(ATLANTA, GA, February 20, 2006) — Continuing a popular and successful program that began in 1999, Atlanta’s long-time annual professional golf tournaments – the BellSouth Classic (PGA TOUR) and the Atlanta Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez (LPGA TOUR) – have once again joined forces and will fund academic scholarship awards at Georgia State University, Clark Atlanta University and the University of Georgia.
Each tournament will contribute $3,000 with the total amount of $6,000 to be distributed equally to the three universities. The donations — to the journalism departments at each school – have been made annually in memory of Tom McCollister, the former golf writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, who passed away in 1999. For many years, McCollister covered these events and many other golf tournaments around the world with great distinction and equally great enjoyment. Since the program began in 1999, a total of $18,000 has been donated to each of the three schools.
Both of these golf events have been fixtures on the Atlanta sports scene for many years; the BellSouth Classic since 1967 and the Atlanta Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez since 1992.
"Tom was a great friend and an enthusiastic supporter of Atlanta’s golf tournaments and Atlanta golfers for many years," said BellSouth Classic executive director Dave Kaplan. "We are pleased to be able to perpetuate his legacy through these annual scholarships at three of Georgia’s premier universities."
Said Torrey Gane, executive director of the Atlanta Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez, "It is a great honor for us to be able to support all three of these terrific journalism programs. Tom was a very giving person and, I’m sure, would be happy to have these scholarships supported in his name."
This year’s BellSouth Classic will be played March 27 – April 2 at TPC at Sugarloaf in Duluth while the Atlanta Charity Championship hosted by Nancy Lopez will be contested April 17-23 at Eagle’s Landing Country Club in Stockbridge.
Contact:
John Marshall
Media Director
(770) 436-2643
jmarsh4653@aol.com
