Jacksonville Area Golf Association Scholarship Trust celebrates 50th year of helping students
For the 50th year, the Jacksonville Area Golf Association is helping First Coast high school students defray their college expenses — a list that has swelled to more than 400, who have received more than $2 million in assistance.
The association honored 16 more recipients from the JAGA Scholarship Trust during the annual banquet on May 21 at the Deerwood Country Club. The Trust was established in 1974 as JAGA's 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit entity that manages the program. It brings the number of active scholarship recipients to 51.
The evening also saw the unveiling of three inaugural awards to six of the students who also received one of the $1,250 JAGA grants:
The Billy Walker Award, named for the late JAGA director, went to Sofia Davila, an Episcopal graduate sponsored by the Jacksonville Golf & Country Club who will attend Alabama.
The Henry Tuten Gator Bowl awards, to Jenna Wilson, a First Coast graduate sponsored by the Brentwood Golf Club who will attend Savannah State; and Tre Peterson, a Ponte Vedra graduate sponsored by NAS Jacksonville who will attend Stetson.
The Furyk Foundation Scholarship awards, sponsored by Jim and Tabitha Furyk, to Kerra Dines, a Raines graduate sponsored by the Moore-Myers Children's Fund who will attend Florida A&M; and Larry Winters III, a Darnell Cookman graduate sponsored by Moore-Myers who is attending the University of North Florida.
The Kocerha Award, to Gavin Salomone, a Bishop Kenny graduate sponsored by Deerwood who will attend the University of Florida.
The other recipients and their intended colleges:
Jason Bond, a First Coast graduate sponsored by Moore-Myers (Florida Atlantic).
Nancy Cox, a Ponte Vedra graduate sponsored by the TPC Sawgrass (Florida Atlantic).
Keanu Evans, a Fletcher graduate sponsored by the Atlantic Beach Country Club (Florida State College-Jacksonville).
Brady Goldblatt, a Fleming Island graduate sponsored by Eagle Harbor (North Greenville University).
Raeann Nicholas, a Baker County graduate sponsored by Timuquana (St. Johns River State College).
Hanna Rhatigan, a Fernandina Beach graduate sponsored by Amelia National (Jacksonville University).
Macy Short, a Providence graduate sponsored by Hyde Park (Florida State).
Madeline Splane, a St. Augustine graduate sponsored by Marsh Creek (Florida).
Emma Wells, a Providence graduate sponsored by Jacksonville Beach (Daytona State College).
Morgan Wilkerson, a Riverside graduate sponsored by the First Tee-North Florida (Florida Atlantic).
Applicants for scholarships must be sons, daughters or grandchildren of a member of a JAGA member club or an employee of a member club who resides in JAGA’s Northeast Florida region. Applicants are screened and sponsored by JAGA directors.
They must maintain a 2.0 grade point average or better to have their scholarships renewed annually.
Funds to support the Scholarship Trust are generated by JAGA member clubs and corporate/individual contributors to the scholarship fund, plus a fundraising tournament every November.
RSM Classic announces charity total
The RSM Classic, the PGA Tour's Fall event at the Sea Island Club, on St. Simons Island, Ga., hosted by Davis Love III announced that more than $5.7 million was raised for the Davis Love Foundation through the 2023 tournament, bringing the total since the tournament began in 2010 to more than $42 million.
The charity money will go to children and family-focused charities such as Special Olympics and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Southeast Georgia.
One of the charitable programs is the Birdies Fore Love competition, which donates funds to charities supported by PGA Tour players who record the most birdies or eagles during the FedExCup Fall.
Each week, the player with the most birdies (or better) is awarded $50,000 to donate to the charity of their choice. Luke List was the winner last year and donated $250,000 donation to Childrens Hospital of Georgia, and a $50,000 donation to Ronald McDonald House Charities.
“Giving back to the community is at the center of the PGA Tour’s long history, and the Davis Love Foundation is honored to work with an organization whose tournaments have provided so much in charitable giving over the years,” said Love III. “We’re looking forward to doing even greater things this November when we celebrate the 15th year."
The RSM Classic will be Nov. 18-24.
Tom Coughlin Jay Fund tournament raises $800K
The 29th annual Tom Coughlin Jay Fund Celebrity Golf Classic May 20 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass and a dinner and auction the night before raised $800,000 for Coughlin's charity that assists families dealing with childhood cancer.
Celebrities included Jaguars Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Boselli, Hall of Fame safety LeRoy Butler of Jacksonville, Troy Aikman, Chris Berman and Doug Flutie.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: First Coast students awarded grants by JAGA Scholarship Trust at Deerwood
