RIDGEFIELD, Conn. – The Golf Performance Center (The GPC) – a junior golf academy and industry thought leader in player development innovations, premium technology and facilities – announces it has awarded scholarships to Tyler Vitolo and Asher Katz, winners of the 2021 Foster and Ouimet Cups, respectively.
The Foster and Ouimet Cup Series is a yearlong competition for The GPC athletes to accumulate points for a chance to earn scholarship awards, which subsidize the cost of training in the following Academy year. Points are earned through academic achievement, community service, high performance in The GPC eligible events, completed practice assignments and overall leadership and commitment to the founding principles of The GPC.
“The Foster and Ouimet Cup Series are our flagship competitions, designed to highlight our holistic approach of creating well-rounded individuals who perform at a high level on the course, in the classroom and in the community,” says The GPC founder Roger Knick. “Tyler and Asher are outstanding kids that have proven they have what it takes to not only handle but excel in their responsibilities as a student-athlete.”
A native of Newtown, Vitolo’s 2020-21 season resulted in a win at the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour’s (HJGT) Mohegan Sun Junior Open in addition to a 2nd place finish at the HJGT CT Summer Kickoff at Fairchild Wheeler, while competing in the boys 16-18 division. The Foster Cup champion is awarded a 90% scholarship for the 2021-22 Academy year and a brand-new set of irons.
“I am grateful for all the coaches and staff between The GPC and ACHIEVE but couldn’t thank Roger enough for making it all possible and giving me the opportunity to become the best golfer and person I can be,” says Vitolo, a student in The GPC ACHIEVE Program’s class of 2023.
Ridgefield’s Asher Katz concluded another outstanding golf season by winning the Ouimet Cup Series for the second year in a row. Competing in more than 40 events, his 2020-21 season included five wins with 23 runner-up or top-five finishes. The 11-year-old was also the youngest competitor selected to the prestigious US Challenge Cup Ryder Cup team and the youngest to qualify for the Connecticut Junior Amateur. The Ouimet Cup champion is awarded a 40% scholarship for the 2021-22 Academy year.
“Now that I am a student with The GPC ACHIEVE program, the flexibility to travel and focus on my game while not missing any school has been a key to my improvement,” says Katz, who is part of the ACHIEVE class of 2028. “I look forward to finishing out a great season and thank GPC and the coaches for the continued support in my golf journey.”
For more than 20 years, The GPC has successfully guided nearly 100 competitors as they prepare for golf at the highest levels. Alumni include multiple NCAA All-Americans, current and former student-athletes at 80 different colleges and universities and professionals who have won on the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and European Tour.
To learn more about The Golf Performance Center, visit www.thegolfperformancecenter.com.
About The Golf Performance Center
The Golf Performance Center integrates state-of-the-art training facilities and expert coaching to help athletes reach their goals. Beginning with the unique “5 Elements of Success” evaluation, The GPC delivers customized golf coaching designed to provide aspiring athletes with improvement strategies built for long-term success. The GPC’s goal is to provide valued instruction, guidance and the necessary facilities to develop junior athletes, both physically and mentally, to successfully navigate challenges on the journey to competitive golf. The ACHIEVE program at The Golf Performance Center is committed to an individualized, passion-driven learning environment in which student-athletes in grades 6-12 are challenged to maximize their learning through exhibiting proficiency in academic skills, high moral character, and a deep understanding of the academic content and topics in which they engage. For more than 20 years, The GPC has successfully guided nearly 100 competitors as they prepare for golf at the highest levels. Alumni include multiple NCAA All-Americans, current and former student-athletes at 80 different colleges and universities and professionals who have won on the Korn Ferry Tour, Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada and European Tour.
