Hickam will play in Patriot All-American

Mississippi Gulf Coast golfer Phillip Hickam has accepted an invitation to play in the Patriot All-American, an amateur event featuring 84 nationally recognized, PING All-American golfers.

The fifth annual tournament will played Dec. 27–31st in Litchfield Park, Ariz., at The Wigwam's Gold Course. Hickam is one of only four junior college players participating in the event.

Hickam, who is from Olive Branch, has signed to continue his collegiate career at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga next year. He finished second at the NJCAA national championship, earning NJCAA first-team All-American honors. He was also All-MACJC, helping the Bulldogs to the state and Region 23 titles.

"It's the only bowl-like experience for golfers that allows players from all divisions to compete against one another," said Ed Gowan, executive director of the Arizona Golf Association. "Each American golfer will carry a commemorative red, white and blue PING golf bag bearing the name, rank and service of a fallen soldier from the community in which they live or attend school, while the special International players will carry white bags with their heroes honored."

Hickam will be playing in honor of Navy Chief Petty Officer Joel Baldwin. Baldwin was part of the Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 out of Gulfport. Chief Baldwin, 37, was killed on December 21, 2004 when a suicide bomber detonated his device in a mess hall at Forward Operating Base Marez in Mosul, Iraq. The attacked killed 22 people and wounded 69 more in the explosion.

Baldwin was born in Panama, graduated from high school in 1987, joined the Navy in 1988 and married his sweetheart Claudia in 1989. A Seabee who loved to build both in and out of uniform, he is remembered for his strong leadership, civic involvement and skilled teaching. The Seabees were spread all over Iraq implementing infrastructure while Baldwin was in charge of general engineering evaluation. Prior to his deployment, he organized the construction of a playground at his daughter's elementary school.

The Patriot donates its proceeds to the Folds of Honor Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing post-secondary educational scholarships and assistance for children and spouses of military service men and women lost or wounded in battle. Following the championship the PING bags are auctioned off to the players' respective schools and the proceeds are donated to the Folds of Honor.

The Patriot All-America was created in partnership with the Arizona Golf Association, JDM Partners, The Wigwam and the Golf Coaches Association of America. The field is highlighted by more than 45 golfers from Division I schools with several from the top-100.  Notables are 2014 Patriot All-America champion Kyle Kochevar of University of Virginia playing in his fourth Patriot, Kyle Mueller of University of Michigan and Sean Crocker of University of Southern California to name a few.

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