Springfield College Alumni Connection Leads Valero Texas Open
At left, Dave Cooper, Christian Hutra '23, Jason Earle '23, Sophia Bucal '23, President Mary-Beth Cooper, Taylor Low '21, and Larson Segerdahl '03.
By: Damon Markiewicz
For Larson Segerdahl ’03, the Springfield College Department of Sport Management helped him find a career path in professional golf that continues to help him prosper today. As he gets ready to lead the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio for the 13th consecutive year as executive director, his educational experiences are at the forefront of his successful career.
Guided by Segerdahl’s leadership, the Valero Texas Open has evolved into an event that represents so much more than just professional golf. The tournament has become known for its remarkable charitable impact on the surrounding communities. Each year, the tournament channels millions of dollars into local nonprofits, supporting everything from children’s services to military families and community health initiatives.
“Last year, our tournament was number one on the PGA TOUR in charitable fundraising, generating $25 million,” explained Segerdahl. “As part of this year’s tournament, we are projected to go over the $300 million mark in total charitable dollars raised for the history of the event, which includes helping more than 400 charities. This event is all about making sure it has great community ties, and I am so proud of the work we have done to better our communities through the tournament.”
As a result of Segerdahl’s vision, the Valero Texas Open has evolved over the last decade-plus, stemming from a niche event targeted mostly to the local golf audience in San Antonio, to now maturing into one of the largest community social events.
“Golf has almost become secondary because it’s about community, it’s about charity,” explained Segerdahl. “You don’t need to be a golf fan to come out to TPC San Antonio and have a great time and eat great food. There are activities for the entire family. It’s very satisfying to celebrate the 104th year of the tournament and witness how it has become so ingrained in the San Antonio community.”
With the tournament’s commitment to giving back to the community, it should come as no surprise that the Valero Texas Open staff has many Springfield College connections, starting at the top with Segerdahl.
“We have a 15-person staff that is full-time and works year-round,” explained Segerdahl. “We oversee everything from marketing, operations, communications, client services, logistics, and ticketing. On our San Antonio team, we have many Springfield College ties, including Taylor Low ’21, who is director of client services and started as an intern. Also, Sophia Bucal ’23 interned for Taylor, and has been with our team for about two to three years now. Christian Hutra ’23, who started as an intern with us in 2024, is now manager of operations. Most recently, Jason Earle ’23 is another intern success story, and now has been with the team for the last 18 months. When we are hiring interns, we know what we are going to get with Springfield College students. They are quality people who have been well-trained and are well-educated. We are all proud SC alumni, and the College prepares students for success.”
Segerdahl is a true believer in the power of the Springfield College alumni network because he has witnessed the benefits as both a professional and also as a hard-working student. As an undergraduate, he did his pre-practicum internship with the PGA TOUR’s Traveler’s Championship in Connecticut. That six-month experience opened his eyes to a whole new industry inside the sports world that he hadn’t considered.
“Mike Hill, former associate director of the Springfield College Career Center, recommended I apply for the Traveler’s Championship internship and introduced me to Taylor Ives ’99, who ended up hiring me. That led me to my practicum work with the Greg Norman Production Company running operations and volunteers for a PGA TOUR event in Naples, Fla.,” explained Segerdahl. “The power of the Springfield College alumni network has been very important in my career. I am fortunate to have been connected with Taylor, a great colleague, mentor, and friend of mine for 25 years now. In addition, Rob Hartman ’05 and I have worked together a little over 20 years. These relationships have been impactful in my career.”
Following his practicum work, Segerdahl moved down to Naples to continue his work with Greg Norman Production Co. At the time, they didn’t have a full-time job open, but there was a senior PGA TOUR event that Segerdahl supported. Eventually, Greg Norman Production Co. was in a position to hire Segerdahl full-time.
“Business started to expand, and we ended up taking on management of a new PGA TOUR event in Mexico,” explained Segerdahl. “So here I am, 25 years old, and moving to Mexico. My team and I launched and established that new PGA TOUR event over six-plus years. It was an incredible experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”
And as Segerdahl’s strong reputation continued to expand in the professional golf circles, it was his continued success with the Greg Norman Production Co. that led him to the Valero Texas Open.
“As our organization continued to grow, we added management of the Valero Texas Open to our event portfolio. Operating one of the oldest and most charitable professional golf tournaments in the world has been incredibly rewarding,” expressed Segerdahl. “I’m blessed to work with an amazing group of people who are passionate about raising the bar each year and making a difference in our community. This year’s tournament will certainly further that mission.”
And as Segerdahl and his team enjoy this year’s event, the Springfield College influence will also be on the back of their minds. A lot has evolved from his time as an incoming student-athlete from Weston, Conn., who wanted to play baseball for coach Mark Simeone ’87, G’96, and chase his sports dreams.
“I know I enrolled at Springfield College because of the Sport Management program, one of the best decisions I ever made,” explained Segerdahl. “As I look back, having the pre-practicum and practicum internships be a part of the curriculum is so important in my opinion. Those experiences at job sites can’t be replicated in the classroom. I look back and realize Springfield College prepared me perfectly to be a successful professional. I am truly grateful.”
