ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. – Seventy-eight of the nation’s top junior golfers are making their final preparations for the third annual Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach. Fifty-five boys and 23 girls between the ages of 13 and 18 will participate in the tournament alongside 78 Champions Tour players and 156 amateurs, in an official Champions Tour event. The tournament takes place Sept. 1-3 at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Del Monte Golf Course on California’s Monterey Peninsula. The first two rounds will be televised nationally on The Golf Channel, and the final round on NBC.
"At Media Day recently Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach defending champion Hale Irwin said ‘I think there is a pull for us (players) to try and help these kids because we know how difficult it is,’ said Champions Tour president Rick George. "The Champions Tour players really take their mentoring role seriously throughout the week at Pebble Beach. The kids look up to the players and, in turn, the players know their examples of professionalism and sportsmanship and how they carry themselves will have a lasting impression. This is a great week for the 78 Champions Tour players, just as it is for 78 promising boys and girls. We thank Wal-Mart, Pebble Beach, The First Tee and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for partnering to make this one of golf’s really special events."
Forty juniors earned berths into the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach through The First Tee Participant Selection Process. The selection process was exclusive to participants of The First Tee and focused on life skills comprehension, as well as playing ability. The evaluation included a series of interviews, essays and a 36-hole golf proficiency event. Thirty-one boys and nine girls were selected from Chapters across the country and one participant was selected from The First Tee of Singapore.
"The Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach represents the culmination of hours of hard work and dedication for the 78 juniors in the field. Many of these young people have been preparing for this moment since last summer," said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., The First Tee executive director. "We would like to thank Wal-Mart, the Champions Tour and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation for creating this wonderful opportunity for our participants to interact with and learn from some of the most respected players in the game."
Thirty juniors qualified through three regional open qualifiers that took place in June and July. These qualifying events were 18-hole, stroke-play competitions open to all junior golfers. Eight juniors were awarded exemptions by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, the tournament host organization. Click here to view the complete field.
"As the tournament approaches, we, at Wal-Mart, are thrilled to be a part of this once in a lifetime event and honored to be able to provide this opportunity to so many deserving kids. We’re proud of the young golfers and the hard work they have exhibited to qualify for this event." said Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Tom Schoewe.
"We look forward to this magical event, which teams legends from the game of golf with remarkable young golfers from all over the country and at one of the best settings in the world, Pebble Beach. You add to the teams a mix of many of today’s business leaders and great sponsorship support, led by Wal-Mart and you have an exciting and life changing experience for all involved," states Ollie Nutt, president & CEO of the host Monterey Peninsula Foundation.
Champions Tour player Jim Thorpe and 16-year-old Amit Odaiyar from The First Tee of Greater Sacramento won the pro-junior title last year and will be back to defend their title this year. The complete pairings will be announced on Tuesday, August 29.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., The First Tee and the Champions Tour joined forces to help promote The First Tee’s Life Skills Experience and make a difference in the lives of young people and their communities. Wal-Mart Stores and associates take an active role in supporting The First Tee Chapters in their area through donations, promotional events and volunteerism.
About Wal-Mart:
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates Wal-Mart discount stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets and SAM’S CLUB locations in the United States. The company has operations in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Japan, Mexico, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, South Korea and the United Kingdom. The company’s securities are listed on the New York Stock Exchange and NYSE Arca, formerly the Pacific Stock Exchange, under the symbol WMT. More information about Wal-Mart can be found by visiting www.walmartfacts.com. Online merchandise sales are available at www.walmart.com.
About the Champions Tour:
The Champions Tour is a tax-exempt membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older. Conceived in 1980 as the Senior PGA Tour, it started with just four events and purses totaling $475,000. The Champions Tour now has 28 official Charles Schwab Cup events (plus Bank of America Championship which was cancelled due to rain) offering a minimum of $50.95 million in prize money in 2006 and its highest average purse ever of $1.82 million. The Champions Tour’s primary purpose is to provide significant competitive and earnings opportunities for players age 50 and older; to protect the integrity of the game; and to help grow the reach of the game in the U.S. and around the world. In addition to providing competitive opportunities for its membership, Champions Tour events also generate significant sums of money for charity. On October 30th, 2005 the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Nationwide Tour and their tournaments announced they had reached the $1 billion milestone in charitable donations dating back to the first recorded donation in 1938. The commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Rick George is president of the Champions Tour. TOUR headquarters is in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Our web site address is PGATOUR.com.
About the Monterey Peninsula Foundation:
More than sixty years ago, Bing Crosby invited a group of friends to get together for some golf, a clambake and, most importantly, to raise money for local charities. Since that time, the tournament now known as the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, has become one of the most popular and internationally recognized stops on the PGA TOUR and the spirit of giving back has continued through the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.
The Monterey Peninsula Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey County and surrounding areas through organizations which enhance the educational, cultural, health, civic and social welfare of the residents. Since the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am came to the Monterey Peninsula in 1947, over $60 million has been donated to nonprofit organizations.
(www.montereypeninsulafoundation.org; www.attpbgolf.com; www.thefirstteeopen.com)
About The First Tee:
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, FL at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has opened over 255 golf-learning facilities in 48 states and five international locations, and has introduced the game of golf and its values to over 675,000 participants. The First Tee National School Program (www.thefirstteensp.org) has reached more than 400,000 students in over 900 elementary schools across the country.
As Founding Corporate Partner of The First Tee, Shell Oil Company has provided financial resources to support the development of this charitable youth initiative aimed at promoting character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Because of Shell’s initial contribution, The First Tee has been able to garner the support of hundreds of corporations and organizations that have provided financial or promotional support to The First Tee and its Chapters.
Contact:
Steve Gerrish, The First Tee
(904) 940-4314
Bob McAdam, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
(479) 273-4314
