the first place, and to play well and represent The W, it was very cool to be a part of it and win it in my first year."
 
And while the Player of the Year award is a personal feather in Milam's cap, it is also beneficial to the Owls' golf programs' reputation as well, especially when both of its coaches have earned the GSPGA award. The W Head Coach Benji Williams was also the GSPGA Assistant Player of the Year in 2021.
 
"When you have young players and are talking to recruits, they know they have a coach who can also play; who knows what they are talking to you about," Milam explained. "Not only to help them grow as a person, grow as a human, but to grow within the game they are trying to succeed at."
 
Owls' men and women golfers are also sharing in the fruits of Milam's victories. Much like PGA Tour events, Milam's GSPGA success came with cash prizes, albeit with fewer commas on the checks. Milam reinvested a large portion of his winnings in MUW's growing program by donating a $2,600 Bushnell Launch Pro, which helps players get their yardages and work on fine tuning their swings. "I was excited to be able to do that," Milam said, modestly.
 
Milam is in his fourth year as a member of Williams' staff. He sent two years as a graduate assistant under Williams, before coming on as a full-time staff member in 2024-25. With Milam, the Owls' men have won back-to-back St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships and made two-consecutive trips to the NCAA Division III national championship tournament.
 
Additionally, Milam can frequently be found serving as a gameday coordinator for many other of the Owls' athletics team's home events.
 
"Scott is the consummate assistant coach," Williams lauded. "He understands all that is needed for a successful golf program. He is equally fervent about supporting our fellow sports programs – an important quality at this level, especially – and does so with energy and professionalism. We are blessed to have him as a part of Owls Athletics."