The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, which is organizing the event with Chevron and title sponsor PURE Insurance, made a donation of US $ 500,000 to First Tee. The group also donated college scholarships to all 70 high school graduates who applied to attend the event.
“In a year of uncertainty, there were bright spots,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee general manager.
Many of the donors to these sport-oriented nonprofit groups received similar support from a sport at a young age.
Rich Thawley, an entrepreneur whose home extends as far as the 15th hole on Pebble Beach Golf Links, said he had given years of capital for capital projects at his alma mater, San Jose State University, including a golf practice facility. But this year he stepped up his support for Youth on Course because it reminded him when he was young and had limited resources to play the game.
“My financial involvement grew when I saw the good that it did, the life that it changed,” Thawley said. “I get mad that a kid in Texas, a kid in Nebraska, or a kid in New Jersey can play golf. I will never meet her. But I love her. “
He gave Youth on Course about $ 100,000 a year but has pledged to increase that to over $ 1 million a year over the next several years. “It’s an answer to Covid – that would be number 1,” he explained, explaining why he was increasing his contributions. “Covid was wind in our sails for golf. It increased my awareness of giving. We found a greater need. “
Jalyn Robinson, 18, who played golf in sixth grade in Vallejo, California, is one of those beneficiaries. She now has a full scholarship to Prairie View A&M University in Texas where she is on the golf team. Nobody in her family played, but she caught the mistake and found support from nonprofit golf groups.