Category: Events

Bryson Hughes, First Tee – North Florida and Megan Meng, First Tee – Greater Trenton win Pro-Junior Titles at PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach

Three First Tee teens ace holes 5, 7 and 17 at the iconic course

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 25, 2022) – Seventy-eight First Tee teens from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the game’s legends and explore possibilities in golf and beyond during the PURE Insurance Championship impacting First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event, which concluded today at Pebble Beach.

Bryson Hughes representing First Tee – North Florida and paired with Alex Cejka, and Megan Meng representing First Tee – Greater Trenton and paired with Charlie Wi, claimed the male and female Pro-Junior titles today, respectively. Hughes and Cejka finished 18-under and won in a scorecard playoff, while Meng and Wi capped off the event 22-under.

The PURE Insurance Championship, in its 19th year, brings 78 teens from First Tee chapters nationwide to Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Throughout the week the teens apply character strengths to play at an elite level at an iconic golf course where they are paired with and mentored by a PGA TOUR Champions player and amateurs from the business world. The annual event, hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, was televised internationally on Golf Channel.

PURE Insurance Championship male and female Pro-Junior winners with Pro winner; R to L: Bryson Hughes, Steve Flesch and Megan Meng

Three teens in the field made holes-in-one at Pebble Beach during their tournament practice rounds – Cooper Groshart from San Louis Obispo, Calif. on #7 (video), Theresa Shaw from Auburn, Calif. on #17 (video) and Sophia Bardunias from San Ramon, Calif. on #5 (video).

“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill through the First Tee programs every day. A special congratulations to Bryson and Megan for winning the Pro-Junior titles. Thank you to our partners – PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Chevron, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel – for making this a special week for 78 First Tee participants.”

Hughes is a 15-year-old sophomore at Creekside High School in St. Johns Country, Fla. where he holds a 3.8 GPA. He has been involved with First Tee – North Florida for nine years and playing in this tournament has been a goal since he first watched it on TV as a six-year-old. Hughes holds a +2.3 handicap and is the No. 1 player on the golf team at Creekside High School.

“Thanks to PURE Insurance and First Tee for an amazing experience,” said Hughes.  “Pebble Beach is golf heaven and it feels great to get a win at such a cool course. I’ve tried to make the most of this week by focusing on what I could learn from Alex and all the pros in the field. My biggest takeaway is how well they handle themselves during high-pressure situations.”

Meng is a 16-year-old junior at Hopewell Valley Central High School in Pennington, NJ where she holds a 4.5 GPA. She’s been involved with First Tee – Greater Trenton for nine years and has progressed from participant to volunteer junior coach mentoring the younger participants in the program. Meng holds a +2.3 handicap and aspires to play collegiate golf. She was named 2022 NJ.com Golfer of the Year.

“I’ve worked really hard to get to this moment,” said Meng. “But the biggest thing I’ve learned this week is that golf is meant to be fun. I’ve had a really great time and I’ve made memories I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. I’d like to thank my pro Charlie, PURE Insurance and First Tee for this opportunity.

During the week, First Tee partners PURE Insurance and Chevron both hosted events to celebrate their commitment to First Tee’s mission and raise additional funds to support the First Tee College Scholarship Program. Leaders from PURE Insurance extended a surprise invitation to the scholarship program to 17-year-old Isabelle Junio, a high school senior from First Tee – Phoenix. The program pairs Scholars with a mentor and provides professional development workshops and financial assistance throughout the college experience.

First Tee is a youth development organization that teaches life skills and helps kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities provided by First Tee Headquarters to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.

To access photos from the event, visit here. For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee and see the full field list, visit TheFirstTee.org.

***

About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”) 

First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that is supported by the PGA TOUR. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary and reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.  

About Monterey Peninsula Foundation 

Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.  

www.attpbgolf.com 

www.pureinsurancechampionship.com  

About PURE Insurance 

Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests, and delivers greater value. 

Today, after growing at least 15% in each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that includes high value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families. 
 
Pureinsurance.com | 888.813.7873 

About PGA TOUR Champions 

PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers age 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission 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 and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour and on Instagram @pgatourchampions. 

All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage, and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside of the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories. 

Participant BJ Little shares love of golf: “I want that to be a piece of my legacy”

With a perfect 4.0 GPA and student government experience under his belt, BJ Little wants to change the world. He aims to become a criminal defense attorney, U.S. Senator and eventually, President of the United States.

But first, BJ is focused on serving his community. Starting with his high school.

When BJ entered his freshman year at Cristo Rey Atlanta Jesuit High School there was no golf team. BJ wasn’t going to sit idly by, he was determined to form a team.

“In my freshman year, the very first thing I did was ask for the school to start a golf team,” says BJ. “The school went through all of the necessary preparations for the golf team to start, but then Covid happened.”

For BJ, and most of the country, school was now virtual for the next year and half, halting all chances for the team.

But BJ says the pandemic did not discourage him from achieving his goal.

“Going into my junior year I went in with the same mindset I had freshman year. I asked the school for a golf team, and they delivered.”

BJ helped by recruiting players and finding a practice facility. Leveraging his go-to team, a concept taught and encouraged at First Tee, he smartly enlisted help from his coach and director of golf operations at First Tee – Metro Atlanta Jeff Dunovant. They worked out a plan that the school could use the chapter’s facilities while BJ secured players for the team.

In 2021, the team officially launched. But there was still much work to do.  

“BJ was the only player on the team who was not a beginner, so the practices would consist of BJ and I teaching the new players,” says Dunovant.

And for BJ, that’s what it’s what this is all about.

“In all honesty I just want people to have fun. The State and District titles will come with time. But ensuring students are happy and want to learn about golf is the most important thing to me. I hope that when I graduate Cristo Rey, students will still be playing golf. I want that to be a piece of my legacy to the school.”

BJ is one of 78 First Tee participants teeing off this Friday at the PURE Insurance Championship. The tournament pairs First Tee teens with PGA TOUR Champions players providing life-changing mentoring opportunities for the teens. This experience opens the participants’ eyes to the possibilities in golf and beyond as they are contemplating their future education and careers. 

The tournament airs on Golf Channel.

Overcoming Obstacles: First Tee Teen Going to Pebble Beach

Isabella Lohr was in for a big surprise earlier this year.

She met PGA TOUR player and First Tee alum Austin Smotherman during the AT&T Byron Nelson in May, where he told the 17-year-old from First Tee –  Dallas that she was selected to play in the 2022 PURE Insurance Championship.

Isabella is one of 78 First Tee participants who will tee off at Pebble Beach during the tournament, which will take place Sept. 23-25, 2022 and airs on Golf Channel.

“It’s the greatest honor anyone could receive, playing at Pebble Beach,” she said.

The welcome news came after a tough time for Isabella. She lost her childhood friend Dylan Dorrell on August 13, 2020, at the age of 17. He collapsed at a cross country practice and died at the hospital from an undetected heart condition. She says it’s the hardest experience she’s had to overcome.

“Grief was an obstacle I was not ready to face in life. It was a tremendous loss for me personally as every fond memory I had as a child included him.”

Shortly after Dylan’s passing, his parents created a foundation, #runforDylan in his memory.

“We were all still grieving but watching his parents turn their grief into a positive helped me gain a different perspective on life’s purpose.”

Isabella decided she too would honor his memory. In addition to nine years with First Tee, Isabella has been involved with Girl Scouts for more than a decade and decided to focus her Gold Award Project on raising funds for the #runforDylan Foundation.

Her project focused on organizing an annual 5K fun run to build awareness and gain funds for the foundation. More than 800 people participated in the inaugural event on the morning of November 6, 2021, raising close to $25,000. The proceeds will help fund AEDs at local parks in the community.

***

First Tee is celebrating its 25th anniversary of teaching life skills through the game of golf. Follow the PURE Insurance Championship at PGATOUR.com.

Our 1st Round at Spyglass Hill GC

Today was the first round of the PURE Insurance Championship! I was set to tee off of the 10th hole of Spyglass Hill Golf Club bright at early at 7:21am!

We got to the course around 6:00am and I began warming up. I was the first one to arrive at the course… in the dark!

One of my favorite parts of Spyglass Hill GC is how many deer you see during your day, there had to have been 10 on the range, and so many more on the course!

After warming up, I was able to meet my PGA TOUR Champions Pro- Mark Calcavecchia. He came up and gave me a hug and was excited for the day, as was I.

In the weeks leading up to the tournament, I thought I would be more nervous than I was! But I had a good group of individuals playing with me and I was ready to go!

Along with Mr. Calcavecchia, I played with 2 amateurs, Paul Browning and Paul Hinnenkamp. They were super nice and very chatty. I think their personalities helped helped keep my nerves at bay.

It was a foggy and chilly morning but I had a great time! And above all, the views at Spyglass are immaculate!

My favorite stretch of holes on this course are Holes 3, 4 and 5. They are surrounded by the ocean and are by far the prettiest hole layouts!

After our early round, I had a free afternoon and was able to see the entire 17 mile drive and tour Carmel. Then, it was time for a nap and school work!

I am so excited to play again tomorrow at Pebble Beach at 12:06!

Practice Day at Pebble Beach!

Today, was the day! My practice round at Pebble Beach Golf Links! Whew!

We began our day at the range where I was able to warm up and practice alongside senior tour pros, amateurs, and fellow First Tee participants. The practice facility is amazing. Can’t believe we get to use it.

After getting warmed up, my dad and I headed to the Junior player hospitality tent right next to the range and got some lunch! The food was so good and very protein filled to get us through the round and walk that was ahead of us!

Next, we headed to Pebble Beach Golf Links! I got the opportunity to play with 3 fellow First Tee participants:

Sophie Thai, First Tee – Silicon Valley

Haley Wong, First Tee – Sacramento

Brenna Preap, First Tee – San Joaquin

Playing alongside us was amateur Michael Rubio from El Doroado, CA.

I feel the course was a good fit for my swing!! Two of my favorite holes from today were 7, the iconic par 3 which played 95 yards and 16, a par 4 which I was able to save par on with an 18 ft putt!

Finishing the round, walking up 18, was a surreal moment. Being able to take in each wave, and surrounding view is one of the reasons Pebble Beach is truly a dream experience. 

How do I feel after my first round at Pebble Beach Golf Links? Excited, relieved, and ready to do it again on Saturday!!

But, for now, I’m pumped to get the event started with Mark Calcavecchia on Spyglass Hill Golf Course tomorrow at 7:21am! Can’t wait to tell you all about it after. Thanks again for following!

Spyglass Hill, Legends & Leaders, oh my!

After a really busy and exciting Tuesday, I was able to sleep in a wee bit Wednesday morning before doing a little bit of sight seeing to the Lone Cypress.

Then, it was off to Spyglass Hill for my first opportunity on the golf course. This is the first time they have included Spyglass Hill as a course in the tournament rotation! For today’s practice round, I was paired with a First Tee participant from Fort Worth, TX and Morocco!

Our round started out a bit hazy but the air cleared as the afternoon went on. The golf course was spectacular and the views were incredible.

I am made a Hole in One on the Par 3, 3rd Hole. A definite highlight of my dad to be able to ‘tap in’ from about 16 inches!

We didn’t get to finish our round because Wednesday night’s event started at 7:30pm sharp and as past participants have told me, is a crowd favorite – Legends & Leaders!

Due to Covid protocols, this year’s key note speakers were virtual and all nine were built into a ‘movie’ style performance of their experiences with the First Tee’s Core Values. Marsha Oliver, who is a VP at the PGA TOUR, spoke on jugment. Her message resonated with me the most!

To make our ‘movie’ experience even more special it was a ‘movie under the stars’ and held on the 18th green of Pebble Beach. We got to enjoy movie snacks like popcorn, cotton candy, root bear floats, and candy bars! And, with it being a bit chilly, we were all given a big blanket with the PURE Insurance Championship logo.

Tomorrow is another big day! My practice round on Pebble Beach Golf Links! I can’t wait to share this experience with you. Thanks for your encouragement.

– Allison Robinson

Registration, The Hay & Pairings Party… oh my!

Hi all! Allison Robinson, here. I’m looking forward to sharing my week long experience in California with you. I’m so thankful to have the opportunity to represent our chapter and know that each of you reading this week have had a part in giving us these experiences. Thank you!!! 

My family and I began our Pebble Beach adventure Friday night by flying into the San Francisco International Airport. We spent the weekend exploring San Francisco and then made our way down to Monterey. We drove down the coastline and saw the amazing ocean views. WOW. Incredible!

Tuesday was the check in day, and…. my birthday! I never dreamed a better place to spend it!

My birthday kicked off with tournament check in where we were showered with some amazing keepsakes from sponsors of the PURE Insurance Championship and got to have breakfast overlooking the ocean! 

After breakfast, all pros, ams and juniors were invited to play The Hay, the newly redesigned short course on property at Pebble Beach. So, I spent a little time getting warmed up and then headed out to the course.

The Hay, was redesigned by Tiger Woods and opened this year. Each hole was designed around different golfers and is similar to the Cradle in

 Pinehurst. I really enjoyed this course and made 3 birdies! One of the holes is even a mini version of Hole 7 on Pebble Beach!

Later in the day, the driving range opened for us and I worked on my shots alongside pros Vijay Singh, Tommy Armour III, Mark Calcavecchia and Lee Jensen. 

After a short break to check into the hotel, I returned to the 18th hole of Pebble Beach with my dad, Todd, for our First Tee teen orientation, the Pairings Party dinner and Macklemore Concert.

At the party, we were asked to line up alphabetically and walk across the stage to get our envelope, which enclosed the name of our pro golfer. As I walked across, the announcer, Peter Jacobson, and everybody sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I was so surprised!

After getting our envelopes we were asked to find our First Tee Chapter banner with our names printed on them. Then, after a brief countdown, we were given the green light to open our envelopes. I learned that my pro would be Mark Calcavecchia!!! 

I am so excited to play with Mr. Calcavecchia!

Following our pairings announcement, Macklemore performed! Earlier in the day, I had the honor to meet him and take a photo as he was finishing his round on Hole 18 of Pebble Beach. 

Then, during the concert, Macklemore sang me “Happy Birthday!”

Pinch me! It was such an exciting night! 

I am super excited for the rest of the week, and can’t wait to play Spyglass Hills and Pebble Beach for practice rounds the next two days!

Thanks for tuning in and I’ll talk to you tomorrow!

We’ve arrived!

It’s Tuesday, September 21 and we are officially on property at Pebble Beach Resorts! Allison has officially check in for this year’s event and her day will continue with an event on the new par 3 course, The Hay; Participant Orientation and the Grand Finale of the evening… the Pairings Party!!! Later this evening we will find which PGA Tour Champions player she will get to spend her week with!

In the meantime, enjoy this clip assembled by a few of Allison’s friends sending her well wishes and a very Happy Birthday!

Robinson, First Tee Alum is headed to PURE Insurance Championship!

If we are anything alike, our summer days would be filled with a ‘no alarm’ clause and a slow to rise philosophy.

But, for Allison Robinson, this wasn’t the case on July 6. Her alarm sounded around 4:00am to awake and head out the door to compete in the Carolinas Junior Girls PGA Championship in Winston Salem. Though, it wasn’t any day, it was selection day for this fall’s Pure Insurance Championship Impacting the First Tee at Pebble Beach!

After teeing off at 7:00am for her first round, Allison would head into the clubhouse where she’d set up shop in front of a big screen television with her mom and best friend, Jaclyn Kenzel, a First Tee alum and previous participant in the Pure Insurance Championship. Then, she’d connect her iPhone to a shared Zoom call with family, First Tee staff and supporters so we could all await the moment together.

It was a moment a really long time coming.

Allison’s brother, Jared, had been selected to participate in the event in 2015 and since then she’d watched multiple friends go through the demanding process of completing interviews, essays and applications each winter to then sit by their side mid-summer as they’d await the nationally televised selection show on the Golf Channel.

But, for Allison, she had to wait even longer.

Her original application process occurred pre-Covid in late winter of 2020. A month before announcement day, we instead received word the Pure Insurance Championship would have to go on without juniors. A positive twist though, typically ineligible graduating seniors would be grandfathered in to re-applying for the 2021 event!

So, here we sat, virtually, across NC, awaiting the announcement.

The moment came and it was extra special!

Allison’s name appeared across the screen as we heard squeals through the speakers and echoing throughout the First Tee – Sandhills office.

Her immediate reaction was that of pure joy, excitement and gratitude. A long time coming for the now freshman at University of North Carolina at Wilmington.

Today, Allison has arrived in California and is making her way to Pebble Beach where this experience of a lifetime will officially kick off on Tuesday, September 21. Is there a better way to spend your birthday?!?!

Throughout the week all 81 teens will apply the life and leadership skills learned locally during the one-of-a-kind event. They’ll be paired to play golf with a PGA TOUR Champions player and amateurs from the business world as they compete for the Pro-Junior team title.

In addition to playing in the Pure Insurance Championship contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course, participants will have a number of off course experiences. From attending functions allowing them to network and be mentored by top leaders across the globe from various industries and life experiences to attending a concert held on the 18th green of Pebble Beach Golf Links!

It’s sure to be a week to remember. And, we want you to join us for the ride! We’ll be following along in Allison’s experience all week long with daily recaps and photography at firstteesandhills.org/purechamp.

So, jump on your device, track her progress and leave notes of encouragement! The first big update will come after Tuesday night’s pairings party where Allison will find out which Champions Tour golf she’ll spend her week with.

We’ll see you virtually!

A Sunday I’ll Never Forget with BJ Boyce

As Saturday evening approached, it had settled in that Paul Broadhurst and I had made the Pro-Junior cut. I would be playing in Sunday’s Final Round of the Pure Insurance Championship! We had an 8:37am tee time off Hole 1 with Kirk Triplett and his junior participant, Sam Soomerhauser. I was SUPER EXCITED but also very NERVOUS! After the first few hole, I was able to settle in, relax a little bit and had a chip in from the hazard on Hole 4. After watching the ball roll into the hole like a perfect putt, I had a sudden surge of relief… the lid had been pulled off the hole! I settled into my round and made a handful of pars, chapped off by a Birdie on Hole 15 – saving our Pro-Junior Team two strokes as my pro had bogeyed the hole. On Hole 17, a par three, I had pushed my tee shot almost onto 18 tee box, executed a great shot from a terrible place, still rolling over the green, and then, chipped in to save par. It was an awesome feeling to hear the crowd cheer for me after the ball went in. At that very moment, I felt like I was a tour pro and gave them a little wave like I’ve seen the pros do. Coming up the 18th fairway was surreal. Seeing all of the people int he bleachers cheering while I’m standing in the fairway on the greatest course I’ve ever played. Then, hearing my fellow participant, Drew Spurlock screaming after they announced my name… It was AWESOME! As a team, Paul and I carded a final round 64. Placing us tied for 3rd overall in the Pro-Junior Division. A finish, and experience, I’m not sure I could have dreamed up! Post round, I wrote some thank you cards to people who had a key role in making this event and experience possible. Then, joined the other juniors on 18 green to cheer on the final groups. After the trophy ceremony, they lined us up so we could get our banner with our name and our pros caddie bib! It was very bitter sweet for the week to be coming to a close.I have been dreaming, waiting and working towards this experience for so long, I had so much fun meeting and hanging out with fellow junior participants, and as it comes to a close, I’m a bit devastated. But, I quickly reminded myself I have an amazing once-in-a-lifetime experience to look back on and I will never forget a second of it! Monday morning I woke up and it all felt like some big dream that I’ll never ever forget. Thank you for following along in our experience, and your support of First Tee!

My Weekend at Pebble Beach by Drew Spurlock

Saturday was my official tournament round on Pebble Beach Golf Links! Michael Bradley and I had an afternoon tee time of the 1st Hole so I was able to sleep in a bit. Whew! After enjoying another great breakfast in player hospitality, I headed to the practice facility. While working int he short game area, I had the chance to meet Kirk Triplett and Scott McCarron. Once I wrapped up warmups, I met up with Mr. Bradley and worked on marking the pin locations in my yardage book. Saturday’s conditions on Pebble Beach Golf Links were going to be very different from our practice round on Wednesday with sustained winds between 25 – 30mph and gust up to 45mph! What did I learn about playing in high winds on a golf course that sits on the ocean? Putting is extremely difficult! We had to take the wind into account as to how it would impact the speed and direction the putts would roll. My golf highlight of the day? I made a birdie on Hole 6! Throughout the round, I learned a lot from Mr. Bradley – how to deal with nerves, the difference between being in contention and not in contention for a final round. Overall it was a great experience playing with him, I felt like we gelled well together and had a really good time. After my round,  I was exhausted! But, was able to enjoy a nice dinner with my whole family as it was my grandparents last night in California. (Thanks for coming out, gma and gpa!) Sunday made for another super cool experience of a lifetime! While missing a cut is never something you want to have happen – the activities First Tee had planned for us on Sunday, made for an amazing experience that we won’t have again. All participants not playing on Sunday met First Tee staff at the Pebble Beach Visitors Center. We paired up in small groups, joining friends I’d made over the course of the week, and did a Scavenger Hunt which took us all around the Pebble Beach property. From our favorite spots throughout the week, to places we made memories and iconic locations on the golf course – we went everywhere. Once the hunt was completed, we all headed over to the 18th green to cheer on our fellow participants who made the cut and were finishing their round. There ended up being a playoff for the Champions Tour title, between Kirk Triplett and Billy Andrade. Mr. Triplett made a birdie on the first playoff hole, 18, to win the title! The playoff was really fun to watch! After the trophy presentation we were able to get our tournament banners and caddie bibs to bring home – such a cool memento! Then, it was time to say, ‘see you soon’ to our new friends and take one last look across the landscape of Pebble Beach Golf Links. Truly, an experience of a lifetime!

Day 1 & 2 with Paul Broadhurst

Friday morning I woke up feeling confident. I really liked the layout of Pebble Beach Golf Links and felt very comfortable on the golf course. As my 1:19pm tee time slowly crept up, the dream started to become a reality. As I stood over the ball on the 10th Tee, our first hole of the day, I was so nervous I could feel myself shaking and I thought I was never going to be able to hit the ball. Luckily, my tee shot ended up in the fairway and I made a par on my first hole! WHEW. Holes 11 – 13 were a struggle but I bounced back with birdies on Hole 14 and 15 and then later on Holes 3 and 4. Mr. Broadhurst and I’s combined score for the day was a 7 under par, 65. Post round, my mom and I went straight to our evening event – the Jake Owen concert. My mom loves country music so I wanted to have her come as my chaperone tonight. As the concert began, we all gathered around the stage cheering and enjoying all the songs. Everyone was having such a great time that Jake Owen ended up playing an extra hour than planned! At the end of the night, Drew and I were able to grab a really cool souvenir – a guitar pick from Jake Owen! So far, Friday has definitely been my favorite day of the week! It was a quick turnaround to our second round on Saturday morning at Poppy Hills Golf Club. While the golf course is wonderful, it just didn’t set up to my eye as well as Pebble Beach Golf Links. I fought myself but hit some good shots. Sadly, my putter let me down and I didn’t contribute to our team score much today. Our running joke was that we weren’t sure if Mr. Broadhurst would be able to play on Sunday because his back had to hurt from carrying me all day! Thanks to his stellar play, at the end of the day we finished 11 under par and in contention to make the Pro/Junior cut to play Pebble Beach Golf Links again on Sunday! Our Saturday evening was capped off by getting to have dinner with my cousin, Haley, and watching the sunset on Seventeen Mile Drive! What a great ending to our first two days of golf!