Ohio Golf Journal October 2017

Local Golf News The University of Toledo and the Inverness Club hosted the Inverness Intercollegiate Golf Tournament in September. In addition to the UT Rockets, Michigan State, University of Michigan, Ohio State, Bowling Green, Miami (Ohio), Ohio University and Northern Illinois sent teams. The West Coast was well represented with teams from, UCLA, St. Marys, Washington and Fresno State. Mercer College from Macon, Georgia and the Oklahoma State Cowboys rounded out the tournament field. Unfortunately, heavy rains and lightning made the course unplayable for the final round and St. Mary’s from California, was declared the winner. St. Mary’s had posted a team total 280-278 through the first two rounds. Their 10-under-par team total nipped Michigan State’s 9-under-par total by a single stroke. Oklahoma State’s Nick Heinen and the Spartans’ Kaleb Johnson were tied at eight-under-par for 36 holes to share individual honors. The Inverness Intercollegiate annually hosts top collegiate golf programs to the iconic course. Inverness Club Hosts Top Collegiate Golfers Evans Scholars News The Toledo Chapter of Evans Scholars alumni held their annual golf outing at Toledo Country Club in August. As part of the festivities, Alex Dundore from Findlay received the John Kretzschmar Award. Dundore caddied at Mohawk Country Club and will graduate next spring from Ohio State University with a major in Civil Engineering. His overall GPA is 3.9, with four consecutive quarters, a perfect 4.0. Former Toledo caddies, who are now successful businessmen, return to Toledo each year to participate and support the Evans Scholarship efforts. The Inverness Club also hosted the annual Inverness Evans Scholars Invitational in October. It draws professionals and local members to Inverness to raise funds that enable more caddies to receive full-ride scholarships to college. This year former Masters Champion, Craig Stadler, who also won the 1973 U.S. Amateur at Inverness and 2002 PGA Champion Rich Beem were in the field. Jason Day Made A HUGE Donation to the Evans Scholarship Foundation Australian Jason Day, who now makes his home in Columbus, made a huge donation to the Evans Scholarship Foundation last month, when he made a hole-in-one at the BMW Championship. Day aced the par-3 17th hole at Conway Farms, which earned a $100,000 scholarship for an Evans Scholar caddie, plus a new $155,000 BMW 760i for him. After talking with his manager, Day donated the car to the Evans Scholar Foundation so a second deserving caddie can receive a scholarship, as well. Day said, “I am in a fortunate position and being able to not only impact one person but to impact another person’s life, for them to be able to go to college as well, is huge.” The Evans Scholarship Foundation is one of the major beneficiaries of the BMW Championship. There are 964 former caddies currently attending colleges across the country on Evans Scholarships. To earn an Evans Scholarship a caddie must be an excellent student, have financial need and be recommended by his or her home club, plus complete a selection process. In 1973, two local club professionals Greg Fish and Don Kotnik started the Toledo Junior Golf Association (TJGA) to provide a series of golf tournaments for aspiring junior golfers to learn the game. Karen Stone and James McGill have continued the tradition. The TJGA annually serves hundreds of area junior golfers, who compete in events, hosted at by best courses in the Toledo area. In 1972, Kotnik was the Head Professional at Highland Meadows Country Club and Fish was his assistant. They both wanted to develop a program for junior golfers and the TJGA was born with the first events held the following year. Over the years the TJGA has produced top collegiate golfers and several have gone on to become professionals. The local TJGA program was the first of its kind and has been used as a model by many other junior golf associations around the country. Fish and Kotnik had an idea 45 years ago and that small beginning became a venue to help young golfers succeed in high school and college golf. Celebrations will be held throughout the year honoring these founders and former TJGA golfers, who have gone on to successful golf careers. Toledo Junior Golf Association Celebrates 45 Years Ohio Golf Journal Ohio Golf Journal