growing the game
Story and photos by: Greg & Beverly Wise
Two days… Two Courses… One Big Winner! – Junior Golf “8-Months ago, Gus Vital shared a dream for a great junior event with me, during conversations over a phone call, discussing the passions of Hall of Fame Golfer, Lee Elder, as well as other greats of the game, like Charlie Sifford, Calvin Peete, Dewey Brown, Renee Powell, Ann Gregory, Jim Dent, and Bill Spiller and how they got their start and how they had persevered through the tough times. The conversation turned to - How do we protect the future of this great game for the young kids coming into the game today? The Dream now had motion,” stated Tournament Chair & Executive Director of United Golfers Association, Tarek DeLavallade, describing what had happened over the past 8-months. We reached out to Orlando resident Jim Thorpe with the concept and his comments were… “I’m in!” “Let’s do this.” The dream… now had a name - the Jim Thorpe Invitational. “Let’s have a 2-Day Elite Junior Tournament for Minority Golfers and wrapped around a Professional 2-day tournament that will be open to the World of Golf.” “But there is one more thing… the event has to happen during February, which is Black History Month,” Thorpe added. Needless to say, the ball was rolling. “After searching and talking to countless potential sponsors… a little over 6-weeks ago, the Jim Thorpe Invitational got the shot in the arm it needed. Coca-Cola Beverages Florida stepped up to share their passion for kids and their passion for the game of golf, taking on the Title Sponsor role.” Ty remarked. “To see what this team has accomplished - from Dream to Reality… and the commitment to the game for junior golfers that all 10
of our sponsors have shown, the Jim Thorpe Invitational, presented by Coca-Cola Florida is here to stay,” Ty added. A total of 57 very talented junior golfers arrived at the ChampionsGate Resort, February 25-27, ready to compete on a scale that many juniors would never have the opportunity to play in. Just imagine being announced on to the tee by a 3-time PGA Tour winner, 13-time Champions Tour winner and 19 Professional wins, Jim Thorpe. That would be enough to rattle anyone, including me! But it didn’t faze these young golfers, they were there to play. The entire field of Junior Golfers, with their parents and coaches were the big winners this weekend at Champions Gate… But those taking home the trophies for exceptional play: Girls 9 and Under – Kylani Gathers – Tampa, Florida Girls 10 to 12 – Bella Mitchell – Winchester, Ohio Girls 13 to 15 – Alana Hall – Boca Raton, Florida Girls 16 to 18 – Bella Flores – Houston, Texas Boys 9 and Under – Tyler Lambert, Washington, DC Boys 10 to 12 – Ayden Febres, Orlando, Florida Boys 13 to 15 – Drake Belcher – Greer, South Carolina Boys 15 to 18 – Matthew Vital – Bethlehem, Pennsylvania One can only imagine the field that will be in the 2023 event with the success of the Inaugural event. The field will be set for 100 “Elite Junior Minority Golfers” from around the World. Golf Central • Volume 22, Issue 11
