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By Adam Wallace
PGA TOUR Staff

Daniel Summerhays, who became the first amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event on July 15th, announced he has turned professional and accepted membership to the Nationwide Tour, effective immediately. The BYU first-team All-American plans to make his debut in this week's Cox Classic presented by Chevrolet. He has also entered next week's Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.

Daniel Summerhays won the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational. (WireImage)

Summerhays, 23, won the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational at the demanding Ohio State University Scarlet Course by two shots over Chad Collins and Chris Nallen. One of the perks of his win was full-exempt status on the Nationwide Tour the rest of the year and all of 2008, provided he turned professional.

Summerhays will have 12 full-field tournaments this year to play his way into THE 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list and earn his 2008 PGA TOUR card. He was not eligible to earn prize money for his win in Columbus, so he enters this week with no official earnings.

"It has always been my goal and dream to play on the PGA TOUR," Summerhays said. "So the opportunity to play on the Nationwide Tour the rest of the season and the exemption for 2008 was just too much to pass up. Making the decision to leave BYU was a tough one. It is not easy leaving Coach (Bruce Brockbank) and the team, but having their blessing made the decision easier on me. I just felt like this is the right time.

"My goal the rest of the year is to finish inside the top 25 (on the Nationwide Tour money list) and earn my PGA TOUR card.....maybe even win again," he said. "Playing on the Nationwide Tour is an amazing opportunity....it gives players an avenue to achieve their dreams."

"On behalf of the PGA TOUR and the Nationwide Tour, I would like to welcome Daniel Summerhays," said Nationwide Tour president Bill Calfee. "Daniel's amateur and college record, coupled with his Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational win last Sunday on a very difficult OSU golf course, indicate he has a very promising professional career ahead of him. He's a great addition to the Nationwide Tour and we wish him nothing but success. Daniel has stated his goal is to make THE 25. It will be interesting to follow his progress the remainder of the season."

The 2000 and 2001 Utah State Amateur champion while still in high school is seven credit hours short of earning a finance degree. He has indicated he plans to complete his course requirements via online studies and graduate in December.