On Friday, Brian Henninger and I were scheduled to tee off in the afternoon wave at Poppy Hills GC, with no set morning activities, it was my first (and only) day I would get to sleep in! But not too late as I wanted to get to player breakfast before they closed! Being a week of first, I had my first omelet at player breakfast! YUM!
Later we headed to Poppy Hill GC to get ready for Round 1 – with a new tool in my pocket – a lucky ball marker from my host dad, Mr. Carl. It was a coin he had received during a golf tournament called The Clint, hosted at his home course, Tehama Golf Club.
Playing in the afternoon wave, we had a little extra time so I was able to grab a pin sheet from the starter tent and take a few minutes to mark up my yardage book with where today’s pins would be. I also had the chance to watch a few of the morning groups play through Hole 18 green.
Mr. Henninger and I were paired with two amateurs for Round 1, Greg Orr and Landry Gibbs of Texarkana, Texas.
My first hole that I played was an absolute mess, I was just beyond nervous. I ended up hooking my tee shot all the way into the waste bunker area of the hole adjacent to us, where I had to wait for people in another group to tee off before I could go and hit my shot. Then from there, I hit too far behind my golf ball, luckily avoiding all trees, barely made it to the cart path. I took a drop and ended up shanking my shot so bad that it went straight right into the woods. I decided to pick up but was really sad.
Mr. Henninger, however, made a birdie on our first hole (Hole 10) so that was really awesome!
On the 11th hole, our second hole, I hit a solid shot onto the green, assuring me the first hole was long gone! Then on the 12th hole, I hit an amazing drive, sealing the deal that I was on the right track.
Hole 18 (our 9th Hole) was my highlight of the day!
I hit a solid driver and had around a 200 yard carry over the hazard in front of the green (a par 5). My initial thought was to lay up on a safer line, about a 150 yard shot, but Mr. Henninger came over and talked me into going for the green. I hit my 4 wood and it carried just enough to get over the hazard and rolled onto the green about 15 ft from the pin!
I two putted for my first birdie of the tournament!
On Hole 4 (our 13th Hole), I hit a long drive, giving me my favorite distance into the green – 88 yds. I hit my 52 degree to about 18 ft and drained my putt for birdie. I was so excited!
My host dad for the week, Mr. Carl, was able to come out to watch our last four holes of the day. While I made a few bogeys coming in, it was really great to have his support and enthusiasm felt on the course.
After Round 1 of the PURE Insurance Championship, Brian Henninger and I were tied for 38th Place at 3 under par.
After golf, our Friday night event was the Core Values Dinner & Train Concert presented by EMoney. This event was on the lawn behind the 18th green at Pebble Beach Golf Links. It truly doesn’t get any better – dinner and a concert over looking Pebble Beach. I had never heard Train before and just loved the concert!
And, an added bonus to the evening was that I had won a gift card to the Pebble Beach Golf Shop! They had a contest to guess the correct number of balls in a container and Mr. Henninger helped me come up with a number, which ended up being the closest!
Tomorrow I have an 8:43am tee time on Pebble Beach Golf Links. I will be playing with Mr. Henninger and 2 new amateur participants. The weather is supposed to be beautiful and the sun is supposed to be out all day! I cannot wait to get my second crack at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Saturday morning was back to our early awake schedule! But it was well worth it because we were headed to the first tee of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Some of my golf highlights from the day included almost holing out from green side bunkers on Hole 8 and 10, making a par on the famous Hole 7. Then when we reached Hole 18, I hit an incredible tee shot past the big tree in the fairway, able to go for the par 5 green in two, hit the green. Such a cool memory I will never forget!
As we walked those 18 Holes, I just took in the immaculate beauty and landscape every hole provided. While I am incredibly competitive, I had to remind myself the uniqueness of being in California and the opportunity I was provided to walk the fairways of Pebble Beach Golf Links.
After the round, I had the opportunity for another first this week! Coach Matt’s former co-worker now lives nearby Pebble Beach and set us up to go Paddle Boarding in the Monterey Bay. We got changed into wet suits and headed out. Being out on the water was even more beautiful then looking from a distance. I saw jellyfish, otters and sea lions. Initially I was nervous when we got close to the sea lions but as I got comfortable it was really neat to see them following me while paddle boarding and just swimming all around us out in the ocean.
As we left dinner Saturday night, the 2nd round scores from the afternoon wave began to trickle in and it was clear that I would miss the junior cut to play Pebble Beach Golf Links, again on Sunday, by 2 strokes.
Although I am disappointed, I do get to play Poppy Hills GC tomorrow with the other juniors in a Ryder Cup style match.
On a positive note, I’m so happy Mr. Henninger made the cut! He bogeyed Hole 18 today and we thought he was going to miss the cut.
What an amazing two days in California it has been!
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!
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! 
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! 
Friday night our special event was a Jake Owen concert behind the 18th Green of Pebble Beach GL. That was a TON of fun! The food was awesome and it was really fun to hang out with all the friends I had made this week. Towards the end of the night, I ended up getting a guitar pick that Jake had used in the concert. What a cool souvenir! 
Thursday was our second, and final, practice round before official competition kicked off! While the golf has truly been secondary to the experiences I have gained this week, it’s been quite fun preparing.
I did my best to approach today with the same mindset as the day before – to truly enjoy every moment of our walk.
Poppy Hills GC is an incredibly nice course. It reminded me a lot of Pinehurst No. 2 and 8. The layout, green shapes and various shots you must hit. A really cool course to have the opportunity to play.
After our practice round, I saw Bernard Langer in player dining and introduced myself. What a legend!
I was asked to sit down for a pre-recorded interview that may be used during the Golf Channel coverage. I had practiced for this possible moment and it was really cool to have it happen. During the interview they touched on many of the questions we were asked as part of our application process, so that helped me feel comfortable and confident in the conversation.
I can’t wait to see if it ends up on TV this week!
Our Thursday evening ended with a special dinner at Spanish Bag and watching the Bag Piper’s perform as the sun set over they bay!
It was a great day to unwind before things restart tomorrow. Paul Broadhurst and I tee off Hole 10 in the afternoon on Pebble Beach Golf Links.
I can’t wait! Thanks for following along! 
It was our first day of practice rounds at the Pure Insurance Championship. Jet lag had hit hard and I was up even earlier for the day to get started. Today’s round would be on Pebble Beach Golf Links and we were lucky enough to get a practice round with 2016 Champion, Paul Broadhurst.
A really unique tie to the tournament is that all players – Professionals, Amateurs and Juniors – all eat meals together. So, we have the chance to meet and mingle with folks of all backgrounds from around the country. Today at breakfast, we had the chance to sit down and eat with Paul before heading out for pre-practice round warm ups.
The minute I stepped on the practice facility and rolled my first few putts, I was blown away at the condition of the course.
When we arrived at the first tee, I was admittedly nervous. I pushed my tee ball into the rough but managed to make a par.
The front 9 was a total blur. I was still in shock I was playing at Pebble Beach Golf Links and had a million thoughts running through my head.
As we made the turn, I was able to clear my head and settle in to playing golf.
A funny moment, on the 18th Hole, my tee shot hit the trunk of the famous tree in the middle of the fairway!
After dinner, we prepped for tonight’s main event – the Legends and Leaders Core Value Banquet. The dinner was amazing. I had the opportunity to meet more participants from the First Tee and build new relationships.
A huge surprise for me – we received a $1,000 college scholarship!
What a great event to participate in and hear from speakers across the country with impactful stories to tell.
Thursday brought a new day and our last day of practice before the official tournament kicks off!
We headed over to play Poppy Hills GC – today with two fellow First Tee participants. Poppy Hills is another amazing course with completely different shots from Pebble Beach the day before.
If was fun to make a few birdies early in our practice round. As the day went on, the winds began to pick up, creating a new set of challenges as we navigated the course.
After our round, we headed back over to Pebble Beach Golf Links to cheer on the First Tee participants playing in the Chevron Shoot Out. The wind was really ripping at Pebble Beach so it was a lot of fun to watch them play Hole 17!
Post shoot out we went and spent some time with our host family before going to dinner at a really great local Italian restaurant called Cafe Fina.
Between all the golf, walking, wind and events I was tired and made it an early bed time as Michael Bradley and I would be teeing off early on Poppy Hills tomorrow morning.
Can’t wait to play with Mr. Bradley and see how our rounds unfold!
Good Morning from Pebble Beach, California!
BJ Boyce & Drew Spurlock, here. After awaking at 3:30AM EST, we arrived to West Coast time together via a direct flight from Atlanta, GA to San Jose, CA. Landing in San Jose at 10:30AM Pacific Time, which we choose to refer to as In-N-Out Burger time!
Stomachs full, we made the drive south, separately, in our rental cars with parents in tow! The views of the coast were amazing. Excitement continued to grow as we went through the gates entering Pebble Beach.
Once on property, we went straight to Player Registration, signed up for our practice round tee times, and were distributed our gear for the week including golf shirts, a pullover, a book bag and Taylormade Golf Bag with our name on it!
Our golf bags were lined up on the practice putting green at Pebble Beach for us to find and pick up. It was a really cool moment to see my bag waiting there. And, it only took a few minutes to put all my equipment into the new bag!
After taking in the ‘awe’ of the 18th Hole of Pebble Beach, we headed over to Poppy Hills Golf Club for a brief practice.
Then, Drew, had the opportunity to meet his host family. They are truly so kind to let us into their home for the week and they were as excited to greet us as we were to meet them!
Last night was our first official event. We had a First Tee Participant Meeting followed by the Pairings Party where we would learn WHO our PGA TOUR Champions Golf Professional for the week would be.
For this year’s reveal, we were handed a sealed envelope to hold onto. HOW HARD IS IT TO NOT PEAK! Then, they introduced ALL 78 of us one by one. And in one swift moment we all opened our envelopes. From there, our Golf Pros began coming over to introduce themselves and kick off a fun week!
BJ Boyce’s envelope revealed Paul Broadhurst and Drew Spurlock’s was Michael Bradley!
Two really awesome pairings! Both of us were able to meet and talk with our pros.
Later, we enjoyed a Glow Golf putting course, Corn Hole and Connect Four while getting to interact and meet our fellow First Tee participants from all over the country.
What a truly GREAT first day at the Pure Insurance Championship!
Wednesday we have our first practice round, on Pebble Beach Golf Links, at 9:40am. We can’t wait to get Day 2 started!
Talk to you after!
Leading up to this week’s event, we spoke with BJ and Drew on how they were feeling to make the trip.
BJ reflected on his past to describe his emotions. He said, ‘I initially wanted to start attending First Tee, at eight years old, because there were no junior programs nearby and I wanted to play golf with other kids. Looking back, it has helped me come out of my shell. The coaches pushed us to make new friends at class every week. That push has helped me become the person I am today and kept me coming back for the friendships I’ve made and the ones I will continue to make. While I’m in California I hope to overcome my golf nerves, take in every moment and simply have a great experience.’
Later in our conversation, as we discussed what would help overcome nerves, BJ reflected on how he has continued to apply the First Tee’s ALR exercise, Ask – Listen – Respond; saying it has helped him with meeting and interacting around new people, foster conversations and help ease his mind. He plans to practice this exercise throughout his trip and keep his internal nerves at bay!
A senior at Union Pines High School, Drew felt ready to try and conquer the experiences to come this week at the Pure Insurance Championship. He reflected on how he had hoped the experience had come a year sooner, but his weak time management skills resulted in not completing the application process, in time. How growing from lessons learned, realizing the results of his weaknesses and changing his mind set by focusing on accomplishing timely task of importance and applying personal deadlines as allowed him to be more successful over the last year.
Like BJ, Drew was quick to reference how First Tee has helped him become a more open individual, learning to apply meet and greet strategies while stepping out of his bubble around new people.
Drew wrapped up his thoughts by expressing he’s learned to live in the moment, enjoy every moment and wants to take in all that life provides. A philosophy he made sure to pack for his trip to Pebble Beach!
We can’t wait to hear about BJ and Drew’s first time experiences, successes and takeaways!
First up in their week will be the Tuesday night’s Pairings Party, an exciting unveiling each year for the junior participants.
This year’s field of professionals includes World Golf Hall of Fame Members Bernhard Langer, Davis Love III, Mark O’Meara, Vijay Singh and Retief Goosen, defending champions Paul Broadhurst, Ken Tanigawa, and many more stellar players, but better people!
We can’t wait to find out who BJ and Drew will play with this weekend and catch up on their day to day experiences. Make sure to check back in our daily blog. It promises to be one for the books.
BJ Boyce and Drew Spurlock, saw their names appear on LIVE television.
An announcement they will never forget.
They had been chosen to participate in this year’s PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee!
Moments after the announcement came through, BJ and Drew were beaming from ear to ear. They felt proud, and ecstatic, to see all the hard work pay off in the end with the chance to attend the 2019 Pure Insurance Championship.
It’s truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet, play and be mentored by PGA TOUR Champions players and amateurs in the field.
Branden, BJ, Boyce is a rising 10th Grader who is in a homeschooler program. He lives in Spring Lake and joined The First Tee in 2011.
Drew Spurlock is a rising Senior at Union Pines High school. He lives in Whispering Pines and joined our local chapter in 2014 after a family military move from Tampa where he was a participant with The First Tee Tampa.
These young men, will join 76 teens from across the country to play with PGA TOUR Champions Professionals and two amateurs as they compete for the Pro-Junior team title during the Pure Insurance Championship contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf course in Pebble Beach, California, September 24 – 29.
Congratulations, BJ and Drew. We look forward to helping you prepare for your trip to California in September!
PS: Make sure to follow along as we release more details in the coming months! 
We participated in a 7:30am Shotgun start event at Poppy Hills GC where we played a Ryder Cup style event. I was assigned Hole 16 to kick off the day and was paired with Calton Kong. We played against Grace Kehoe and Christopher Khan.
I can’t emphasize enough how much this trip has meant to me! It has been the most amazing week of my life and I will never forget it! I’m really sad it has to end but am beyond thrilled to have had this opportunity! I have not only gained friends but created memories that will last a lifetime!
Thank you for following along in my travels to California. It’s been fun to write about the trip and have a blog to look back on!
Signing off with gratitude,
Jaclyn Kenzel