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12th Annual OPEN Scramble Golf Tournament

First Tee – Silicon Valley presents our 12^th Annual Open Scramble Golf Tournament on Friday, June 7^th at Cinnabar Hills Golf Club. The Open will be our only golf tournament fundraiser this year with a full-field shotgun utilizing all 27 holes and the opportunity for many companies and individuals to show their support. Click here to Register to Sponsor or Play.

Thank you to our sponsors!

Presenting – SAGA Foundation

Hosting Plus – EmmaLily Winery and PGA TOUR Superstore

Hosting – Hallagan Huston Family Foundation and Gallagher and PwC

Contributing – Guerrero Properties, Pinnacle Bank, EY, Luna Mexican Kitchen, D&V Engineering, Panera Bread

All proceeds benefit First Tee – Silicon Valley, 501(c)3 #46-3102278

Gather your clients, co-workers and friends for a great day of camaraderie to help MORE kids! Our unique approach to youth development transforms lives and gives kids and teens a brighter future. We teach life skills and golf skills on-course, in-school, and after-school. Our programs are accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship.

There are various ways to support the Open:

$20,000 Presenting Sponsor – 3 foursomes and 2 hole sponsor signs plus co-branded logo on all signage, website, socials, newsletters, flyer and program ($16,250 Tax Deductible)

$10,000 Hosting Sponsor – 2 foursomes and 1 hole sponsor sign plus logo on sponsor signage, website, newsletter and program ($7,500 Tax Deductible)

$6,000 Contributing Sponsor – 1 foursome and 1 hole sponsor sign plus logo on sponsor sign and program ($4,750 Tax Deductible)

$2,500 Foursome or $1,250 Twosome Sponsor – 18 holes of golf, shared cart, boxed lunch, tee prize, on-course beverages and snacks, dinner and awards program per player ($1,250/$625 Tax Deductible)

$1500 Hole Sponsor – 1 hole sign, program and sponsor sign listing, plus 2 dinner invites ($1,500 Tax Deductible)

$100 Contest & Raffle Bundle Add On – Per player includes all Contests – Putting, Closest to the Pin and Car Hole-In-One Plus 1 Mulligan and 10 Raffle Tickets.

Option to pay by credit card now or register and pay later by mailing check to: First Tee – Silicon Valley 2797 Park Avenue, Suite 205 Santa Clara, CA 95050

Tournament Timeline

10:30am – Check In, Tee Prize, Range Open, Lunch
12:00pm – Welcome In Carts
12:30pm – Shotgun Start
5:30pm – Dinner & Awards
7:00pm – Closing Remarks

The tournament will be played as a “scramble” format. Each team member will hit from the tee. Two tee shots from each player must be used during the round. The team will select which of the four (4) tee shots it will use for its second shot. Each team member will hit their second shot from the location of the selected tee shot. This process will continue until the ball is holed out. The highest team score per hole will be MAX Bogey (1 over Par) to maintain a good pace of play. 1 Mulligan per player if purchased with Contest/Raffle Bundle. Mulligans apply only to one player — not the entire foursome. Prizes will be awarded to the First and Second Place Teams with the lowest scores.

Please Contact Judy Dixon Deaton for Sponsorships or other information (408) 508-4881 or [email protected]

PUBLISHED: 02-08-2024 Updated: 04-30-2024

FTSV Pebble Beach PURE Insurance Field Trip

On Sunday, September 30^th, First Tee – Silicon Valley took a field trip to Pebble Beach Golf Links for the PURE Insurance Championship. Program Coordinators and volunteers brought 40 participants to the beautiful golf course, not only to watch the PGA TOUR Champions play, but also to support three of our very own FTSV participants playing on teams with Pros. Camille Thai, Norah Yang, and Joshua Jang all did a fantastic job representing FTSV and we are incredibly proud of them. Their life skills of sportsmanship, integrity and respect were on full display, not to mention their golf skills, which they have developed over the years with plenty of hard work.

The PURE Insurance Championship is an international showcase for First Tee and has been played at Pebble Beach Golf Links since 2004. This event pairs up PGA TOUR Champions (age 50 and over) with First Tee players in a Best Ball format. The groups play the first two days at Spyglass Hill and Pebble Beach. If after these first rounds the group is in the top 10, they go on to play Sunday at Pebble Beach and compete for the top spot. All three of our participants represented FTSV beautifully, and were even able to secure 3^rd and 6^th place overall.

Camille, Norah and Joshua all had lots to say about how this big weekend went for them.

For Camille Thai, the whole weekend was just surreal. She made many new friends, learned a lot from her Pro, Jerry Kelly, and left the weekend excited and hopeful for the future. Parts of the weekend were nerve wracking, specifically learning how to play with professionals, but as the tournament went on, Camille was able to get comfortable in her golf game and fully enjoy the experience. As Camille came down hole 18, FTSV participants stood up against the ropes, cheering her on and watching her finish her round with poise. Then, Camille came, sat down with the participants, and signed autographs, creating life time memories for her newest, young fans. It was really an incredible sight to witness, and the whole day is something everyone involved will remember for a long time.

The relationships and community Norah Yang built over the weekend will stay with her for a long time to come. From meeting and spending time with other First Tee participants, to listening two-time major winner Christie Kerr speak about managing stress and being present in the moment, and spending time playing with and learning from her pro, YE Yang, Norah left the weekend knowing more about the game of golf, herself, and the wonderful and supportive community she has within the game. For her, this tournament was a wild, full-circle kind of experience. Ten years ago, back in 2013, Norah remembers watching our FTSV participant Michelle Xie win this same event and becoming inspired by another amazing, female youth golfer. Now, through years of hard work and personal development, Norah feels like she is in the place to do the same thing, inspiring another generation of young golfers to be their best selves.

While he already knew First Tee was a community of support and collaboration, Joshua Jang left Pebble Beach and the PURE Insurance Championship with a deepened appreciation and understanding of just how much golf and First Tee have shaped him and his wonderful community. Before the weekend, Joshua had not played Pebble Beach before, so when he stepped on to the course Friday late in the afternoon, he was blown away by the picturesque nature of the course. With the perfect sunset over the ocean, the gentle sea breeze and the perfect condition of the course, the everything felt almost unbelievable. As Joshua played his practice rounds, he met many great people, including caddies who went out of their way to help him with strategy and staying relaxed, and other First Tee participants from across the country. What stood out to him the most from the weekend, even more so than just the awe of playing in such a big tournament, was all the different cultures and people he experienced. He said he was surprised how much difference he noticed between people from different parts of the country, while still having so much in common, especially in their very strong life skills and love and appreciation for the game of the golf and the community that comes with it. To Joshua, the part of First Tee that stands out to him the most is the community, the group of people who value communication, mentorship, collaboration and all of the First Tee core values. The PURE Insurance Championship put this on full display for him, and reaffirmed his connection to FTSV.

FTSV Participants Compete at the 2023 PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee

Support our 3 FTSV participants as they compete in the 2023 PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship

First Tee – Silicon Valley Ace participants Joshua Jang, Norah Yang, and Camille Thai will be competing next week in the PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach Golf Links, September19^th to the 24^th. You can watch the tournament on Golf Channel Friday, Saturday, and Sunday (22^nd-24^th) from 3-6pm. You can also watch in person. Click here for more information. Best of luck to Joshua, Norah, and Camille!

Meet Joshua

Joshua is a standout FTSV participant and volunteer coach. Joshua has been an engaged participant since 2016 and a dedicated FTSV volunteer since 2020, amassing over 200 volunteer hours. He’s taken initiative and collaborates well with our staff on ideas for program improvements. He is also a high-performing competitive golfer. He recently qualified for the 112^th California Amateur Championship and is a 3-year starter for his varsity golf team. “I feel that my selection for the PURE Insurance is a testament that First Tee has always been about more than just golf,” says Joshua. “First Tee – Silicon Valley has been an important part of my life, and the strong sense of community and support for one another has helped me realize what it means to be part of a positive change larger than oneself.”

Click here to watch Joshua Jang find out he was selected on Golf Channel.

Meet Norah

Norah is a leader and role model in her classes as a FTSV participant and as a volunteer coach. She has been active as a participant since 2015 and began volunteering as a FTSV coach in 2022. As it relates to her golfing acumen, Norah led her high school golf team to a league championship as a freshman and was awarded MVP in 2021. She has qualified for the USKids World Championship twice and the IMG Junior World at Torrey Pines. Additionally, Norah has placed high in several AGJA tournaments. “I am so excited to play,” says Norah. “There are so many applicants for these wonderful events, and to be selected makes me feel so honored and proud. First Tee had supported me every step of my golf journey, from not even knowing how to hold a golf club to being able to compete nationally with amazing golfers. It has taught me so much, and I look forward to representing First Tee – Silicon Valley.”

Meet Camille

Camille has been an outstanding participant in our program for a decade and has assisted us in our fundraising events. A highly ranked golfer who won the IMG Junior Worlds and placed 2^nd at the Pinehurst US Kids World Team Championship, shooting 65. “I’m so excited and honored to be selected,” says Camille. “I’ve been with the First Tee for more than 10 years now and it has been instrumental in helping me develop both as a person and a player. I wouldn’t be who I am today without it.”

“We are excited for all three to experience an opportunity of a lifetime,” says Chris Moreno-Hunt, FTSV Program Director. “All three have been dedicated participants, and have made our chapter a better place. We will be cheering them on!”

Jonathan Tessman Receives Joyce Taylor Award & $5K Scholarship at Invitational

The Joyce Taylor Eagle Award and $5,000 College Scholarship was presented to Jonathan Tessman at the First Tee – Silicon Valley (FTSV) 2023 Invitational fundraiser on Sunday, July 16th at CordeValle in San Martin, CA. Thank you to all our 2023 Invitational sponsors for their continued support as we celebrate our 20^th year to address socio-economic gaps with programs designed to foster diversity, equity and inclusion. FTSV has served over 90,000 youth making our program accessible to youth of different backgrounds and perspectives and affordable to families experiencing financial hardship.

Jonathan was selected for his consistent academic excellence, his exemplary volunteer accomplishments, and for his demonstration of First Tee character and life skills. The purpose of the award is to provide a high school student the financial hope of attending college. For Jonathan, the scholarship will help him with his acceptance to attend UC Berkeley to study Business.

The scholarship was initiated by a very generous 9-year grant by PG&E several years ago by founding FTSV Board Director, Victor M. Arrañaga, Jr. and has since then been supported by her brother Alan Taylor.

Here is a summary of Jonathan’s accomplishments:

Distinguished Diploma – Monte Vista Christian HS
Liberal Arts AA in Business – Gavilan College
Entering Freshman – UC Berkeley to Study Business
Student Government (ASGC) – Gavilan College
Student Trustee – Gavilan College
Best Diplomat Award – Gavilan College
Founder of Debate & Finance Club
Volunteered >400 Hours Across 4 Organizations
FTSV – President’s Volunteer Service Gold Award
FTSV – Participant Since Age 6
FTSV – Ace Participant

You can watch Jonathan’s Speech here.

In additional to the Joyce Taylor Award presentation, the Invitational included a gathering of Government Affairs professionals from various companies: HP, Inc., PG&E, NGR, Chevron, SoCal Gas, PhRMA, SDGE, SoCal Edison, Niemela Pappas & Assoc, Altria, Lancaster Toyota, and Intuit. Organized by FTSV Board Chairman Victor Arrañaga and FTSV President & CEO George Maxe, sponsors participated in a Legislative Roundtable, dinners, and golf with their colleagues. A special thanks to the following Government Elected Officials who were in attendance for portions of the event: CA Senator Dave Cortese, CA Senator Steven Bradford, CA Speaker Robert Rivas, CA Assembly Member Flora Heath, Silicon Valley Leadership CEO Ahmad Thomas, and Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone.

First Tee – Silicon Valley Board of Directors, staff, and program participants, thank you for your commitment and support of our mission to develop the character of youth through the game of golf.

Joyce Taylor (1957–2010) was a woman known for her intelligence, warmth, and elegance. She graduated with honors (Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Oklahoma (OU) with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism. Joyce became a highly successful and respected business woman and community leader with a long career in telecommunications. In 1997, she was promoted to Regional President, Bay Area, and then Senior Vice President, External Affairs-Northern California, AT&T, where she oversaw legislative, governmental and external affairs activities in Northern California.

Joyce worked extensively with Bay Area business and community-based organizations. Her support of the Eagles at Rancho del Pueblo junior golf program was instrumental to its growth and success. In 2005, the program became First Tee — Silicon Valley to develop the character of youth through golf throughout Santa Clara County. Joyce’s support helped to build a solid program that has reached over 81,234 youth since 2005. The Joyce Taylor Eagle Award is given annually to provide financial assistance for college to a participant who has consistently achieved academic excellence and exhibits exceptionally good character.