One of the most famous and recognizable golf courses in the world is the Pebble Beach Golf Links, situated on the scenic Monterey Peninsula in California.
In mid-September, a pair of First Tee Roanoke Valley players will make the 2,682 mile trip to play on the iconic course with some of the best PGA TOUR players in the history of the game.
Callie Montgomery and Ross Funderburke were selected to represent First Tee Roanoke Valley at the Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach, an official PGA TOUR Champions event that will be played September 13-18. The event will be televised on the Golf Channel.
A Champions Tour tradition since 2004, this event pairs juniors, amateurs and finally pros. Montgomery and Funderburke are among the field of 81 juniors from First Tee chapters around the country who will be teamed with 81 Champions Tour players and 162 paying amateurs as they concurrently compete for the Pro Champion, Pro-junior First Tee title and the Pro-Amateur Team title at Pebble Beach Golf Links and nearby Poppy Hills Golf Course.
This year’s 54-hole format will see competition on both courses on Friday and Saturday with the 81 professionals each paired with one First Tee junior and two amateurs. Sunday’s final round, played exclusively on the Pebble Beach Golf Links, will include all pros along with the low 23 First Tee juniors and low 10 amateur teams.
The 81 Champion Tour professionals, including the likes of Tom Watson, John Daly and Bernhard Langer, will compete for a total purse of $2,000,000. Chairman of the event is Clint Eastwood with Arnold Palmer acting as co-chair. The Golf Channel will provide coverage of all three rounds. Admission and parking are free during the tournament week, courtesy of First Tee Monterey.
Since its inception in 2004, this has been one of the most popular Champion Tour events, with a format that offers a fantastic opportunity for spectators to see former PGA champions play alongside the future stars of the PGA and LPGA Tours.
From the original event in 2004, won by “The Walrus” Craig Stadler, the tournament has continued to grow due to its unique collaboration with The First Tee, a non-profit organization that emphasizes nine core values of honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgement. Other former winners from the Champions Tour have included Hale Irwin, Scott Simpson, Jeff Sluman and Kirk Triplett. Sluman (3 times) and Triplett (twice) have been multiple winners.
The Nature Valley First Tee Open at Pebble Beach serves as an international showcase for The First Tee, an initiative to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf. Emphasis at The First Tee has always been on diversity, giving young players, no matter their financial ability, the tools and instruction to play the game.
The selection process leading to the Nature Valley First Tee Open is very intense for one of the coveted 81 First Tee spots.
“Our chapter nominated participants based on their participation at the local chapter,” First Tee Roanoke Exectutive Director Jennifer Blackwood noted. “Then, a total of 81 young men and women, ages 14 to 18, were selectees by a national panel of judges that evaluated the participants’ playing ability and comprehension of the life skills and core values learned through their involvement with The First Tee.”
The selections were announced on Golf Channel’s “Morning Drive” in early-July.
“I was shocked to be chosen,” Montgomery, a senior at Franklin County High School, noted during an interview during the Delta Dental State Open of Virginia at Ballyhack Golf Club. “It’s such a huge opportunity. When you think about golf, Pebble Beach is the place to be.”
Each First Tee player will be paired with their Champion Tour professional during a special selection dinner held the night before the tournament.
“I’d love to be paired with Fred Couples, Ben Crenshaw or John Daly,” Montgomery noted. “My mom and dad are going and it’s going to be so much fun with lots of events. I’m living the dream.”
“I watched the selection show and couldn’t believe it,” Funderburke said of hearing his name called. “I’ve never been to Pebble Beach, but I know the course and the people there are amazing. I joined First Tee five years ago. I’ve been able to grow with the First Tee to be a better person. Now, this will be an unbelievable opportunity.”
Funderburke, a sophomore at Hidden Valley High School, hopes to be paired with Jerry Haas, a top Champion Tour player and the Wake Forest golf coach. “I’ve been to his golf camp 5 years in a row,” Funderburke noted.
Regardless of their pairings and performances, there is little doubt that Montgomery and Funderburke, along with their families, will experience the dream of a lifetime during their week at Pebble Beach.
Bill Turner
