Category: PURE Insurance Championship

Meet the Field: PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee 2019

By Brittany Wynne, First Tee Seventy-eight First Tee teens are getting ready to tee it up at iconic Pebble Beach for the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee. One thing each of the 78 teens have in common is their proven leadership and demonstration of values on display at their First Tee chapters, at school and in their communities. Beyond that, these teens also represent a wide array of backgrounds, talents and hobbies. We’d like to introduce you to 20 of the juniors in this year’s field. Tune in to Golf Channel Sept. 27-29 to watch these teens and see how they put their life skills and golf skills into action. Neil Babu First Tee of Northern Nevada Hometown: Reno, NV Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 3.9 Fun Fact: I am a third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, which I earned this year. It has taught me perseverance, hard word and grit.     Malisone Chanthapanya First Tee of Fort Worth Hometown: Fort Worth, TX Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 0.5 Fun Fact: I am quadrilingual. I can speak fluent English and French (thanks to my father, who speaks the language). I learned Mandarin Chinese for three years and Spanish for 11 years.     Madison DeBruin First Tee of Greater Houston Hometown: Houston, TX Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 4.8 Fun Fact: At a young age, I taught myself how to read hieroglyphs and am obsessed with everything ancient Egyptian. I work at the same museum I have been visiting my whole life and am trained in all sorts of macabre areas.     Sean Dobson First Tee of Metropolitan Oklahoma City Hometown: Oklahoma City, OK Age: 18 Grade: Senior Handicap: 5.9 Fun Fact: I have a fascination with meteorology. The only time I have ever met anyone else my age who shares my love for weather was at a summer weather camp that I traveled hundreds of miles to attend.   Ella Fisher First Tee of Fort Worth Hometown: Aledo, TX Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 2.9 Fun Fact: I’m learning American Sign Language and have had the opportunity to immerse myself in the deaf community and really test out my skills.     Anthony Ford II First Tee of Metro Atlanta Hometown: Atlanta, GA Age: 16 Grade: Senior Handicap: 2.1 Fun Fact: I like to try new things. I picked Harp Ensemble as my elective unlike many of my peers who chose P.E. or weight training.     Lukas Freelove First Tee of Salina Hometown: Salina, KS Age: 18 Grade: Senior Handicap: 1.2 Fun Fact: Before I was born, my parents were struggling to come up with a boy’s name that they liked. One night while watching Star Wars, it hit my mom: Luke. My dad loved it, too; mostly because he would be able to say, “Luke, I am your father.”   Skylar Graham First Tee of Los Angeles Hometown: Rosewood, CA Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 6.4 Fun Fact: I am a photographer. In 2017, I was awarded two gold medals for Best-In-Grade in photography by the National Scholastic Art & Writing competition. My work was honored in New York at Carnegie Hall, and it toured in other galleries across the nation.   Ryan Guzzo First Tee of Benton Harbor Hometown: Benton Harbor, MI Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 4 Fun Fact: As a third-grader, I was selected to have a golf lesson with Jack Nicklaus as a kickoff celebration to a PGA TOUR Champions event at our local course. I hit balls on the range while Mr. Nicklaus coached my swing. In eighth grade, I completed a video assignment on the impact he had on me. My dad sent the video to Jack Nicklaus through his website, and incredibly he watched it and sent me a letter with a signed picture of us together from that day.     Keiki Hofilena First Tee of Greater Seattle Hometown: Bellevue, WA Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 5 Fun Fact: I’m restoring a 1984 Volkswagen Mk2 Scirocco Wolfsburg edition into a daily driver/racecar. I drive the car to school and try to keep it in good shape.     Grace Holcomb First Tee of Greater Wilmington Hometown: Wilmington, NC Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 0.9 Fun Fact: I played Baby Jenny on the hit TV series, “One Tree Hill.” During a convention this past February, I signed autographs for fans. Some of the fans – and One Tree Hill actress Hilarie Burton, a.k.a. Peyton – follow my golf career.   Alexander Iniakov First Tee of Monterey County Hometown: Salinas, CA Age: 17 Grade: Junior Handicap: 0.9 Fun Fact: My parents are first-generation immigrants and came from countries where golf is not a popular game. I was raised with four languages spoken daily at our house. Teachers would call my Mom and ask her to translate what I was saying. It turns out, I was simply making my own language, thinking that I had to since everyone at home spoke their own.     Jack Kray First Tee of South Dakota Hometown: Sioux Falls, SD Age: 16 Grade: Junior Handicap: 4.9 Fun Fact: When the weather is nice, I ride my moped around town instead of driving a car. It is orange and white. Four of my friends have mopeds, too! We like to join up and go for rides together.   Stephen Ma First Tee of Central Ohio Hometown: Columbus, OH Age: 14 Grade: Freshman Handicap: 6 Fun Fact: I presented Ohio legislation to increase the number of horse therapy centers as there is a waiting list of more than 5,000 kids. I co-authored a proposal to change the tax code for stables to qualify for discounted property taxes and the handicap access necessary for the level of horse therapy certification for stables. My teammates and I presented the proposal to State Representative Jonathan Dever, who is drafting a bill and presenting it to the House.   Sutton McMillan First Tee of Metropolitan Oklahoma City Hometown: Choctaw, OK Age: 15 Grade: Sophomore Handicap: 0.3 Fun Fact: I’m named after legendary basketball coach, Eddie Sutton. I met Coach Sutton at four months old. He gave me a pair of signed Nike shoes. Six months later, he sent another signed pair and called my parents personally to wish us a Merry Christmas.   Tyler Mistretta First Tee of The Palm Beaches Hometown: North Palm Beach, FL Age: 17 Grade: Junior Handicap: 1.6 Fun Fact: I am very tall, at 6 feet, 8 inches and weigh 220 pounds. People often stare at me, as I am usually the tallest person wherever I go.     Ryan Sauer First Tee of North Florida Hometown: Jacksonville, FL Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 4.7 Fun Fact: I’ve gained the nickname “Peter Parker” because some people think I look like the Spiderman actor, Tobey Maguire.   Sophie Shrader First Tee of Naples/Collier Hometown: Naples, FL Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 5 Fun Fact: I’m obsessed with the restaurant Moe’s. I once had Moe’s for lunch nine days in a row, ordering the same meal each time – a chicken stack with cheese, black beans, queso and seasoned rice.   Jamozzy Skenandore First Tee of Northeast Wisconsin Hometown: De Pere, WI Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 0.9 Fun Fact: Many people do not know how to pronounce my name. My Dad came up with it. It is derived from the rock band Pearl Jam and Ozzy Osbourne, Jam-ozzy. My family and I often drive to golf tournaments on our RV. We will be traveling to Pebble Beach on the RV from Wisconsin, making fun pit stops along the way.     Zayla White First Tee of Greater Austin Hometown: Austin, TX Age: 17 Grade: Senior Handicap: 3.7 Fun Fact: I have a growing record collection, and anyone who knows me knows that I’m almost always listening to music. I pride myself on finding different artists across all genres.    

Seventy-Eight First Tee Teens Selected for PGA TOUR Champions PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee at Pebble Beach

 

Jack Nicklaus, PGA TOUR players and Golf Channel hosts surprise teens on  Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive”

ST. AUGUSTINE, Florida (July 3, 2019) – First Tee and PGA TOUR Champions announced today the 78 First Tee participants selected to play in the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee. The 16th annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, will be held September 24-29 at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California, and will be televised internationally on Golf Channel. The PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee is the only event of its kind where 78 First Tee teenagers from across the country are paired up with 78 PGA TOUR Champions players and 156 amateurs during an official PGA TOUR Champions tournament. Ranging in ages from 14 to 18, the First Tee participants compete for the Pro-Junior Team title. Representing 27 states, participants were selected by a national panel of judges based on their understanding and application of the values and life skills learned through First Tee’s programs, as well as their playing ability. The full junior field was revealed live on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” today, including a video of World Golf Hall of Fame Member Jack Nicklaus surprising Stephen Ma from First Tee of Central Ohio. Other surprises by PGA TOUR players and Golf Channel hosts had been recorded over the last month and aired today as part of the PURE Insurance Championship announcement. “We are proud to continue our involvement with this prestigious event and help support the great work of the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and First Tee,” said Katherine Frattarola, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “The impact this event has on the incredible young men and women from the First Tee makes this sponsorship tremendously rewarding for our entire team.” This year’s field of professionals will include World Golf Hall of Fame Members Bernhard Langer, Mark O’Meara, Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen, as well as defending champion and recent KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship winner Ken Tanigawa. Clint Eastwood serves as chairman of the PURE Insurance Championship. Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course on Friday and Saturday, with the final round contested solely at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday, where 23 First Tee juniors will compete based on their 36-hole performance. The tournament will crown one male and one female First Tee Junior Champion on Sunday. Nearly 1,000 teens from First Tee have played in the PURE Insurance Championship, experiencing the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet, play and be mentored by PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field. “Congratulations to the 78 participants who have been selected to play and represent First Tee on a national stage,” said First Tee President Greg McLaughlin. “Their hard work and commitment to academic, social and emotional development through our programs has secured this opportunity. Thank you to our partners − PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Pebble Beach Resorts, Poppy Hills Golf Course, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel − for their commitment to young people and helping us provide this opportunity to these deserving teens.” First Tee is a youth development organization dedicated to helping young people build character through the game of golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of 10 national opportunities provided by First Tee headquarters to encourage and motivate kids as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities. For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee, visit TheFirstTee.org. View First Tee participants selected to play in the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship    ***  About First Tee First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a nonprofit youth development organization whose 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. Since its beginning in 1997, First Tee has expanded to reach millions of young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and at other youth-serving locations. Its headquarters are in St. Augustine, Florida, USA, with programs in all 50 United States and select international locations. 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.attpbgolf.com www.pureinsurancechampionship.com About PURE Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) is a member-owned reciprocal insurer dedicated to creating an exceptional experience for responsible high net worth individuals and families. PURE provides customizable coverage for high-value homes, automobiles, jewelry, art, personal liability, watercraft, flood, fraud and cyber fraud to more than 75,000 responsible, high net worth families throughout the U.S.  Inspired by some of the finest policyholder-owned companies, PURE emphasizes alignment of interests and transparency. PURE’s low cost of capital, careful member selection and proactive risk management all contribute to highly competitive rates. In return for a fee, PURE Risk Management, LLC acts as Attorney-in-Fact for PURE. PURE membership is subject to an executed Subscriber’s Agreement & Power of Attorney. For more information or to find a local broker, visit pureinsurance.com. You can follow PURE on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. About PGA TOUR Champions PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 35 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. In 2019, the PGA TOUR Champions schedule includes 27 tournaments across the United States, Scotland and Canada, with purses totaling more than $56 million. The Charles Schwab Cup, which includes the Regular Season and the Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs, is used to determine the season-long champion. 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. Internationally, telecasts air in excess of 190 countries and territories, reaching more than 350 million potential households. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @championstour.

MATTHEW SUTHERLAND OF THE FIRST TEE OF GREATER SACRAMENTO WINS AT PURE INSURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYING ALONGSIDE HIS UNCLE

Matthew Sutherland and Kevin Sutherland Claim the Pro-Junior Title during the PGA TOUR Champions Event; Ken Tanigawa clinches Pro Title
Pebble Beach, Calif – Sept. 30, 2018 – Matthew Sutherland from The First Tee of Greater Sacramento and his uncle, PGA TOUR Champions professional Kevin Sutherland, clinched the Pro-Junior title today at the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee finishing 16-under. The Sutherlands won the tournament in a three-way scorecard playoff with Caroline Wales from The First Tee of Coachella Valley (Calif.) and pro partner Stephen Ames, and Yena Jang from The First Tee of Greater Sacramento and pro partner Duffy Waldorf. Making his PURE Insurance Championship debut, Ken Tanigawa earned his first win on the PGA TOUR Champions with an eagle on the 18th hole to finish 10-under. Tanigawa was a medalist at PGA TOUR Champions Q-School in December 2017 and earned fully-exempt status for this season. This was his 18th start on PGA TOUR Champions this season. This win moved him to No. 20 in the Charles Schwab Cup. The PURE Insurance Championship is a unique event that pairs junior golfers with PGA TOUR Champions professionals. Eighty-one juniors and pros were in the field for the tournament played at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course this weekend. Matthew Sutherland, from Carmichael, Calif., was one of 23 junior golfers who made the cut to play the third and final round today at Pebble Beach Golf Links. “Before the week I was thinking of all the players who have played competitive golf at Pebble Beach, and it’s a short list,” said The First Tee participant Matthew Sutherland. “To put yourself in a category of people who have won at Pebble Beach is on another level and I’m just happy to be a part of that.” “Congratulations to all 81 of our junior golfers and especially Matthew Sutherland for their outstanding performance at this week’s tournament,” said Keith Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of The First Tee. “These teens demonstrate how The First Tee’s Nine Core Values positively impact kids’ lives and can be used every day on and off the course.  A special thanks to PURE Insurance and Monterey Peninsula Foundation for helping make their dreams come true.” “We are proud of all the juniors who competed this week; it was an absolute honor to get to know each and every one of these incredible young men and women who will undoubtedly go on to do great things,” said Katherine Frattarola, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “A special congratulations to Matthew Sutherland on the accomplishment of winning the PURE Insurance Championship.” Matthew Sutherland, a 17-year-old senior at Rio Americano High School, has been involved with The First Tee for 11 years. He volunteers weekly at The First Tee of Greater Sacramento as an assistant coach. Matthew holds a +1.0 handicap and recently committed to play golf at Fresno State in California. The nephew of PGA TOUR Champions player Kevin Sutherland, Matthew grew up around golf but says it’s The First Tee where he learned how to act on and off the golf course, and learned how to be a leader. The First Tee of Greater Sacramento is one of 150 chapters across The First Tee network and reaches more than 50,000 youth annually. They offer programs at area golf facilities, at schools through The First Tee National School Program, and at youth centers through The First Tee DRIVE. To learn more, visit www.PUREInsuranceChampionship.com, firsttee.org, and www.firstteesacramento.org. About The First Tee The First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth sports organization whose mission is to grow the game of golf by transforming the experience that kids (and families) have with the sport. The First Tee is engaging the next generation of fans through unique golf experiences, signature events and strategic partnerships. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the sport of golf and The First Tee’s Nine Core Values to more than 15 million kids, positively impacting their lives along the way. The First Tee offers programs in all 50 states, reaching more than 5 million kids annually through: The National School Program in more than 10,000 elementary schools, 150 chapters at more than 1,200 golf courses and The First Tee DRIVE at 1,300 youth centers. The First Tee is expanding globally and currently offers programs at six international locations. The First Tee’s Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Golf Channel is The First Tee’s proud media partner and former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair. ### Contacts: Jodi Davis (201) 927-6171 [email protected] Sara Henika (904) 881-7398 [email protected]