Jake Olson, who was the first blind athlete to play in a college football game and a competitor in the USGA’s 2022 U.S. Adaptive Open, will deliver a keynote address.
Palo Alto, California – (July 3, 2023) – Stanford Golf Course will host the First Tee National Championship this week, July 2-6, 2023, bringing together 48 of the organization’s top golfers for a 54-hole event designed to showcase how the program has helped build the strength of character needed to play at the collegiate or next level.
The field includes 24 boys and 24 girls, ages 14-18, who were selected based on their golf skills and competitive golf experience. Fifteen players in the field have already committed to college golf teams. In advance of the competition, the event will also feature a keynote address by Jake Olson, an accomplished adaptive golfer and was the first blind athlete to play in a college football game. He was a long snapper for the University of Southern California.
“We are thrilled to welcome 48 of our most talented golfers to Stanford this week,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “Thank you to longtime supporter Fred Tattersall for supporting this event and Stanford University for giving these young people the platform to compete for our national championship. ”
This year’s tournament brings an exciting new opportunity. Two boys and two girls from the field will be awarded spots in the PGA TOUR’s new Pathways to Progression program, a new player development program that aims to achieve greater diversity in golf through an increased focus on developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups.
Additionally, the winners of each division will be awarded the Tattersall Cup and will earn an exemption, if eligible, into the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee held at Pebble Beach Golf Links September 16-24, 2023.
First Tee National Championship is held annually at various college campuses around the nation, providing First Tee participants the opportunity to network with others from across the country and take in the college experience. The previous First Tee National Championships took place at Clemson University and the University of Notre Dame.
The Championship is one of more than 10 national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters to empower and motivate teens as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. For more information on the tournament and First Tee, visit www.firsttee.org.
Top-ranked junior golfers in the field:
- Megan Meng, First Tee — Greater Trenton:
- Won the 2022 AJGA – Coca-Cola Junior Championship at The Highlands
- Ranked 33rd by the AJGA
- Female junior winner of the 2022 PURE Insurance Championship
- Letter of intent: Northwestern University
- Adrienne Ahn, First Tee — Greater Dallas:
- Won the 2023 LGT Texas Girls Invitational at Victoria Country Club
- Jasmine Do, First Tee — Greater Houston:
- 5th place at the 2022 AJGA – TaylorMade TP5 Junior Allstar at Longleaf Golf & Family Club
- Letter of intent: Abilene Christian University
- Camille Thai, First Tee – Silicon Valley:
- Won the 2021 IMG Junior World Championship at Torrey Pines
- Norah Yang, First Tee – Silicon Valley:
- 2nd place at the 2022 AJGA Junior at Beaver Creek Golf Course
- Alaythia Hinds, First Tee – Greater Sacramento:
- 2nd place at the 2022 AJGA Junior at Peach Tree Golf and Country Club
- Trenton Mierl, First Tee — Greater Austin:
- 4th place at the 2022 First Tee National Championship at Notre Dame’s Warren Golf Course
- Verbal commitment: University of New Mexico
View the full list of selected participants here.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Hart, First Tee
[email protected]
941-400-8793