First Tee participants to play in official PGA TOUR Champions event at Pebble Beach in September

Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Brings 81 Teenagers an Opportunity of a Lifetime 

The First Tee participants to play in official PGA TOUR Champions event at Pebble Beach in September

St. Augustine, Fla. (July 6, 2016) – Participants representing chapters of The First Tee throughout the country have been selected to play in the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, an official PGA TOUR Champions event hosted by Monterey Peninsula Foundation. The event will be held September 13-18 and televised internationally on Golf Channel.

Eighty-one young men and women listed below, ages 14 to 18, were selected by a national panel of judges that evaluated participants’ playing ability and comprehension of the life skills and core values learned through their involvement with The First Tee.

“At Nature Valley we have great admiration for the mission of The First Tee. The program has such a meaningful impact in the lives of young people by strengthening important values like responsibility, judgement and perseverance. The opportunity for these teenagers to be selected as a part of The First Tee has the power to transform lives,” said Carla Vernón at General Mills. “The teenagers selected to play in the Nature Valley First Tee Open have worked hard to prepare for this opportunity, and we are immensely proud to welcome them to this year’s tournament.”

The juniors will be teamed with 81 PGA TOUR Champions players and 162 amateurs as they compete for the pro-junior title at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course. Players committed to compete include two-time major championship winner John Daly, World Golf Hall of Fame member and 28-time PGA TOUR Champions winner Bernhard Langer, and defending champion Esteban Toledo.

The junior field was announced this morning on Golf Channel’s Morning Drive. The show included PGA TOUR players Steve Stricker and Billy Hurley III, PGA TOUR player and The First Tee alumnus Scott Langley, Golf Channel’s Charlie Rymer and 2013 Nature Valley First Tee Open pro-junior winner Michelle Xie surprising six juniors with the news of their selection. Highlights from the coverage can be found on www.golfchannel.com.

“We are pleased to introduce this year’s juniors in the Nature Valley First Tee Open, an event to which many have been working hard to secure their spot for years,” Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee, said. “We appreciate our partners—Nature Valley, PGA TOUR Champions, Pebble Beach Resorts, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel—and their commitment to the event which is a life-changing experience for the juniors.”

In its 13th year, more than 710 participants from The First Tee chapters have benefited from the opportunity to play in the tournament by meeting and learning from PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field, utilizing the leadership and life skills they have acquired at their chapters. The Nature Valley First Tee Open is one of 10 national opportunities provided by The First Tee home office to encourage and motivate young people as they progress through the program and toward high school graduation.

The First Tee is a nonprofit youth development organization with golf programs centered on building character through Nine Core Values™: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.

Clint Eastwood is chairman of the event and Arnold Palmer, World Golf Hall of Fame member and Trustee of The First Tee, is honorary co-chair. Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course on Fridayand Saturday, and final round will be played on Pebble Beach on Sunday.

For more information, visit www.thefirstteeopen.com. To learn more about The First Tee, visit www.thefirsttee.org.

The First Tee Participants Selected to Play in 2016 Nature Valley First Tee Open

Alphabetical by state

First Name:

Last Name:

Chapter:

City:

State:

Josie

Roberson

The First Tee of Central Arkansas

Maumelle

AR

William

Gibson

The First Tee of Fort Smith

Fort Smith

AR

Sydnie

Gamble

The First Tee of Fort Smith

Greenwood

AR

Grayson

Martin

The First Tee of Central Arkansas

White Hall

AR

Patrick

Fernandez

The First Tee of Phoenix

Surprise

AZ

Dylan

Choi

The First Tee of Greater Pasadena

La Cañada

CA

Caitlyn

Yamashita

The First Tee of Greater Pasadena

Pasadena

CA

Beah

Cruz

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Fairfield

CA

Emily

Dixon

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Rocklin

CA

Grant

Leppek

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Rocklin

CA

Neeve

Chen

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Roseville

CA

Jonathan

Tanihana

The First Tee of Greater Sacramento

Sacramento

CA

Calista

Reyes

The First Tee of San Diego

San Diego

CA

Catherine

Batang

The First Tee of San Francisco

San Francisco

CA

Madeline

Zunino

The First Tee of San Joaquin

Stockton

CA

Isabelle

Castro

The First Tee of Silicon Valley

San Jose

CA

Jacob

Meyberg

The First Tee of Silicon Valley

San Jose

CA

Joshua

Meyberg

The First Tee of Silicon Valley

San Jose

CA

Rachel

Roter

The First Tee of the Tri-Valley

Livermore

CA

Kailer

Rundiks

The First Tee of Denver

Denver

CO

Chase

Skrubis

The First Tee of Connecticut

North Granby

CT

Kaden

Kinard

The First Tee of Delaware

New Castle

DE

Nicolas

Kresl

The First Tee of Lakeland

Lakeland

FL

Jake

Moscoso

The First Tee of Miami

Miami

FL

Christian

Taylor

The First Tee of Naples/Collier

Naples

FL

Kelly

Newbrough

The First Tee of Naples/Collier

Naples

FL

Makenzie

Hotchkiss

The First Tee of Naples/Collier

Naples

FL

Peter

George

The First Tee of Naples/Collier

Naples

FL

Trevor

Madridejos

The First Tee of North Florida

St. Augustine

FL

Madelyn

Dimitroff

The First Tee of Northwest Florida

Pensacola

FL

Brandon

Pozzie

The First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee

Bradenton

FL

Isabella

Stepanek

The First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee

Sarasota

FL

Nicole

Polivchak

The First Tee of Sarasota/Manatee

Sarasota

FL

Sadie

Chlapowski

The First Tee of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg

FL

Claire

Vermette

The First Tee of St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg

FL

James

Morotti II

The First Tee of Tampa Bay

Brandon

FL

Brandon

Doner

The First Tee of The Palm Beaches

Palm Beach Gardens

FL

Alejandra

Ayala

The First Tee of Atlanta

Alpharetta

GA

Brette

Bryant

The First Tee of Augusta

Augusta

GA

Madison

Harwell

The First Tee of Augusta

Evans

GA

Perry

Chong

The First Tee of Hammond

Chicago

IL

Emily

Harvey

The First Tee of Valparaiso

Crown Point

IN

Yianni

Kostouros

The First Tee of Valparaiso

Crown Point

IN

Cole

Elmore

The First Tee of Salina

Salina

KS

Tyler

Armstrong

The First Tee of East Baton Rouge Parish

Zachary

LA

Julia

Simon

The First Tee of Greater New Orleans

New Orleans

LA

Jairus

Gaines

The First Tee of Greater Baltimore

Baltimore

MD

Tyler

Burkum

The First Tee of Three Rivers Park District

Maple Grove

MN

Pierce

Robinson

The First Tee of the Foothills

Kings Mountain

NC

Connor

Moore

The First Tee of the Triangle

Durham

NC

Kayla

Parsons

The First Tee of the Triangle

Raleigh

NC

Ryan

Birkedal

The First Tee of the Triad

Lewisville

NC

Lauren

Thibodeau

The First Tee of New Hampshire

Hampstead

NH

Abbi

Fleiner

The First Tee of Northern Nevada

Reno

NV

Joshua

Fleiner

The First Tee of Northern Nevada

Reno

NV

Faith

Francioso

The First Tee of Metropolitan New York

Wantagh

NY

Summer

Marshall

The First Tee of Metropolitan Oklahoma City

Norman

OK

Soulai

Vang

The First Tee of Tulsa

Oologah

OK

Tya

Seth

The First Tee of Greater Portland

West Linn

OR

Kendel

Abrams

The First Tee of Greater Baltimore

New Freedom

PA

Brice

Smoker

The First Tee of Aiken

North Augusta

SC

Megan

Tang

The First Tee of Memphis

Memphis

TN

Trinity

King

The First Tee of Fort Worth

Arlington

TX

Calista

Lothliam

The First Tee of Fort Worth

Fort Worth

TX

Alexander

Lowe

The First Tee of Fort Worth

Westworth Village

TX

Annaliesia

Salazar

The First Tee of Greater Dallas

Balch Springs

TX

Mariano

Barbosa

The First Tee of Greater Dallas

Dallas

TX

Aysis

Azarcon

The First Tee of Greater Dallas

Grand Prairie

TX

Stephen

Boyd

The First Tee of Greater Houston

Houston

TX

Scott

Schuster

The First Tee of Greater Houston

Katy

TX

Aubrey

Zastoupil

The First Tee of The Piney Woods

Longview

TX

Zoe

Mayfield

The First Tee of The Piney Woods

Longview

TX

Lauren

Palmer

The First Tee of Greater San Antonio

San Antonio

TX

Ryan

Woo

The First Tee of Greater Richmond

Richmond

VA

Drew

White

The First Tee of Greater Washington, D.C.

Alexandria

VA

Gerry

Jones, Jr.

The First Tee of Hampton Roads

Suffolk

VA

Ross

Funderburke

The First Tee of Roanoke Valley

Roanoke

VA

Callie

Montgomery

The First Tee of Roanoke Valley

Hardy

VA

Julia

Dai

The First Tee of Greater Seattle

Bellevue

WA

Dylan

Bissell

The First Tee of Yakima

Yakima

WA

Maxwell

Turnquist

The First Tee of Yakima

Yakima

WA

About Monterey Peninsula Foundation

Monterey Peninsula Foundation (MPF) is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which disburses funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament.. MPF focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties. www.montereypeninsulafoundation.org; www.attpbgolf.com; www.thefirstteeopen.com


About PGA TOUR Champions

PGA TOUR Champions has the most recognizable and accomplished players in the game, with many of its 34 members in the World Golf Hall of Fame competing regularly in its events. It’s where Legends play. The Tour also counts numerous other major championship winners among its members. PGA TOUR Champions is a 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. PGA TOUR Champions primary purpose 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, protect the integrity of the game and generate significant charitable and economic impact in communities in which it plays. Points earned in official Charles Schwab Cup events in 2015 determined Bernhard Langer as the Charles Schwab Cup champion. In 2016, the newly-introduced Charles Schwab Cup Playoffs will identify and recognize the Tour’s leading player. The Commissioner of the PGA TOUR is Tim Finchem. Greg McLaughlin is President of PGA TOUR Champions. The PGA TOUR’s website is pgatour.com, the No. 1 site in golf, and the organization is headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Follow the PGA TOUR Champions at facebook.com/ChampionsTour and on Twitter @ChampionsTour.

About Nature Valley®

Nature Valley created the granola bar category in 1975 and brings great taste to active consumers looking for wholesome snacks. Nature Valley offers nine great-tasting granola snacks: Crunchy Granola Bars, Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars, Chewy Trail Mix Bars, Granola Thins, Yogurt Granola Bars, Roasted Nut Crunch Bars, Protein Bars, Soft-Baked Oatmeal Squares and Protein Granola. Nature Valley is also the Official Granola Bar of the PGA TOUR, Champions Tour and Web.com Tour, the United States Ski and Snowboarding Association, Nature Valley NASTAR, Cross Country Ski Areas Association, Vail Resorts. In addition, Nature Valley is a sponsor of the National Parks Conservation Association.

About Golf Channel

Golf Channel is a multimedia, golf entertainment and services company based in Orlando, Fla. Serving the most-affluent audience in all of television, Golf Channel – co-founded by Arnold Palmer in 1995 and now part of NBC Sports Group – is available in more than 200 million homes in 84 countries and 11 languages around the world. Golf Channel features more live golf coverage than all other networks combined, including tournament action from the PGA TOUR, LPGA Tour, The Open, Olympics, and Ryder Cup, as well as high-quality news, instruction and original programming. Golf Channel’s digital platforms, headed by GolfChannel.com, deliver unmatched coverage of the world of golf. Fans are able to enjoy 24/7 live streaming of Golf Channel content through Golf Live Extra and NBC Sports Live Extra, both powered by Playmaker Media, and select programming is simulcast via SiriusXM’s PGA TOUR Radio. In addition, Golf Channel connects the world to golf through a wide array of digital and lifestyle services including Golf Channel Mobile, a comprehensive app covering golf’s latest headlines, scores and analysis; GolfNow, the world’s largest online tee time booking platform and golf course technology partner, which includes the GolfNow Mobile App, featuring on-course GPS tracking, in-round scoring and game tracking; GolfAdvisor.com, the world’s largest golf course ratings and review resource for golfers, by golfers; a North American network of Golf Channel Academy instructional facilities; and Golf Channel Am Tour, the world’s largest amateur golf tour.

About The First Tee

The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization whose mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf. With its home office at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla., The First Tee reaches young people on golf courses, in elementary schools and at other youth-serving locations.

Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has grown its network to deliver programs in all 50 United States and select international locations. In 2015, The First Tee brought character education through the game of golf to more than 4.7 million young people. The First Tee’s Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA. Shell Oil Company is The First Tee’s Founding Corporate Partner and Johnson & Johnson is its Legacy Partner. Former President George W. Bush serves as honorary chair.

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