For over 25 years, we’ve used golf to teach lessons about life. We’ve spun the unexpected challenges on the fairway to coach kids about adversity in the everyday. It’s not just a game, its game-changing.
Our alumni are a reflection of that commitment we made to building game changers. Below are just a few of our exceptional alumni who are making a difference in the world because of the lessons learned at First Tee.
University of Delaware golfer Christina Carroll boasts one of the lowest scoring averages in program history. The junior electrical engineering major and First Tee – Delaware alumna is also the first African American woman to play golf for the Blue Hens.
It’s clear Carroll has a bright future ahead of her. And for the last decade, she’s had a dedicated mentor behind her. First Tee – Delaware volunteer coach Karen Hart has been part of Carroll’s go-to team since Carroll was in 7th grade.
“Karen is one of the most supportive and thoughtful people I know,” Carroll said. “She would take the time to take me to golf with her at her own home club Patriots glen. She would also encourage me to do my best every time I was around her. I am forever appreciative of the warm and caring person she is.”
Hart is one of two incredible volunteers to be named George H.W. Bush Volunteer of the Year by First Tee. Together the two honorees have been volunteering with First Tee chapters for four decades.
PGA TOUR player Will Zalatoris presented the Volunteer of the Year awards during First Tee’s 25th anniversary celebration last month in Dallas, while he and FootJoy both donated $5,000 to each winner’s chapter.
Despite health issues that kept her away from the ceremony, Hart’s commitment to First Tee – Delaware has never wavered, said program director Charma Bell.
“Her grit has no quit! She says the First Tee motivates and inspires her to keep going and growing,” Bell said.
Over the last 17 years, Hart has helped introduce three new program locations, recruit 20 volunteers and onboard more than a dozen schools to the First Tee School Program, Bell said.
“Karen is a wonderful role model, who constantly shares her time, talents and treasures with our chapter. She exemplifies the true meaning of volunteerism and looks for nothing in return.”
Like Hart, Deb DeNure has served as a chapter board member and mentor for participants. She’s been a dedicated volunteer at First Tee – South Central Wisconsin for more than two decades – having raised more than $1 million for the chapter.
“Deb is truly someone who is essential to the livelihood of First Tee – South Central Wisconsin and is one of the most influential volunteers and heartbeat of the organization,” said executive director Ashlyn Mehlhaff.
DeNure has spent more than 4,000 hours organizing fundraising events and tournaments on behalf of the chapter.
“If there is a dream volunteer opportunity, working with First Tee – South-Central Wisconsin is it,” DeNure said. “Having the opportunity to help influence, grow, mentor and fundraise for a nonprofit organization that continues to shape the youth and citizens in our community brings me great joy.”
First Tee’s network of 150 chapters relies on committed volunteers like DeNure and Hart to help build the next generation of Game Changers. On International Volunteer Day, we thank them for supporting First Tee!
The former First Tee CEO received the award in Dallas, where Chapter leaders gathered this week to celebrate the organization’s 25 years of building game changers
Dallas (Nov. 18, 2022) – First Tee celebrated its 25th anniversary this week with a Network Summit in Dallas that was capped off with a big honor for retired CEO Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and former Commissioner Tim Finchem presented the award to Barrow, who led the nonprofit organization from 2000 to 2017.
Barrow combined passion, enthusiasm and empathy as he led First Tee through a time of incredible growth. Under his leadership, First Tee expanded its network of Chapters, which now stands at 150. The organization also launched its School and Community Programs, which serve millions of kids who may not have access to a golf course.
“While at First Tee, Joe was appropriately called the “Chief Evangelist” because he was always sharing a great story about the impact First Tee had on a particular young person,” said Monahan, who also serves as Chair for the First Tee Board of Governors. “Joe led with many strengths, but perhaps his greatest was ensuring that the kids remained at the heart of every decision.”
Barrow was CEO when First Tee launched its first national participant event, the Life Skills and Leadership Academy. In 2021 the event was renamed the Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. and evolved to address challenges teens face in their daily lives including social justice issues and diversity, equity and inclusion – topics near to Barrow’s heart.
Barrow took on his role as CEO while First Tee was in its infancy. The nonprofit – which teaches life skills through the game of golf – was first announced by Finchem and other leaders from the golf industry at a Central Park press conference on Nov. 13, 1997. A quarter century later, the organization has served millions of kids.
“I am truly humbled by this recognition,” said Barrow. “And I am deeply proud of the positive impact First Tee has had over the years. It wouldn’t have been possible without my dedicated colleagues, the coaches and Chapter staff, and supporters who believed in our mission.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award was one of several awards First Tee presented in Dallas during the organization’s Network Summit held Nov. 16-18. The Summit brought together representatives from First Tee’s network of 150 chapters to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary and continue building momentum for the future with robust workshops, training and peer-to-peer networking. Appearances were made by President George W. Bush, honorary chair of First Tee, PGA TOUR player Will Zalatoris, artist and criminal justice reform activist Valentino Dixon and other inspirational speakers. The Summit was presented by Century Golf Partners, supported by 3M and made possible by other corporate partners who stand behind First Tee’s mission. The Dallas event also featured an Alumni Summit presented by Gallagher and an Innovators Forum for participants.
First Tee congratulates all the award winners:
“There are more than 10,000 volunteers, Chapter staff members, board members and donors who make First Tee the impactful organization it is today,” said current First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “It’s so special to be able to honor a handful of those people who have truly changed kids’ lives for the better.”
Photos and video from Network Summit including Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., President Bush, and Founders Award winners are available here.
A 25th anniversary press kit with fact sheet, alumni stories, anniversary logo, photos and video is available here.
About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”)
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary and reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 Chapters, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Henika, First Tee
[email protected]
904-881-7398
Visit our 25th anniversary page for more impactful stories and videos from our alumni.
First Tee is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month, and over the years, it’s helped produce no shortage of game changers.
One example is Marcus Freeman from First Tee – Greater Charlotte. He says the organization has helped him grow as a golfer and person.
“Being a part of this community has helped me get through hard times. First Tee – Greater Charlotte was a safe place for me in 2020. During this time my grandfather was going through end stage pancreatic cancer and my family, like the world, was navigating COVID-19 and social distancing,” he says.
The support he received from First Tee inspired Freeman to pay it forward.
He completed more than 300 hours of volunteer work for First Tee in 2021. He collected more than 500 books for a First Tee book drive, and he’s a member of the chapter’s participant advisory council. Freeman has also volunteered for his swim team and tutored students in Japanese.
“An aspect of volunteer work that I enjoy is seeing the impact that giving to others can have,” he says.
Freeman is one of 28 First Tee participants from across the country who’ll attend Innovators Forum this November in Dallas. The workshop empowers First Tee teens to develop a meaningful service project in their community focused on education, health or sustainability. Eight participants will be awarded scholarships totaling $32,000 after the event.
A junior at Palisades High School, Freeman is an accomplished violinist, and he won a medal for performing Japanese poems in 2019. Freeman aspires to study sports science in college. “I enjoy learning more about physical fitness and how the body works,” he says. Freeman spends his free time researching training tips and injury recovery.
As he progresses as an athlete and student, Freeman says he’ll continue to use the lessons and qualities he’s learned at First Tee, including confidence.
“When I first joined the program, I was a little shy when meeting new coaches, parents and other players. I spent time observing the instructors and how they interacted with all the different people coming and going. I saw them shake hands, make eye contact, smile and speak confidently,” he says.
“I knew I wanted those skills as well. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, and I started to apply what I observed to my own social skills. I practiced a strong handshake. I introduced myself to people I didn’t know, and I have met many interesting people, like professional golfer Davis Love III, all because I have improved in sharing my personality.”
Learn more about Innovators Forum.
Lots of kids aspire to become astronauts but few go on to build careers in space exploration. That hasn’t stopped Hannah Rens from chasing her dreams into orbit.
The 24-year-old is a systems engineer for Boeing Space and Launch, working on Boeing’s Starliner, a commercial crew and cargo vehicle that will be transporting NASA astronauts to the international space station.
“My ultimate career goal is to be chief engineer of a permanent human habitat on the moon,” says Rens, a former participant at First Tee – Siouxland and First Tee volunteer. “To achieve that goal, I need to develop advanced business skills, gain industry experience and further my engineering technical education.”
That’s why she’s attending the First Tee Alumni Summit presented by Gallagher this November in Dallas. The event provides an opportunity for selected alumni to advance their career by building new skills while reconnecting with fellow alumni and chapter leaders.
“I’m looking to learn more about working in a rapidly evolving industry, startups and founding your own business, and how to develop an effective personal brand,” she says.
Rens says her nine years in First Tee helped shape her future. “It provided me with a structured path to improving my golf game, peer and trusted mentors, and interpersonal and professional skills that have been essential in achieving my goals,” she says.
While in First Tee, she was selected to attend the Leaders and Entrepreneurs Forum at Disney World. “Getting to meet other students from across the U.S. while listening and working with successful business owners and entrepreneurs was unlike any other experience I had in high school,” she says. “The business principles and goals I learned have stayed with me.”
A graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, Rens began her career with internships focused on aircraft maintenance and repair. As Starliner prepares to expand its service to additional sites in Earth’s orbit, Rens works on vehicle life span and sustainment. Ultimately, Starliner will become one of the first spacecraft with turnaround times closer to traditional air traffic. Talk about a Game Changer.
Rens now serves as a mentor for high school and college students who want careers in the space industry, and she’s enrolled in an astronautical engineering master’s program at the University of Southern California focusing on human spaceflight.
Rens still golfs, and she’s a certified open water and dry suit SCUBA diver. Learn more about the accomplishments of First Tee alumni.
First Tee has grown into a preeminent youth development organization with a network of 150 chapters which will come together in celebration of this milestone Nov. 16-18 in Dallas
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (Nov. 14, 2022) – Twenty-five years ago, on November 13, 1997, then-PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem was joined in New York City’s Central Park by representatives from the leading golf organizations – the LPGA, the Masters Tournament, the PGA of America, the PGA TOUR, and the USGA – public officials, including President George H. W. Bush, and golf dignitaries to announce the launch of First Tee.
Since that time, First Tee has grown into a preeminent youth development organization boasting a network of nearly 150 chapters with programs delivered at 1,400 golf courses, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers in all 50 states and in Australia, Canada, Japan, Korea, Mexico and Morocco. In 2021, First Tee impacted more than 2.2 million kids and teens. Additionally, more than 10,000 adults are involved each year in support of First Tee’s mission, many of whom have participated in First Tee’s signature positive youth development training.
“I am proud of First Tee’s growth and impact over the last 25 years,” said President George W. Bush, First Tee Honorary Chair. “Their mission to help young people build life skills and strengthen their character using the game of golf has proven successful. Organizations like First Tee are critical to our society and our country’s future. I am grateful my father chose to get involved 25 years ago and pleased to carry the baton since 2011 in support of their work.”
Under the leadership of Finchem, First Tee was launched as an industrywide initiative to make golf affordable and accessible for all kids. As the first programs were being developed, First Tee began an intentional effort to seamlessly integrate the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, creating a program that empowers youth to build inner strength, self-confidence, and resilience that they can carry to everything they do.
“We are grateful for the vision of my predecessor, Tim Finchem, and for his leadership in creating First Tee in 1997,” said Jay Monahan, PGA TOUR Commissioner and Chair, First Tee Board of Governors. “Congratulations and thank you to all who have played an essential part in growing First Tee and contributing to the many transformational and inspiring stories we have seen over the last 25 years. Just as importantly, we are extremely excited about the path and trajectory of the program going forward as First Tee continues to evolve to meet the changing needs of young people.”
First Tee has been undergoing a modernization effort to stay relevant and connected to kids and teens now and in the future. It refreshed its brand for the first time in 2020 and recently released a robust age-based curriculum update to better position the organization to reach teens and keep kids engaged in the program longer. Technology efforts are also underway to centralize and better support program registration, adult training and onboarding, and tools for coaches. In 2023, the first participant-facing app will launch, providing supplemental digital experiences and gamification for young people in the program. In recent years, the organization also reinvested in its College Scholarship Program, and it touches hundreds of kids each year through national participant events, spanning from the PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach to a five-day DEI-focused academy in Philadelphia.
“Since day one, First Tee has been intentional about reaching young people from diverse backgrounds, and that commitment continues today,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “Most years, between 40 and 50 percent of participants at chapters are non-Caucasian, and approximately 38% are female. Our network of chapter leaders, coaches, volunteers, board members and donors remain committed to breaking down barriers. And they continue to inspire me as we prepare for the future.”
Throughout this anniversary year, First Tee has highlighted its alumni who’ve gone on to careers in the golf industry and beyond. First Tee’s final alumni feature showcases Ariana Saenz, a former participant at First Tee – Greater Houston, who went on to play collegiate golf at the University of Houston and Texas A&M. Saenz is set to graduate with a master’s degree in human resources later this year and hopes to pursue a career in the golf industry.
“From age seven to 18, I was exposed to a set of morals and life skills at First Tee that poured the foundation for the woman I am today,” said Saenz. “Along the way, I earned a college golf scholarship and went from being a participant to a volunteer who learned the value of giving back to the community and serving others.”
Nov. 16-18, representatives from First Tee’s network of 150 chapters will convene in Dallas for its Network Summit – the first in five years – to celebrate the anniversary and continue building momentum for the future with robust workshops, training and peer-to-peer networking. The Summit is presented by Century Golf Partners and made possible by other corporate partners who stand behind First Tee’s mission.
To learn more about First Tee, its impact and future vision, please visit:
A press kit with fact sheet, alumni stories, anniversary logo, photos and video is available here.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Sara Henika, First Tee
[email protected]
904-881-7398
Kids and teens take on new experiences every day – at school, at home and during extra-curricular activities – it’s part of growing up. As youth expand their horizons and experience new things, some lessons will come easy and others will be hard. It’s how we react that matters. Here are three tips to inspire you:
Patience means staying calm while you wait, success comes with practice and experience. Patience means giving yourself lots of chances to succeed by trying again and again.
Enjoy what you are doing regardless of the outcome. A positive attitude will not only make you feel better, it will help you DO better. When situations get difficult, rather than get upset, focus on what went right. Then, figure out what you could do better next time. If you have a good attitude and stay positive, it will help you enjoy what you are doing.
It’s OK to ask for help; it’s how you learn. You should always feel comfortable asking your teachers, coaches and friends for help. Asking for help from others is a much better option than struggling alone. Any challenges you face can be made easier if you tackle them together.
If you can follow these practices these tips, any new experience can turn into a positive one.
Empowering kids and teens through a lifetime of new experiences is at the heart of First Tee. With programs in all 50 states and select international locations, First Tee provides active learning experiences for youth that help build their inner strength, self-confidence and resilience. First Tee impacts more than 3.6 million youth each year, helping to strengthen their character through the game of golf.
USGA and First Tee continue to expand inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility efforts at the local level with IDEA Grants
LIBERTY CORNER, N.J. and PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 13, 2022) — Commemorating a 25-year partnership with a focus on growing the game, the USGA has continued its investment in First Tee by awarding IDEA grants to 25 chapters across America.
The USGA’s IDEA Grant Program delivers direct funding to community-based programs that break down barriers to participation in golf and First Tee’s character-building programs, improving pathways to inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. In 2022, 25 chapters — from Massachusetts to California — were awarded up to $25,000 each to provide transportation, hire diverse coaches, train volunteers and build programs in diverse communities, among other activities.
Totaling $325,000 in 2022, the USGA’s investment in First Tee is the latest demonstration of its long-standing commitment to ensuring recreational golf continues to thrive. What started as a $3 million, three-year commitment by the USGA as a founding partner in 1997 has helped underpin First Tee’s ability to reach more than 2 million youth annually.
“This year’s IDEA grants are the latest milestone that reflect significant progress made to date in partnership with First Tee,” said Mike Whan, CEO of the USGA. “The best way to introduce youth to the game is by meeting them where they are in their communities, and we are going to continue to drive resources toward the local level to ensure a more accessible and inclusive game for generations to come.”
First Tee was founded in 1997 through the leadership of five golf organizations, aimed at making golf more affordable and accessible in the United States through a national grassroots program. As the first programs were being developed, First Tee began an intentional effort to seamlessly integrate the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, creating learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience that kids can carry to everything they do. Many alumni continue to play and work in the game, inspiring the next generation.
As part of more than 25 years of substantial growth that led to the establishment of 150 First Tee chapters with more than 1,400 program locations in communities across America, the USGA’s targeted support has helped First Tee drive greater equity among underrepresented youth to access golf. The IDEA grants, launched in 2021, fund innovative initiatives for golfers with disabilities, those in Spanish-speaking communities, Indigenous people and at-risk students, among others.
First Tee is focused on increasing diverse participation year over year through many strategies, including hiring and training diverse coaches and implementing the First Tee School Program in Title 1 schools. The efforts are contributing to the diversification of the sport: Since 1997, there has been a 25 percent increase in non-Caucasian golfers, many of whom entered the game through First Tee.
The 2022 grant recipients include:
Since 1997, the USGA has invested more than $33 million in junior programs, including First Tee; LPGA-USGA Girls Golf; Drive, Chip & Putt; and the AJGA as part of a long-standing organizational commitment to advancing the game of golf with exposure beginning at the junior level. Introducing golf at a young age has proven to be a critical tactic in reducing barriers of entry to welcome greater diversity to the game. More than one-quarter of today’s 3.1 million junior golfers are non-Caucasian compared with 6 percent of youth more than 20 years ago.
In addition to its initial $3 million starter investment in 1997, the USGA immediately began to deliver sizable grants to build First Tee programs in Washington, D.C., Chicago, Kansas, Alabama, Arkansas and many other communities.
IDEA Grant applications were open to all First Tee chapters affiliated with one of the USGA’s 58 Allied Golf Associations (AGAs). Located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, AGAs serve millions of golfers at the recreational level by increasing engagement and participation and improving the golfer experience.
2022 USGA IDEA Grant Recipients:
| First Tee — Central Mississippi | First Tee — Greater Philadelphia (Pa.) |
| First Tee — Cleveland (Ohio) | First Tee — Greater Portland (Ore.) |
| First Tee — Coastal Carolinas | First Tee — Hampton Roads (Va.) |
| First Tee — Connecticut | First Tee — Indiana |
| First Tee — Greater Dallas (Texas) | First Tee — Massachusetts |
| First Tee — Denver (Colo.) | First Tee — Metropolitan New York |
| First Tee — Fort Worth (Texas) | First Tee — Monterey County (Calif.) |
| First Tee — Four Corners (N.M., Colo.) | First Tee — Pittsburgh (Pa.) |
| First Tee — Greater Charleston (S.C.) | First Tee — Sandhills (N.C.) |
| First Tee — Greater Chicago (Ill.) | First Tee — South Dakota |
| First Tee — Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky | First Tee — South Puget Sound (Wash.) |
| First Tee — Greater Pasadena (Calif.) | First Tee — Southern Colorado |
| First Tee — West Michigan |
Three First Tee teens ace holes 5, 7 and 17 at the iconic course
PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 25, 2022) – Seventy-eight First Tee teens from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the game’s legends and explore possibilities in golf and beyond during the PURE Insurance Championship impacting First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event, which concluded today at Pebble Beach.
Bryson Hughes representing First Tee – North Florida and paired with Alex Cejka, and Megan Meng representing First Tee – Greater Trenton and paired with Charlie Wi, claimed the male and female Pro-Junior titles today, respectively. Hughes and Cejka finished 18-under and won in a scorecard playoff, while Meng and Wi capped off the event 22-under.
The PURE Insurance Championship, in its 19th year, brings 78 teens from First Tee chapters nationwide to Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Throughout the week the teens apply character strengths to play at an elite level at an iconic golf course where they are paired with and mentored by a PGA TOUR Champions player and amateurs from the business world. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, was televised internationally on Golf Channel.
Three teens in the field made holes-in-one at Pebble Beach during their tournament practice rounds – Cooper Groshart from San Louis Obispo, Calif. on #7 (video), Theresa Shaw from Auburn, Calif. on #17 (video) and Sophia Bardunias from San Ramon, Calif. on #5 (video).
“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill through the First Tee programs every day. A special congratulations to Bryson and Megan for winning the Pro-Junior titles. Thank you to our partners – PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Chevron, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel – for making this a special week for 78 First Tee participants.”
Hughes is a 15-year-old sophomore at Creekside High School in St. Johns Country, Fla. where he holds a 3.8 GPA. He has been involved with First Tee – North Florida for nine years and playing in this tournament has been a goal since he first watched it on TV as a six-year-old. Hughes holds a +2.3 handicap and is the No. 1 player on the golf team at Creekside High School.
“Thanks to PURE Insurance and First Tee for an amazing experience,” said Hughes. “Pebble Beach is golf heaven and it feels great to get a win at such a cool course. I’ve tried to make the most of this week by focusing on what I could learn from Alex and all the pros in the field. My biggest takeaway is how well they handle themselves during high-pressure situations.”
Meng is a 16-year-old junior at Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, NJ where she holds a 4.5 GPA. She’s been involved with First Tee – Greater Trenton for nine years and has progressed from participant to volunteer junior coach mentoring the younger participants in the program. Meng holds a +2.3 handicap and aspires to play collegiate golf. She was named 2022 NJ.com Golfer of the Year.
“I’ve worked really hard to get to this moment,” said Meng. “But the biggest thing I’ve learned this week is that golf is meant to be fun. I’ve had a really great time and I’ve made memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’d like to thank my pro Charlie, PURE Insurance and First Tee for this opportunity.
During the week, First Tee partners PURE Insurance and Chevron both hosted events to celebrate their commitment to First Tee’s mission and raise additional funds to support the First Tee College Scholarship Program. Leaders from PURE Insurance extended a surprise invitation to the scholarship program to 17-year-old Isabelle Junio, a high school senior from First Tee – Phoenix. The program pairs Scholars with a mentor and provides professional development workshops and financial assistance throughout the college experience.
First Tee is a youth development organization that teaches life skills and helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee Headquarters to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.
To access photos from the event, visit here. For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee and see the full field list, visit TheFirstTee.org.
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About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”)
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary and reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
About Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
www.pureinsurancechampionship.com
About PURE Insurance
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests, and delivers greater value.
Today, after growing at least 15% in each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that includes high value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families.
Pureinsurance.com | 888.813.7873
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions.
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
With a perfect 4.0 GPA and student government experience under his belt, BJ Little wants to change the world. He aims to become a criminal defense attorney, U.S. Senator and eventually, President of the United States.
But first, BJ is focused on serving his community. Starting with his high school.
When BJ entered his freshman year at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School there was no golf team. BJ wasn’t going to sit idly by, he was determined to form a team.
“In my freshman year, the very first thing I did was ask for the school to start a golf team,” says BJ. “The school went through all of the necessary preparations for the golf team to start, but then Covid happened.”
For BJ, and most of the country, school was now virtual for the next year and half, halting all chances for the team.
But BJ says the pandemic did not discourage him from achieving his goal.
“Going into my junior year I went in with the same mindset I had freshman year. I asked the school for a golf team, and they delivered.”
BJ helped by recruiting players and finding a practice facility. Leveraging his go-to team, a concept taught and encouraged at First Tee, he smartly enlisted help from his coach and director of golf operations at First Tee – Metro Atlanta Jeff Dunovant. They worked out a plan that the school could use the chapter’s facilities while BJ secured players for the team.
In 2021, the team officially launched. But there was still much work to do.
“BJ was the only player on the team who was not a beginner, so the practices would consist of BJ and I teaching the new players,” says Dunovant.
And for BJ, that’s what it’s what this is all about.
“In all honesty I just want people to have fun. The State and District titles will come with time. But ensuring students are happy and want to learn about golf is the most important thing to me. I hope that when I graduate Cristo Rey, students will still be playing golf. I want that to be a piece of my legacy to the school.”
BJ is one of 78 First Tee participants teeing off this Friday at the PURE Insurance Championship. The tournament pairs First Tee teens with PGA TOUR Champions players providing life-changing mentoring opportunities for the teens. This experience opens the participants’ eyes to the possibilities in golf and beyond as they are contemplating their future education and careers.
The tournament airs on Golf Channel.
