Moore-Meyers Children's Fund receives JAGA Scholarship contribution from Furyk Foundation
Jim and Tabitha Furyk couldn't help themselves.
On a night when they were honored with the Deane Beman Award for their charitable efforts through the Constellation Furyk & Friends PGA Tour Champions event, the Furyks didn't just come to the Sawgrass Country Club and leave with a trophy.
They left $30,000 -- in the form of $10,000 for three years from the Furyk Foundation to the Jacksonville Area Golf Association Charitable Trust to be used for graduates of the Moore-Myers Children's Fund, which helps young people with character development and academic support through golf.
A sell-out audience of more than 200 people at the First Coast Celebration of Golf banquet watched as former PGA Tour player and Tour executive Bob Dickson presented the award to the Furyks in place of Beman, who was unable to attend.
The Furyk & Friends tournament, in two years on the PGA Tour Champions and 10 years before that as a one-day event at Sawgrass, has raised more than $7 million in charity to the Furyk Foundation, which has gone to organizations that assist with child health, education, homelessness, food insecurity and the environment.
Representatives of JAGA, the Jacksonville Area Golf Association, the Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA, the Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association, North Florida Golf Superintendents Association and First Coast Women’s Amateur recognized their membership and award winners.
The Furyks joined past Beman Award winners Herb Peyton, John Hayt, Joe Louis Barrow Jr., Anne Nimnicht and John Tucker.
Proceeds from the Celebration of Golf, presented by Circle K, were donated to JAGA’s Scholarship Trust program, which has supported more than 400 college students with almost $2 million in scholarship grants since 1974.
Close call in PGA event
Stephanie Connelly-Eiswerth, a Northern Chapter PGA pro at San Jose, shot 5-under-par 210 at the PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie to finish second in the PGA Women's Stroke Play Championship.
Connelly-Eiswerth had opening rounds of 69-69 and had a three-shot lead. Sandra Changkija of Orlando rallied with a third-round 66 and won at 6-under after Connelly-Eiswerth shot 72 in the final round.
Jennifer Borocz (73), another Northern Chapter PGA member, finished alone in sixth at 3-over 218.
Racking up the points
Ponte Vedra Beach residents took second place in their respective flights in a Florida State Golf Association Winter Series Stableford event at the Country Club of Ocala.
Drew Respess took second in the Mid-Amateur second flight with 53 points, six behind winner Brett Riotto of Daytona Beach. Brian Blackburn of Jacksonville was third with 44 and Derek Contreras of Ponte Vedra was sixth with 37.
Jonathan Smith of St. Augustine was sixth in the first flight with 53 points.
Keith Bratton had 62 points in the senior division second flight for his runner-up finish to Chad Ibbotson of Sanford (68).
Brad Rollinson of Ponte Vedra (69 points) was ninth in the super-senior first flight.
Clutch around the green
Timuquana member Jon Thompson beat his age recently with a nifty short-game shot.
Thompson found himself 75 feet off the 18th green on the right and needing a par to shoot 85, beating his age of 86. He chipped in for a birdie for an 84. His only comment: "if you can be really good, be really lucky."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jim and Tabitha Furyk Foundation leaves donation at Celebration of Golf
