Ron Green Jr., who worked as a Charlotte Observer sportswriter for 23 years, has been named the 2023 recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism by the PGA of America.

Green Jr., 66, is the 32nd recipient of the award. His 93-year-old father, Ron Green Sr., won the award in 2006 for his own golf coverage and was a longtime Charlotte Observer sports columnist. They are the first father-son duo to separately win the award.

“That’s probably the best part of this,” Green Jr. said of winning an award his father had previously earned. “I know what it meant to him and still means to him. It’s one of his crowning achievements. He was so honored and touched by that. When I found out about this and told him, he was as you might expect, very excited and proud. That I wind up getting this recognition and being on the list with him just makes it all the better.”

The PGA of America’s Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism recognizes members of the media for their steadfast promotion of golf.

“Ron Green Jr. has taken readers inside the ropes with exceptional analysis, insight and storytelling for over 30 years,” PGA of America President John Lindert said. “Ron has made a definitive impact on our game through his ability to highlight golf’s greatest moments and athletes.”

Green Jr., who still covers about 15 pro golf tournaments per year, has covered approximately 100 of golf’s majors, including 41 Masters tourneys. He said three of the events he most enjoyed writing about during his career were 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus winning the Masters in 1986, Tiger Woods winning the Masters by 12 shots in 1997 and Payne Stewart edging Phil Mickelson for a U.S. Open victory at Pinehurst in 1999.