Helminen and Terasa Earn Player of the Decade Honors

The Wisconsin Section, PGA is proud to officially announce our players of the decade for 2010-2019. Earning the prestigious honors are Ryan Helminen, PGA of Ridgeway CC in the member race, and Eddie Terasa, PGA of North Hills CC in the senior race.

The process for determining the awards was based on a point system that awarded points on how each individual finished in the Player of the Year standings each year. On a yearly basis the system provided first place with 25 points, second place 19 points, and so on down. The top twenty finishers each year earned points in the member contest, while the top ten did so in the senior contest.

Player of the Decade – MEMBER
Ryan Helminen

Helminen’s journey to the member honor featured ten years of consistently great play. During that time frame the Appleton native won the WPGA Member Player of the Year award five times, finished second twice and finished third twice. The finishes helped him pile up 213 points and win the award by a 55 point margin. Highlights during this great run included the 2014 Wisconsin State Open title, four WPGA Professional Championship victories, and seven one-day WPGA Classic wins.  The PGA Teaching Professional at Ridgeway CC has been a PGA member since 2007.

“Being a member of the Wisconsin PGA is a great honor and I feel very privileged to be a part of it,” Helminen wrote in a text to the Wisconsin PGA. “The opportunity to have been able to compete on all our wonderful courses is very much appreciated.  I look forward to the new decade and the challenge of continuing to have success in our great game, in our great state.”

Helminen will be recognized at an upcoming WPGA Tournament.

Player of the Decade – SENIOR
Eddie Terasa

Terasa’s senior resume during the ten years was just as impressive as Helminen’s on the member side.  The Madison native had great timing, as he turned 50 in June of 2010.  Just one year later he started a run of four straight senior player of the year awards, which were key to holding off second place finisher Jim Schuman.  His list of major tournament victories over the course of this stretch is impressive.  The list included wins at the 2010 Wisconsin State Open, 2010 WPGA Match Play Championship, 2016 Wisconsin State Senior Open, two WPGA Professional Championships (2011 & 2013) and three WPGA Senior Professional Championship victories (2011, 2013 & 2014).

“It’s all about the journey with me,” Terasa wrote via email. “I enjoy competing with my fellow PGA friends. The awards and accolades are the cherry on top.”

The WPGA acknowledged Terasa as the Senior Player of the Decade at the WPGA Spring Membership Meeting Reception held on March 2, 2020 at the Radisson Hotel & Conference Center in Green Bay.  The Head PGA Professional at North Hills CC has been a PGA member since 1987.