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Bob May schooled Tiger Woods at the 2000 PGA Championship in Valhalla, when their legendary three-hole playoff pushed Woods to a new level of challenge.

So much so, that Sports Illustrated’s Alan Shipnuck penned, “May played like a champion. Woods played like a god…”

Now golfers at every level can learn from the man who put Tiger to the test as the Bob May Golf Academy comes to Waikoloa Beach Resort, July 2-31, 2014.

May’s two decades on the PGA Tour, vast teaching experience and a sub-zero mental discipline under pressure make for a golf guru in demand, particularly by golfers ready to take their game to the next level.

“I played on the PGA tour for 20+ years—the highest level of golf—with or against players at their best,” said May. “For golfers who really want to get to the next level, I can help them understand how they’re going to feel. It’s exciting, it’s an honor to be out there, but in reality, you work very hard to get there and some players find themselves in awe. My concept is to help you be better prepared, so that when you do get to that level, you can stay more focused.”

As for beginners, May said that private lessons are best for young juniors until about 7-8 years old, when they can more easily handle group lessons.

He also said that the basic fundamental of golf — the swing — is essentially the same for all levels of golf, men and women, young and not-so-young.

“I can teach a method that seniors would most defininately enjoy, and understand the golf swing better. It’s a very easy method to adopt and to understand,” said May. “It’s all about the passion for the game.”

Originally from California, May grew up in a non-golfing family, and picked up the game as a youngster — playing his first tournament at age 8. He attended Oklahoma State University, and as an Amateur, chalked up an impressive list of tourney wins and golf awards, including Sports Illustrated Player of the Year, three times NCAA All American, and a No. 5 U.S. ranking by Titleist and Golf Week Publications.

In 1991, he was a finalist in the British Amateur, and — with Walker Cup teammates Phil Mickelson and David Duval — defeated the European team. That same year, May turned pro, playing competitvely on the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour (now the Web.com Tour) for more than 20 years, winning the British Masters in 1999, achieving four second-place titles on the Web.com Tour and three on the PGA Tour, including the unforgettable match with Tiger Woods.

“I’ve never feared anyone in golf, and I still don’t; I’m still very competitive in golf,” said May. “In that round, it was very satisfying to know that I was able to stay focused, to stay in the moment and not be overwhelmed by what was happening.”

This is May’s first visit to the Big Island, and the first time his Golf Academy experience will be available to island golfers at Waikoloa Beach Resort.

Private lessons for adults, juniors and couples, as well as “Trackman” performance analysis, can be scheduled July 2-31, online, or by calling (702) 595-1950 (Las Vegas time).

Discounted package rates for multiple lessons with the same golfer are also available.

Waikoloa Beach Resort Golf inspires the spirit of adventure in every golfer, with two epic golf courses along Hawaii Island’s rugged lava coast: the dramatic, tropical Beach Course, designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and the Kings’ Course, designed in a classic Scottish links style by the winning team of Tom Weiskopf and Jay Morrish.