News from Desert Recreation District:
Caroline Wales heads to Pebble Beach for PURE Insurance Championship
Impacting The First Tee this September
The First Tee of the Coachella Valley (TFTCV) is sending Caroline Wales to compete in the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting The First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event to be contested at Pebble Beach Golf Links and Poppy Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, California, September 24-30. The tournament, which is hosted by the Monterey Peninsula Foundation, will be televised internationally on Golf Channel September 28-30.
“We are proud to be a part of such a prestigious event that supports so many deserving young men and women from The First Tee throughout the country,” said Katherine Frattarola, Chief Marketing Officer of the PURE Group of Insurance Companies. “They are what make this tournament so special, and it’s humbling to be a part of something that has such a profound impact on their lives both on and off the course.”
Wales will join 80 other participants (junior golfers) from The First Tee chapters, selected by a national panel of judges. Representing 22 states, the Participants were selected based on playing ability and application of the Nine Core Values and life skills learned through their involvement with The First Tee’s programs. 81 junior golfers are teamed with 81 PGA TOUR Champions players and 162 amateurs during an official PGA TOUR Champions tournament. Wales will be competing for the pro-junior title. “This once in a lifetime opportunity to play at Pebble Beach is a dream come true. Being paired
with a Champions Tour player makes it even that more special and I can’t wait to grow my game by learning from the best. I’m so excited to represent The First Tee of the Coachella Valley and meet fellow First Tee participants and people within the golf community. Thank you to The First Tee of the Coachella Valley for all your support from the start” said Caroline Wales.
Caroline Wales was only 8 years old when she began playing golf at TFTCV. The incoming Palm Desert High School sophomore carries a 4.6 GPA and was named Freshman Golfer of the Year. She’s been in a First Tee commercial with Pro golfer Rick Folwer and shot 79 during a U-S Women’s Amateur Qualifier. Wales has attended the 2018 College Golf Prep Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida and the 2017 Life Skills and Leadership Academy in East Lansing, Michigan.
Now celebrating fifteen years, the tournament has seen more than 870 kids paired with PGA TOUR Champion players.
“We are proud of the junior golfers selected to play at this year’s PURE Insurance Championship,” said Keith Dawkins, Chief Executive Officer of The First Tee. “These 81 teens, and the event, embody The First Tee’s beliefs around the importance of fan engagement, diversity and inclusion and having a sense of civic responsibility that is expressed through our Nine Core Values.”
The First Tee is one of 150 chapters around the country and world introducing the sport of golf to kids. Serving the Coachella Valley since 2008, more than 10,000 kids have been impacted through chapter programs through The First Tee’s Nine Core Values™: honesty, integrity, sportsmanship, respect, confidence, responsibility, perseverance, courtesy and judgment.
The First Tee National School Program is in 9 (Coachella Valley) elementary schools. The First Tee DRIVE is in 13 youth centers.
To learn more about The First Tee of the Coachella Valley, visit https://www.thefirstteecoachellavalley.org For more information on the 2018 PURE Insurance Championship, visit www.pureinsurancechampionship.com. For more information on Caroline Wales), to request an interview or photos, please contact Dustin Smith, 775-722-7181 or [email protected]
The First Tee of the Coachella Valley
The First Tee www.thefirstteecoachellavalley.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth sports organization whose mission is to grow the game of golf by transforming the experience that kids (and families) have with the sport. The First Tee is engaging the next generation of fans through unique golf experiences, signature events and strategic partnerships. Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the sport of golf and The First Tee’s Nine Core Values to more than 15 million kids, positively impacting their lives along the way. The First Tee offers programs in all 50 states, reaching more than 5 million kids annually through: The National School Program in more than 10,000 elementary schools, 150 chapters at more than 1,200 golf courses and The First Tee DRIVE at 1,300 youth centers. The First Tee is expanding globally and currently offers programs at six international locations.
Desert Recreation District The Desert Recreation District (DRD) is the largest park and recreation district in California, covering over 1,800 square miles and serving more than 385,000 residents throughout the greater Coachella Valley. DRD manages, maintains and assists in maintaining over 30 parks and recreation facilities; creates and delivers quality programs, services and classes; and, facilitates leisure opportunities through partnerships – this community collaborative approach allows us to provide barrier-free and safe recreational activities. DRD strives to ensure the public receives personal benefits such as physical fitness, relaxation and revitalization; social benefits in the form of stronger and healthier families and enriching the lives for persons with disabilities, and economic benefits through more productive and healthier citizens and increased tourism.
The First Tee of the Coachella Valley – Media Contact: Dustin Smith (775) 722-7181, [email protected]
Desert Recreation District – Media Contact: Noelle Furon, 760-347-3484, [email protected]