Howie Tiger
On April 24, the 2023 Marilynn Smith Scholarship Pro-Am teed it up at Longbow Golf Club in Mesa. Thirty teams competed in a scramble format with each team made up of four amateurs and one LPGA professional. Other than last year, this Pro-Am had always been played at PebbleCreek, Marilynn’s home for 15 years.
The proceeds benefit the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund to help young women attend college. Recently, $5,000 scholarships were awarded to 25 incoming freshmen for the fall. The Pro-Am preceded the two-day Marilynn Smith Arizona Women’s Senior Championship.
Pat Bradley was this year’s tournament honoree. Pat’s career highlights include 31 professional victories including six majors. She was the first woman to win all four of the modern major championships. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1991. Many well-known LPGA pros attended including Joanne Carner, Sandra Palmer, Susie Maxwell Berning, Hollis Stacy, Kay Cockerill, Danielle and Dina Ammaccapane, Wendy Ward, Pat Hurst, Liselotte Neumann, Michelle Redman, and Peggy Gustafson.
Each participant received a goodie bag that included a golf shirt, Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, and a copy of Shirley Spork’s book From Green To Tee. Shirley was another co-founder of the LPGA. Players could purchase a “Marilynn Package” that provided three features: a Marilynn Putt (ball is good from anywhere on the green and counts as one stroke), entry to a putting contest where you received any prize that your ball struck, and Boost Your Pro (your playing professional moves forward one set of tees).
Numerous specialty games were played on certain holes. On hole number 13, in honor of the 13 LPGA founders, a 7-year-old (member of LPGA*USGA Girls Golf of Phoenix) joined each team on the green to attempt a putt. It was reported that she helped numerous teams by holing out!
PebbleCreek residents Susan Gavin, Scott Giles, Howie Tiger, Belinda Zelinger, and John Zelinger represented our community in this event.
After golf, lunch was served, winners were announced, and prizes were awarded.
The day before this year’s event, a Sunday Tea was held at Papago Golf Club. Guests enjoyed refreshments, an expo, and an incredible memorabilia display. They also listened to Ms. Bradley, Ms. Carner, Ms. Berning, and Ms. Palmer talk about their golf experiences as well as their relationship to Marilynn.
Marilynn Smith was a co-founder of the LPGA and winner of 21 LPGA tour events including two majors. She was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2006 under the Lifetime Achievement category and the Arizona Golf Hall of Fame in 2016. She served as LPGA president 1958-1960 and is known as one of the game’s greatest ambassadors.
To date, the Marilynn Smith Scholarship Fund has granted nearly $1.3 million to 238 young women.
For more information, contact Debbie Waitkus at [email protected].