PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 29, 2022) – Seventy-nine First Tee teens from across the country had the opportunity to learn from the game’s legends and explore their opportunities in golf and beyond during the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, an official PGA TOUR Champions event, which concluded Sunday, September 25, 2022, at Pebble Beach.
Kalea Hall, representing First Tee – Monterey County, earned her spot on the green on July 14, 2022. In preparation, Kalea embraced her excitement and her nerves. Although playing Pebble and Spyglass is not foreign to Kalea. “Growing up, my Dad always worked at golf courses, especially for me to play so many different courses.” However, the PURE brings a new environment, like playing 54 holes over three days, the crowds, and the media. “It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play these courses during the PURE, but this will be my first televised tournament, which comes with a lot of nerves. It will mentally be a good challenge for me to play in this new environment. I am excited to do what I do and make the most of it.”
Kalea also spent the Summer preparing with Sydney Craven, First Tee – Monterey County alumna and 2021 PURE Insurance Junior Champion. Kalea and Sydney first met at First Tee- Monterey County when they were eight. “It’s so cool having Sydney as a resource. She is someone I’ve been playing golf with since childhood; Someone I am close to and look up to, and she won the tournament I am going to play in.” Craven’s most important tip to Kalea was for her to get to know her Pro and make the most out of her time with them.
Kalea and her Pro, PGA Tour veteran and defending champion, Steve Flesch, played Pebble Beach Golf Links Friday, Spyglass Hill Golf Course on Saturday, and made it to Sunday’s final round. Sunday started off with a near albatross on hole two as she hit her second shot just over a foot from the pin for a tap in Eagle! Kalea held a one-stroke lead through seven holes in the final round and tied after 11. She birdied the 17th hole and finished with a par on the famous 18th hole at Pebble Beach. Kalea and Steve tied the lead until the final few holes in the final round. They finished second overall among more than 70 Pro-Junior teams capping off the tournament at 21-under.
“We are proud of all the teens who played with confidence and composure this week at the PURE Insurance Championship,” said Greg McLaughlin, First Tee CEO. “These young people exemplify the character and values we instill daily through the First Tee programs. A special congratulations to Bryson and Megan for winning the Pro-Junior titles. We thank PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Chevron, Monterey Peninsula Foundation, and Golf Channel for making this a special week for 78 First Tee participants.”
First Tee – Monterey County is one youth development organization of over 150 national chapters dedicated to teaching life skills and helping kids and teens build their strength of character through golf. The PURE Insurance Championship is one of several national opportunities First Tee Headquarters provides to encourage and motivate participants as they progress through the program and toward higher education opportunities.
For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com. To learn more about First Tee and see the complete field list, visit TheFirstTee.org.
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About PGA TOUR First Tee Foundation (“First Tee”)
First Tee (www.firsttee.org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit youth development organization that the PGA TOUR supports. Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing educational programs that build character and instill life-enhancing values through the game of golf. In 2022, First Tee celebrates its 25th anniversary, reaching millions of youth through its network of 150 chapters, 10,000 schools, and 1,700 youth centers. Headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, USA, programs are delivered in all 50 United States and select international locations. President George W. Bush serves as Honorary Chair.
About Monterey Peninsula Foundation
Monterey Peninsula Foundation is a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization which donates funds from the proceeds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on the PGA TOUR and the PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, a PGA TOUR Champions tournament. The Foundation focuses on improving the quality of life in Monterey, Santa Cruz, and San Benito counties.
www.pureinsurancechampionship.com
About PURE Insurance
Privilege Underwriters Reciprocal Exchange (PURE) Insurance is a property and casualty insurance company designed exclusively for successful, responsible families. We opened for business more than 15 years ago with the goal of offering something different in the insurance space: a company focused on doing what’s right for our membership (policyholders), one that promotes transparency and alignment of interests and delivers more excellent value.
Today, after growing at least 15% each year since we began, we are the most awarded insurer in our category, offer coverage in all 50 states that include high-value homeowners, automobile, collections, watercraft, personal excess liability, fraud & cyber, and flood to a membership of more than 100,000 individuals and families.
Pureinsurance.com | 888.813.7873
About PGA TOUR Champions
PGA TOUR Champions is a membership organization of professional golfers aged 50 and older, including 34 members of the World Golf Hall of Fame. The Tour’s mission is to provide financial opportunities for its players, entertain and inspire its fans, deliver substantial value to its partners, create outlets for volunteers to give back, and generate significant charitable and economic impact in tournament communities. Follow PGA TOUR Champions online at PGATOUR.com, at facebook.com/PGATOURChampions, on Twitter @ChampionsTour, and Instagram @pgatourchampions.
All events are televised in the United States, with most receiving complete coverage on Golf Channel, the exclusive cable-television partner of PGA TOUR Champions. Tournament programming is available via 25+ TV linear partners in 145+ countries and territories, with 25 channels carrying long-form and/or highlights coverage and 200+ hours of live coverage distributed in 135+ countries and territories. Programming is also available via the OTT platform GOLFTV powered by PGA TOUR in every market outside the United States, excluding China and Korea, with live coverage distributed in 130+ countries and territories.
