CONTACT: Angie Gimmel, APR, (502) 648-9283
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 4, 2009
AFRICAN AMERICAN GOLF “HALL OF FAMER” PRESENTS SCHOLARSHIPS TO YOUTH
-
Annual Urban League Golf Scramble Makes Scholarships Possible -
Louisville, KY -
George “G.G.” Johnson, the first and only African-American, PGA-licensed head golf professional in Kentucky, will present $2,500 college scholarships to two area high school graduates on
Friday, June 5, at 12:30 PM.
, at the
Shawnee Golf Course
. The scholarship money is provided by theLouisville Urban Youth Golf Program’s “George ‘G.G.’ Johnson College Scholarship Fund.”The scholarship awards will take place just prior to teams teeing off at the
10
th
Annual George “G.G.”Johnson Golf Scramble Presented by State Farm
. Joining George in presenting the scholarships willbe State Farm Insurance, the Louisville Urban League and The First Tee of Louisville.Receiving the scholarships are Amber Pangburn, a graduate of Jeffersonville High School, and BradleyBlack, a graduate of Butler Traditional. The recipients are also long-time participants of the LouisvilleUrban League’s Urban Golf Program.“The Urban Youth Golf Program has helped me so much over the past eight years,” said Amber Pangburn, who plans to attend Indiana University Southeast. “They have helped me build confidenceand made me want to strive to reach higher goals.”Nearly 30 local business organizations are participating in this year’s golf scramble, which benefits theUrban Youth Golf Program’s George “G.G.” Johnson College Scholarship Fund. Since its inception in1998, the Louisville Urban League’s Urban Youth Golf Program has awarded more than $47,000 inscholarships to sixteen golf-program participants.Friday’s golf scramble begins at noon with lunch and a silent auction. The scholarship awards will bepresented at approximately 12:30 PM. Golfers will tee off at 1:30 PM.------------------
About George “G.G.” Johnson
George is the first and only African-American, PGA-licensed head golf professional in Kentucky and is amember of the National Black Golf Hall of Fame. He currently operates the Bobby Nichols golf course insouthwest Jefferson County and is one of the PGA instructors in the Urban Youth Golf Program.George began to learn the game of golf at the age of 15 when he caddied at a segregated country clubin Georgia. He turned pro in 1964 and qualified for the US Open in 1965. He received his tour card after successfully completing the PGA qualifying program in 1968 and began playing in tournaments with thelikes of Jack Nicklaus, Miller Barber and Tom Kite. In 1971, he won the Azalea Open and became thefourth African-American to ever win a PGA tournament.- MORE -
Leave a Comment