First Tee—South Dakota Teens Selected to Compete in PGA TOUR Champions PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee

 Shannon McCormick and Jack Kray head to Pebble Beach this September

   

Sioux Falls, SD  (July 4, 2019)

First Tee—South Dakota is excited to announce that two of our participants, Shannon McCormick and Jack Kray, are among 78 youth from across the nation to be selected to play in the 2019 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, September 24-29.

The PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee is the only event of its kind where 78 First Tee teenagers from across the country are paired up with 78 PGA TOUR Champions players and 156 amateurs during an official PGA TOUR Champions tournament. Shannon and Jack will compete for the Pro-Junior Team title. They will join 76 other participants from First Tee chapters across the country. Participants were selected by a national panel of judges based on their understanding and application of the core values and life skills learned through First Tee’s programs, as well as their playing ability.

Play will be conducted on Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course on Friday and Saturday, with the final round contested solely at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Sunday, where 23 First Tee juniors will compete based on their 36-hole performance. The tournament will crown one male and one female First Tee Junior Champion on Sunday.

Shannon and Jack are both Ace level participants in First Tee and dedicate a great deal of time and effort to helping others in the program. They have worked hard for this honor and we are so excited for them to represent First Tee—South Dakota at this prestigious event.

Shannon McCormick will be a junior at Sioux Falls O’GormanHigh School. Shannon has played on the O’Gorman girls golf team since 7th grade. In the past two years, Shannon has helped her team win consecutive State Championships, and was the Class AA Individual Champion in 2019!  Shannon has been involved with First Tee—South Dakota since she was 5 years old, starting in the Little Duffer program. She is now at the Ace level of programming and has been a great role model for all of our participants.

Jack Kray will be a junior at  Sioux Falls Washington High School. Jack is a three-time letter winner on the Washington boys golf team, has participated in the State Championship the past several years, and has been a champion on the SDGA Junior Tour. Jack is an Ace level participant and has been involved with First Tee—South Dakota for the last 8 years.  Besides his participation, he is also a volunteer and a coach with the younger participants.

ABOUT FIRST TEE —SOUTH DAKOTA

The mission of the First Tee—South Dakota is to improve the lives of young people by providing educational programs and learning environments that build character, instill life-enhancing values, and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.  While learning the game of golf, the First Tee teaches young people valuable lessons through our life skills education. Participants learn to apply the First Tee Nine Core Values on the golf course, but also off the course in their everyday life. The Nine Core Values are Sportsmanship, Respect, Responsibility, Courtesy, Confidence, Judgment, Integrity, Perseverance, and Honesty. In 2019, the First Tee—South Dakota will impact over 32,000 youth through summer programming, in elementary schools involved with the School Program, and Community Programs. The summer programming sites are located in Aberdeen, Brookings, Dell Rapids, Yankton, Sioux Falls, and Rapid City.

ABOUT THE SOUTH DAKOTA GOLF ASSOCIATION

The South Dakota Golf Association, its 85 member courses, and 11,000 individual members work to promote the game of golf in South Dakota. The SDGA conducts 13 state championship, the SDGA Junior Golf Tour, and USGA qualifiers. Through the SDGA Junior Golf Foundation, the SDGA impacts over 30,000 youth each year through The First Tee of South Dakota. We appreciate the support of our members and sponsors which allow us to serve the golfers of South Dakota.