USGA awards $2.65 million TO junior golfers AND People with Disabilities

 

Association Awards 143 new grants

 

 

Colorado Springs, Colo. – The United States Golf Association (USGA) has awarded 143 grants totaling $2,650,935 to support golf programs across the nation for economically-disadvantaged juniors and individuals with disabilities. The grant funds will be used for instruction, golf course and range access, equipment, transportation and the construction of accessible golf facilities.

 

The USGA has awarded more than $62.5 million since the Association implemented the Grants Initiative, “For the Good of the Game,” in 1997.

 

The USGA Grants Committee reviewed a record 160 applications at its May meeting. “The USGA is pleased that there has been a growing interest in the Grants Initiative,” said USGA President Jim Vernon. “There are hundreds of organizations nationwide working to grow the game of golf for juniors and individuals with disabilities. We are proud to support these remarkable programs with USGA grant dollars.”

 

 

USGA-Supported Program Highlights

Revelation Golf (Elk Grove, Ill.)

Revelation Golf launched in 2005 with the mission of increasing the physical, social, emotional, and spiritual quality of life for children and adults with cancer or a physical disability, wounded veterans, and at-risk youth. The organization uses the game of golf to help participants become active members of the community. In 2007, the program reached nearly 500 participants through clinics and on-course activities throughout Illinois. Through the support of a USGA program grant, Revelation Golf will expand to reach an additional 150 participants and incorporate rehabilitation services along with golf lessons. The program works closely with Veterans Administration Hospitals throughout the state in order to serve injured military veterans and soldiers returning from Iraq.

 

Saint Augustine’s College (Raleigh, N.C.)

Saint Augustine’s College is a first-time USGA grant recipient. It operates the Meadowbrook Junior Golf Program. The program is at Meadowbrook Golf Club, a course founded specifically for African-Americans during the time of segregation. The program was launched at the beginning of 2008 and will serve 100 children in Raleigh during its first year of operation. Saint Augustine’s College recently assumed operational responsibilities for the course and plans to implement this junior golf program in order to encourage local children to become involved in the game and grow from its values, while creating a lasting relationship with the course. Participants will have access to Meadowbrook Golf Club outside of normal programming hours for $2 per round.

 

Tennessee Golf Foundation (Franklin, Tenn.)

This USGA grant supports a unique initiative that will reach out to local military families. Approximately 48 kids from the Ft. Campbell military base will be given full scholarships to a golf camp this summer called “Screaming Eagles Week” at the Tennessee Golf Academy. The program provides instruction and playing opportunities. The Tennessee Golf Foundation feels it is important to give these kids the opportunity to take their minds off of the war and engage them in enriching golf activities. Many of the families on the base are single-parent households as more than 25,000 soldiers from Ft. Campbell have been deployed to Iraq. 

 

Russian Jack Springs Junior Golf Association (Anchorage, Alaska)

Russian Jack Springs Junior Golf Association was founded in 2005 and received its official chapter status as The First Tee of Alaska during that same year. The organization is only the second USGA-supported program in the state. The First Tee of Alaska operates junior golf programming at Russian Jack Springs Golf Course in Anchorage with the mission of impacting the lives of young people by providing programs that promote character development and life enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2007, during its first year of programming, The First Tee of Alaska served 400 children from the City of Anchorage. In 2008, the organization projects to grow significantly and reach 1,000 kids, including outreach to approximately 80 Special Olympics participants.

 

USGA Grants Initiative: A Capsule History

 

The United States Golf Association works to make the game of golf affordable and accessible. Since 1997, the grants initiative has traditionally focused on programming for economically disadvantaged juniors and individuals with disabilities. The USGA Executive Committee has extended this grants initiative to 2013 to provide financial support and assistance to deserving golf programs. Beyond its Grants Initiative, the USGA partners with national organizations to promote affordable and accessible facility development, course access, girls’ golf and initiatives for individuals with disabilities.

 

For more information on the USGA Grants Initiative, contact the Grants office at (719) 471-4810 or visit the Supporting the Game section of the USGA Web site at www.usga.org.

 

The USGA is the national governing body of golf in this country and Mexico, a combined territory that includes more than half the game’s golfers and golf courses.

 

The Association's most visible role is played out each season in conducting 13 national championships, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Women's Open and U.S. Senior Open. Ten additional USGA national championships are exclusively for amateurs, and include the U.S. Amateur and the U.S. Women's Amateur.

 

The USGA also writes the Rules of Golf, conducts equipment testing, maintains an official Handicap System and administers an ongoing "For the Good of the Game" grants program, which has allocated more than $62.5 million since 1997 to programs that seek to grow the game. For more information about the USGA, visit www.usga.org.

 Media Contact:  Beth Murrison (bmurrison@usga.org), Web Address: www.usga.org, USGA Phone: (908) 234-2300

 

 


YANI TSENG MAKES MAJOR MARK IN VICTORY AT LPGA CHAMPIONSHIP
Nineteen Year-Old Rookie Tops Maria Hjorth in all-Titleist Pro V1x Playoff



Fairhaven, MA (June 9, 2008) - Yani Tseng made her first professional victory a major one, capturing the McDonald's LPGA Championship on the fourth hole of an all-Pro V1x playoff with Maria Hjorth.  The 19-year-old became the first rookie in ten years and the second youngest player in LPGA Tour history to win a major.  While the champion may have been in doubt as the pair prepared for the playoff, the golf ball was not.  In fact, 110 players in the world-class field relied upon Titleist, more than three times the nearest competitor with 30, and more than all other golf balls combined.

- Tseng, who started the final round four shots behind the leader, closed with a four-under 68 to match Hjorth at 12-under 276 after regulation.  Laura Diaz (Pro V1) shot a two-under final round 70 to finish in solo fifth at 10-under 278.

- In addition to playing the Pro V1x golf ball, Tseng also carried a 905R driver (9.5), 735.CM irons (4-P), a Vokey Design gap wedge and Spin Milled lob wedge for her success.


TITLEIST HIGHLIGHTS FOR WEEK ENDING JUNE 8, 2008


PGA: Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Stanford St. Jude Championship with 100 players, more than four times the nearest competitor with 23.  Titleist was also the top choice in the iron (35), wedge (134) and putter (63) categories.

- Pro V1x players Padraig Harrington and Boo Weekley were among four players who tied for fourth at 3-under 277, missing out on the playoff by one shot.

- Titleist ambassador Tom Pernice, who shot a final round 63 for the tournament's low round, finished at two-under 278, and tied for 8th place with Pro V1x players Scott Verplank and Gavin Coles.  Pernice’s Titleist bag includes the Pro V1x golf ball, 907D2 driver, AP2 irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled wedges and a Scotty Cameron Futura putter.

- The final two playoff participants relied on Scotty Cameron by Titleist putters for their success.  Cameron putters have been the winning choice of 14 champions on the 2008 PGA Tour, nearly three times the nearest competitor with 5.

PGA EUROPEAN:  Pro V1x loyalist Jeev Milkha Singh posted 18 consecutive pars for a closing 71 and a three-round winning total of 15-under 198 at the weather-shortened Bank Austria Golf Open presented by Telekom Austria.  It was Singh's third career European Tour title.  He also owns two second-place finishes this year.

Singh topped a leaderboard that included all Titleist golf ball players among the top eight finishers.  Fellow Pro V1x player Simon Wakefield was one shot behind Singh, while five players, including Pelle Edberg (Pro V1x), Martin Erlandsson (Pro V1x), Peter Fowler (Pro V1) and Iain Pyman (Pro V1x), shared third, three shots behind the champion.

Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Bank Austria GolfOpen with 113 players, compared to 18 for the nearest competitor.

ASIAN: Pro V1x player Thaworn Wiratchant fired his second straight three-under 68 for a three-stroke triumph at the Bangkok Airways Open.  Wiratchant finished with a winning total of 13-under 271 as he secured a record 10th win on the Asian Tour.  Han Lee (Pro V1) posted a final round 64 to claim joint third with three other players, including Chinnarat Phadungsil (Pro V1x).  All four finished at nine-under, four strokes behind the winner.

Titleist was the most played golf ball at the Bangkok Airways Open with 119 players (79%), over 100 more than the nearest competitor with 15.  Nine of the 12 players who finished among the Top 9 and ties trusted Titleist for their success.

WORLDWIDE GOLF BALL WINS: With three more golf ball wins across the worldwide professional tours this week, Titleist's 2008 victory total advanced to 74, more than three times the nearest competitor with 20.

DIRECT FROM THE TOUR:  To view exclusive round-by-round interviews with Titleist players from every PGA TOUR event, please visit our Direct from the Tour feature online at:  http://www.titleist.com/Default.asp?bhcp=1

TITLEIST TOUR BLOG: Find out what's going on inside the ropes at every PGA TOUR event and on tours across the world, and ask questions of our Titleist Tour Leadership staff by visiting the Titleist Tour Blog at:  http://www.titleisttourblog.com/

TITLEIST GOLF CLUB LEADERBOARD: To learn about Titleist's golf club success on the PGA Tour, the PGA Professional National Championship and at major amateur events throughout the year, visit the Titleist Golf Club leaderboard at: http://www.titleist.com/leaderboard/default.asp

Contact:  Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211)