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For many Southern California junior golfers, the Southern California PGA Junior Tour is more than a place to compete. It is where friendships are built, lessons are learned and lasting memories are made. Through the SoCal Jr. Golf Alumni Association, those connections can continue long after a player’s final Junior Tour event.

A program of the Southern California PGA Foundation, the SoCal Jr. Golf Alumni Association was created to reconnect former Junior Tour players, keep them involved in the game and provide opportunities to support the next generation.

This year, the Alumni Association took another step toward that mission by awarding its first-ever scholarship to Shawn Nawata.

A longtime Southern California PGA Junior Tour player, Shawn will attend Yale University and compete on the Division I golf team. The $2,500 Alumni Association Scholarship will help support him as he begins college.

For Shawn, the scholarship is especially meaningful because of the role the Junior Tour has played in his life.

“I think there’s definitely a sense of home to the SCPGA Junior Tour,” Shawn said.

Shawn first joined the Tour in eighth grade in 2021. Seeing many of the same players and staff week after week helped create a community that extended beyond competition.

The experience also taught him lessons he plans to carry beyond the golf course.

“I think there’s a lot of things that you can take from the golf course into your day-to-day life, just staying disciplined and respecting staff members,” Shawn said. “SCPGA does a good job of having a friendly atmosphere and having staff members that show genuine care for their players.”

When Shawn learned he had been selected as the first Alumni Association Scholarship recipient, the news came as a surprise.

“I didn’t really have any expectations going into it,” Shawn said. “When I got the email that I was selected, I was definitely just grateful and thankful that I was part of SCPGA. It meant a lot to me.”

The scholarship reflects one of the Alumni Association’s main goals: connecting generations of SoCal junior golfers and giving former players a way to support those following in their footsteps.

“It definitely means a lot,” Shawn said. “I’m just thankful for all the alumni that are willing to help out the younger generation.”

The scholarship will also help ease some of the financial responsibility on his family as he begins college.

“Even just a little bit of help helps out a lot in the long run,” Shawn said.

At Yale, Shawn will accomplish a goal he has worked toward throughout his junior career: playing Division I college golf.

“I’m definitely most excited about being part of a team environment and playing golf at the next level,” he said. “Playing Division I golf was always a goal for me.”

Although college will take him away from Southern California for much of the year, Shawn hopes to remain connected to the Junior Tour. His younger brother is also a junior golfer, and Shawn plans to visit tournaments during school breaks to see friends, support his brother and reconnect with staff.

That continued connection is exactly what the Alumni Association hopes to create: junior golfers becoming alumni, staying involved and eventually helping support the next generation.

“I’m super grateful that all these alumni are helping out with the younger generation of golfers,” Shawn said. “Every bit of help is meaningful for every single one of us.”

As the first SoCal Jr. Golf Alumni Association Scholarship recipient Shawn marks the beginning of a new tradition, one that keeps former Junior Tour players connected while creating new opportunities for the golfers who come next.

Southern California PGA HOPE introduces veterans to golf in a welcoming environment designed around connection and support. Through a six-week program led by PGA Professionals, veterans of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels can learn the game alongside others who share a common understanding of military service.

No experience or equipment is required. Veterans may arrive expecting golf lessons, but many leave having found something much greater: friendship, renewed confidence and a community where they feel understood.

So far in 2026, the SoCal PGA has hosted 40 PGA HOPE sessions and welcomed 327 new graduates. With the program recently surpassing 2,000 graduates across Southern California, the need for continued connection beyond the six-week program is more important than ever.

Graduation from a SoCal PGA HOPE session is not the end of that experience. In many ways, it is only the beginning. Through chapters in San Diego, the Inland Empire, Los Angeles and the Desert, graduates can participate in year-round golf outings, Play Days and other gatherings. Together, these chapters are expected to provide more than 200 post-graduate opportunities this year, helping veterans maintain the friendships they formed during the program while welcoming them into a larger community of support.

At the center of each chapter are SoCal PGA HOPE Chapter Captains, who help ensure every veteran feels welcomed, recognized and connected.

For SoCal PGA HOPE Inland Empire Chapter Captain Will Palacios, that mission can be summed up in one phrase: Camaraderie Before Competition.

“Golf gives us a reason to gather,” Will said. “But it’s the relationships we build before, during and especially after the round that truly matter.”

Will served in the United States Marine Corps for more than two decades. After retiring, he found that one of the most difficult parts of leaving military service was losing the close-knit community that came with it. What he missed most was being surrounded by people who simply understood.

When Will first joined SoCal PGA HOPE, he believed he was signing up for golf lessons and another opportunity to work on his game. Instead, he found the shared purpose and sense of belonging he had been missing.

Through golf, veterans from different branches, generations and walks of life have time to connect without pressure. Conversations happen naturally while walking down a fairway, waiting on a tee box or spending time together after a round.

“Once you step onto the first tee, everyone is just a golfer trying to hit the next good shot,” Will said.

As a Chapter Captain, Will helps create an environment where those relationships can grow. He learns names, introduces new participants to the group and reaches out when someone has not attended recently. He wants every veteran to know that their presence matters and that they are more than another name on a tee sheet.

Will explains that a Chapter Captain does not create camaraderie alone.

“The veterans create it,” he said. “My responsibility is to create opportunities, protect the culture we have built and provide an environment where those connections can naturally grow.”

Across SoCal PGA HOPE, Chapter Captains serve as familiar faces and consistent points of contact as veterans move from the instructional program into the chapter community.

One moment helped Will recognize how meaningful that community could become. After an outing, a veteran approached him, shook his hand and said, “Thank you. This gives us life.”

Until then, Will had often viewed his role through its practical responsibilities: sending emails, organizing outings and building tee sheets. That brief conversation reminded him that the chapter was providing much more than a place to play golf.

It was giving veterans people to look forward to seeing and a community where they would be noticed if they were gone.

That impact is made possible by everyone who helps bring SoCal PGA HOPE to life. Chapter Captains keep veterans connected, PGA Professionals lead each session, and sponsors, donors and the SCPGA Foundation provide the support needed to sustain and grow the program. Together, they show veterans that they are valued, supported and never forgotten.

The success of a SoCal PGA HOPE chapter is not measured by numbers alone. It can be seen in the friendships that continue away from the course, the veterans who begin checking on one another and the support systems that grow naturally over time.

Golf may bring veterans together, but the relationships are what keep them connected.

As Will puts it, “Scorecards get thrown away. Friendships do not.”

DANA POINT, Calif. — The SCPGA Foundation hosted its Third Annual PGA HOPE Charity Golf Tournament on April 13, 2026, at Monarch Beach Golf Links, raising over $50,000 and bringing together supporters and partners for a memorable day in support of PGA HOPE.

PGA HOPE, which stands for Helping Our Patriots Everywhere, is one of the SCPGA Foundation’s five pillars. The program provides free six-week golf instruction for Veterans and Active Duty Military, using the game as a tool to build confidence, foster camaraderie, and support overall well-being in a welcoming and inclusive environment.

This year’s tournament welcomed more than 150 players to one of Southern California’s premier oceanfront courses. After the tournament, players enjoyed a sunset concert performance by Common Kings. The event was filled with great golf, community, and a shared commitment to making a difference for those who have served our country.

“The Monarch Beach PGA HOPE Charity event just continues to get better every year,” said James Davenport, PGA HOPE Coordinator for the Southern California section. “It was a beautiful day for over 150 golfers. Thank you to all who made this event an overwhelming success. The funds generated will go directly to serving our Veterans through PGA HOPE while providing additional opportunities to our PGA HOPE graduates here in Southern California.”

The SCPGA Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to Chairman of the Board Eric Lohman, PGA, and Jackie Riegle, PGA, whose leadership and support helped make the event possible. The Foundation also thanks its generous partners for their support of the tournament, including Yaamava’, The Seaweed Bath Co., Good Boy Golf, Eden Mill Gin, Uncle Ed’s Vodka, GoBatteri, PepsiCo, DRVR, and Monarch Beach Golf Links.

Through the generosity of its supporters and partners, the SCPGA Foundation continues to expand access to programs that positively impact lives throughout Southern California. Events like the PGA HOPE Charity Golf Tournament help ensure that Veterans and Active Duty Military can experience the game of golf in a way that builds community and supports personal growth.

For more information about the SCPGA Foundation and PGA HOPE, visit scpgafoundation.com

The Southern California PGA Foundation has selected sixteen exemplary student-athletes to receive over $70,000 in college scholarships that will further each individuals educational pursuits while enhancing their passion for the game of golf.

The Southern California PGA Foundation’s Grants and Scholarships Program is meant to recognize the hard work effort and determination of each recipient in the Southern California community. The SCPGA Foundation’s sole focus is to assist those in need through a variety of options focused on the game of golf. The life skills associated with the game are unmatched and the SCPGA Foundation views each activity and event as key contributions to a junior’s overall mental, physical, and social development.

Below you will find the scholarship recipients listed along with the university they are attending;

SCPGA Foundation Scholarship – $10,000.00 to each
Adam Anderson, University of Oklahoma
Carlee Verdugo, Rocky Mountain College
Tyler Meister, California Lutheran University
Zebulon Barnes, Lincoln University

Friends of Golf Scholarship – $2,500 to each
Louis DePiro, University of Nevada
Kacey Ly, UCLA
Alysa Davis, University of Maryland Eastern Shores
Andrew Silvas, Cal Poly SLO
Amy Seo, Occidental College

Bob McCurry Memorial Scholarship – $1,300 to each
Caleb Kim, Cal State Long Beach
Ethan Elleraas, Oregon State University
Madigan Escobar, UC Santa Barbara
Maleyna Gregorio, UC Riverside

The Jane Scholarship – $3,500
Viann Casuga, Cal State Long Beach

Rex Cole Scholarship – $500
Keenan Ward, Southern University and A&M College

Giovanni Villani Scholarship – $500
Victoria Takaki, UC Berkeley

Thank you to our SCPGA Foundation supporters for affording us the opportunity to award these scholarships opportunities to some of the best and brightest student-athletes in Southern California.