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WPGA Scholarship Winners Announced
The Wisconsin PGA Junior Foundation is proud to announce the 2017 scholarship winners. Thirty individuals were awarded scholarships totaling $25,000. We congratulate all the applicants for their great accomplishments.
Tony Coleman Scholarship $1,250 (One boy and One girl recipient)
Jack O’Brien of Racine and Mikayla Hauck of Cottage Grove were both awarded the Tony Coleman Memorial Scholarship for $1,250. Tony was the PGA General Manager and COO for Bishops Bay Country Club from 1994-2013. He led the facility from its development into the first rate operation it remains today. Tony was a 36 year member of the PGA. Tony’s passion for golf was most evident when working with a junior golfer wishing to excel in the game. This scholarship was made possible by the generous support of the Coleman family, friends, Bishops Bay CC members and the membership of the Wisconsin PGA.
| Name | School | Scholarship Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hallie Hancock | UW Eau Claire | $800 |
| Sydney Maule | Luther College | $800 |
| Ryan Busey | Tulane | $600 |
| Abby Chase | Quinnipiac | $600 |
| Rachel Hernandez | UW Stout | $600 |
| Madeline McCue | UW Whitewater | $600 |
| Mari Sukko | Ferris State | $600 |
College Scholarships
Terry Noel Scholarship ($1,000)
Rhea Nangia of Brookfield was awarded the Terry Noel Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. Terry was a tribute to golf, but more importantly a tribute to respect and love of mankind and the ability to spread happiness with his kindness and constant smile. Terry was first and foremost a loving husband, brother, uncle, and friend to all he met. Terry was also a proud Army veteran from the Vietnam era, serving most of his time in Germany and at The Presidio in San Francisco, CA. Finally, Terry was an avid, passionate golfer who spread his goodwill on the course and off.
High School Scholarships
| Name | School | Scholarship Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Regan Beyer | Oshkosh | $800 |
| Tyler Trupke | DePere | $800 |
| Samuel Kachelek | Men. Falls | $800 |
| Samuel Chapman | Racine | $600 |
| Joshua Hentrich | Lancaster | $600 |
| Karli Breiling | Onalaska | $500 |
| Sarah Busey | Racine | $500 |
| Ben DeStefanis | Men. Falls | $500 |
| Megan Dowd | Waukesha | $500 |
| Tyler Johnson | Wales | $500 |
| Faith Krause | Franklin | $500 |
| Jessica Kuzniewski | Waukesha | $500 |
| Jacob Michel | Lodi | $500 |
| Kurt Vanderheyden | Green Bay | $500 |
| Jordan Wachowiak | Fountain City | $500 |
Kid to Kid Scholarship ($1,000)
Alex Brandt of Chilton was awarded the Kid to Kid Scholarship for $1,000. This scholarship will be awarded based on three qualities: showing a solid history of giving back to the community, integrity and sportsmanship. This scholarship funds were raised by the generous donations of golfers throughout the state. Marty Swab, WPGA Junior Foundation member raised the money by collecting donations at area golf courses and out in the community. A great candidate for this scholarship would show a history of giving back, always having a good attitude towards other people and should be a graceful winner or loser. The last two criteria will be decided by the tournament staff so you will have to show yourself out on the golf course.
Thornberry Creek LPGA Scholarship ($1,250)
Mary McDonald of Stevens Point was awarded the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic Scholarship for $1,250. The WPGA Junior Foundation has teamed up with the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic to offer a new scholarship in 2017. Thornberry Creek has brought a new LPGA tour event to Wisconsin. The winner of this scholarship will be invited to receive their award during the final round of the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic. The event will be played at Thornberry Creek on July 6-9.
Kevin Dunn Memorial Scholarship ($1,000)
Ashley Hofmeister of New Berlin was awarded the Kevin Dunn Memorial Scholarship for $1,000. Family and friends were the most important parts of Kevin’s life and he shared his passion for golf with them wholeheartedly. In his youth, his summers were mostly spent at area golf courses. He caddied at Westmoor C.C. and honed his golf skills through tournaments such as the Junior Masters at Johnson Park and as a member of the Waukesha South High School golf team. While many of his childhood friends continued to be close golf buddies, he also forged new friendships as both a player in state tournaments and club events at Muskego Lakes C.C., and also as a junior golf spectator. He was an active member of an online golf forum and participant in the 2011 Morgan Cup which extended his circle of golf comrades throughout the U.S. and abroad. Golf was a major piece of his family life – he taught his wife Mary and daughter Grace the game he loved. They enjoyed many hours playing and practicing together that will always be cherished. He often said the most joy he ever experienced from golf was spectating at his daughter’s junior, high school and college events. He was particularly proud that he had attended all but a handful of Grace's many tournaments.
American Family Insurance Scholarship - $2,500 (One boy and One girl recipient)
The WPGA Junior Foundation has teamed up with the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation to offer these two scholarships. American Family Insurance has brought a new PGA Champions Tour event to Wisconsin. The event will be played at University Ridge on June 23-25. As part of the event the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation is making charitable donations to groups around the state and the WPGA Junior Foundation was chosen to receive some of these funds.
Girls Winner - Grace Stippich of Delafield - $2,500
Boys Winner - Brady Thomas of Middleton - $2,500
(Augusta, GA – Sunday, April 7, 2024) Two young ladies represented Wisconsin at the Drive Chip & Putt National Finals. McKenna Nelson and Taytum Oswald are enjoying the grounds of Augusta National today during the Monday practice round. The coolest part? They both will be bringing hardware back home after stellar performances in their respective age divisions. 2024 marks a special year – it has been exactly one decade since the USGA, PGA of America and The Masters Tournament conceived a one-of-a-kind skills competition where boys and girls all over the country set out to advance through qualifying stages in hopes of competing at Augusta National during Masters week. What’s even more special? McKenna Nelson, the 2023 Wisconsin State Golf Association’s Player of the Year, is the first Wisconsin junior to be crowned Champion at the DCP Finals. For starters, her 262-yard-drive was amongst four golfers in her age group that shattered the previous record for longest drive at the Finals (251 yards). Next up: chipping – followed by putting on the 18th green. Chipping proved to be troublesome for a few competitors, including Nelson, but she was quick to bounce back. She put together a solid second chip and headed to the putting competition knowing she “wanted to put herself in a good place where she (thought) she could do it (win).” (Clip from Golf Channel’s Kira K. Dixon below). Long story short, she needed to land both the 15-footer and 30-footer within 3.5 feet. The 30-foot putt is first in the rotation – McKenna’s attempt fell within 2’7″ of the hole. The Beaver Dam native rolled the 15 -footer a mere 8″ from the cup to capture first place. A sigh of relief? Certainly. All the hard work paid off. She was just a few minutes away from the trophy ceremony. Taytum (Oswald) finished third overall in the Girls 10-11 age division. The Beloit native placed 3rd and 2nd, respectively, in the driving and chipping disciplines but fell short in putting. Her brother, Trey Oswald, caddied for her during the competition. For Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals results – click here.
The purpose of the WPGA Junior Foundation scholarship program is to assist graduating high school and college students in financing their college education. There are 2 separate scholarship forms. One is for graduating high school seniors and the other is for current college students. Please choose the appropriate one. In 2023, the WPGA Junior Foundation awarded 33 scholarships totaling $65,000. We anticipate awarding even more in 2024. All applications will be taken online. Please make sure you have your transcripts and letters of recommendations forms available to attach to your application online. High School Applicants - Click Here to apply online College Applicants - Click Here to apply online Deadline for both scholarship applications is April 24, 2024. #LendAHand Scholarship #LendAHand was created with the goal of helping those in need to get back on the golf course and playing in events throughout the state. We recognize the many financial hardships families continue to endure and we want to give back! Thanks to the help of our donors, we are able to offer accepted applicants up to $100 towards tournament registration fees. Apply here
Check out the Year in Review from our 2023 Junior season
We are hiring interns for the 2024 season