Intern Spotlight Series: Michael Sheridan

For Brentwood, Tennessee native Michael Sheridan, sports have always been more than a pastime — they’ve been a lifelong connection between people, competition, and community. From watching college football games as a kid to working behind the scenes at professional golf tournaments, that passion has steadily shaped his path toward a career in the golf industry.

“I always wanted to work in sports because of the connection sport provides for its participants and the spectators,” Sheridan said.

A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Sheridan earned a degree in Sport Management, building the foundation for a future in event operations and administration. Though he grew up playing lacrosse, it was golf — introduced to him by his dad — that became the focus of his professional ambitions.

“I first became interested in golf when my dad taught me how to play as a kid,” he said. “But I really became interested when I started working at Golf Galaxy selling golf clubs and being around it every day.”

While he never pursued competitive golf, Sheridan has always enjoyed the game recreationally and even passed his Playing Ability Test (PAT) as part of the PGA Golf Management (PGM) program. His father, he says, remains his biggest influence and inspiration for pursuing a career in something he truly loves.

Before joining the P.J. Boatwright Internship Program, Sheridan already had an impressive range of sports experience. From his first job at Play It Again Sports in high school to working for Golf Galaxy and Brentwood Ball Club, he learned early on the value of hard work in the sports world. His college years brought even more hands-on experience through volunteer roles at events such as the Visit Knoxville Open, U.S. Olympic Trials, and several high school golf tournaments.

His most recent position — an operations internship with Tour Vision Promotions, which manages Korn Ferry Tour events — gave him a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to stage a professional tournament. He handled sponsorship meetings, managed volunteers, and led onsite vendor coordination.

“That experience really made me interested in the business side of golf,” he said. “When I volunteered for the Visit Knoxville Open, I got a behind-the-scenes look at how a professional golf tournament is run. That’s when I knew I wanted to work in sports — I just needed to find the right direction.”

That direction came through the USGA’s website, where Sheridan discovered the P.J. Boatwright Internship and applied to continue his journey in golf administration. The chance to live in a new state, work with a new team, and help stage tournaments across Texas was too good to pass up.

“Interning for a golf association was very exciting for me,” he said. “Living in a new state along with getting to work with people I have never worked with and putting golf tournaments on across the entire state is something that is not hard to get excited about.”

Sheridan brought with him a positive attitude and strong work ethic — qualities that have helped him thrive throughout his internship.

“I’m a very positive person who doesn’t get discouraged easily,” he said. “I also have the ability to move on from one thing to another quickly and often ask what’s next when we finish a task.”

While nerves are natural in any new experience, he takes each day in stride. “There are always nerves when doing something new, but I handle them well by just taking my days one at a time.”

For Sheridan, the internship represents more than just professional experience — it’s another step toward a fulfilling career in golf operations and sports management, guided by the same enthusiasm that began years ago on the course with his dad.