FRANKLIN, Ind. — Catherine Benson, director of golf management at Trine University,
                                 was honored with a 2019 Indiana Section PGA Special Award on Monday, Feb. 25.
                              
                              Benson was presented with the Horton Smith Award, established by the Indiana Section
                                 PGA in 1976, at the Indiana PGA Spring Business Meeting. She also was elected secretary
                                 for the organization, becoming the first female officer on the Indiana PGA Board.
                              
                              The Horton Smith Award is designed to recognize individual golf professionals for
                                 their outstanding and continuing contributions to developing and improving education
                                 opportunities for the PGA golf professional. The guidelines for this award are: contributions
                                 to educational programs and seminars in the Indiana Section, contributions and assistance
                                 toward the development of articles which benefit and relate to education, contributions
                                 to building the image of both the PGA golf Professional and the Association.
                              
                              Benson was previously honored in 2018 for Teaching Excellence in Sports by Greater
                                 Fort Wayne Business Weekly during its annual education awards. She also was awarded
                                 the Professor Gerald H. Moore Overall Excellence in Teaching Award and the Charles
                                 William, Nelle Paris and Mary Ann McKetta Excellence in Teaching Award in Business
                                 in 2018 when Trine University presented its annual McKetta Teaching Awards.
                              
                              Photo: Catherine Benson, center, director of golf management at Trine University, receives
                                 the Horton Smith Award from Bill Pollert, left, Indiana PGA president, and Dan Ross,
                                 Indiana PGA vice president.