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Category: Morton Golf Foundation

Friend of Morton Golf Foundation Jim Sewell

Starting in 2022 Jim Sewell from Optimist Club of Country Club partnered with Morton Golf Foundation to provide a Back-to-School Giveaway for all the students at Robla Elementary School in Sacramento.

This is a low-income neighborhood that appreciates the community coming together to make their coming school year the best.

On Saturday, August 2nd Morton Golf Foundation will again join the Optimist Club of Country Club along with several other non-profits within Sacramento to welcome these students back.

The annual give aways provides these families with their necessities offering new shoes, socks, and underwear along with a fresh haircut and health care tips. The local food bank also makes sure each family goes home with enough food to prepare their next meal.

When the families leave Robla Elementary School after these powerful giveaways their family is not only set for the school year ahead but ready to tackle day to day needs.

Jim Sewell is not only a philanthropist but also a golfer.

Today, June 17th Jim is playing in the 3rd Annual Sacramento Valley Senior Amateur golf tournament at Haggin Oaks on the Alister MacKenzie Golf Course.

Jim has been playing golf for many years and enjoys the competition along with meeting new friends at each event.

Morton Golf Foundation is very proud of our partnership with Jim and the Optimist Club of Country Club.

We hope there are many years ahead where we can continue to make a difference both on and off the course.

Remembering Our Fallen Soldiers This Memorial Day

PGA HOPE enjoys weekly golf rounds, but this Memorial Day was special when Valorie Gleason, PGA HOPE Team Captain, enjoyed her round with six other Veterans.  

Morton Golf Foundation is a PROUD sponsor of PGA HOPE where we Help Our Patriots Everywhere.

PGA HOPE is a flagship military program of PGA Reach and the Northern California PGA Foundation. 

This is a golf program taught by PGA and LPGA Professionals that have been trained in adaptive golf & military culture.

PGA HOPE is open to all Veterans and Active Duty service members to enhance their overall physical and mental well-being.

We thanks all veterans from all branches of our military with a huge salute for their service.

“The Putting Party” Plus Morton Golf Foundation Scholarship Winners

The evening of Wednesday, May 14th, at Haggin Oaks was another glorious night.  The winds were down; a few clouds were in the sky, and the excitement was high for the 13th Annual Morton Golf Foundation “Putting Party” fundraiser.

There were 18 5-person TEAMS created to play in a miniature golf course setting.  There were nearly 100 putters on the MacKenzie Putting Green, laughing and enjoying the beautiful evening.

When the putting was complete everyone moved on to the Pavilion tent to enjoy a buffet dinner, a small silent auction, and awards.

The 2025 Morton Golf Foundation College Scholarship WINNERS and their parents were invited to join in the dinner and show the 100 donors that our future leaders were in the room.

Frank LaRosa was the emcee of the event and as he announced each student’s name, he told us where they graduated from and which college they had chosen.  Frank read a short quote that each student had written in their scholarship application, telling us a little bit about their personality.  When the 20 winners stood before us, we were all so proud, and everyone stood up to clap, knowing our future was in good hands.

Hope to see you next year when there will be new scholarship winners and more leaders on the way.

Morton Golf Foundation Junior Golfer, Sophia Lee Qualifies for 2025 U.S. Women’s Open

Fairfield’s own Sophia Lee, a proud junior golfer of the Morton Golf Foundation junior programs, continues to make waves in the world of golf. The 18-year-old standout has officially qualified for the 2025 U.S. Women’s Open, set for May 28–June 1 at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.

Sophia earned her spot by delivering a stellar performance at the U.S. Open Qualifier hosted at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento. Facing a competitive field of 84 players, she shot an impressive 67-70—137 (5-under), finishing third and securing one of only three qualifying spots.

Local golf fans will remember Sophia not only as the 2024 State Fair Junior Tournament champion but also as a regular on the Sacramento Golf Council’s junior circuit over the past six years. As a longtime participant in Morton Golf Foundation programs, Sophia honed both her golf skills and life skills, growing into one of the Sacramento region’s brightest young golf talents.

“Watching Sophia develop from a young junior golfer into a U.S. Women’s Open qualifier is exactly why the Morton Golf Foundation exists,” said Foundation Representative. “Her success reflects her talent and determination, but also the community that has supported her journey.”

Sophia has verbally committed to  Sacramento State University to play on the Women’s Golf Team. But first, she’ll compete on one of the biggest stages in golf at Erin Hills, carrying with her the pride and support of the entire Morton Golf Foundation family.

Congratulations, Sophia — we’re all cheering you on!

2025 Morton Golf Foundation Scholarship Winners

This year Morton Golf Foundation awarded 20 educational scholarships to graduating high school seniors.

$12,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Dusel Family Scholarship”

Hannah Stouder $12,000.00 / Christian Brothers /Univ. of NV, Reno
“It was hard work on the golf course that taught me how to move from awareness of a problem to action.”

$6,000.00 CATEGORY:

Ishdeep Sodhi $6,000.00 / Vista del Lago HS/ San Jose State
“Golf is more than a sport. It is a mirror that reflects who you are when things get tough. It conveys how you respond to adversity, how you treat others, and how you carry yourself even when nobody’s looking.”

$4,400.00 CATEGORY:

“Pat Mailey Memorial Scholarship”

Sabina Han $4,400.00 / Vista del Lago HS /Univ. of Pittsburgh
“Golf has shaped me into an active, outgoing person who loves to meet and befriend new people.”

“Kevin Sharp Memorial Scholarship”

Lily McGowen $4,400.00 / Union Mine HS / CSU Northridge
“My ultimate goal is life is to create positive change on my campus, the golf course, and in every community I am a part of.”

“Ava Bolima Memorial Scholarship”

Gwyneth O’Brien $4,400.00 / St. Francis / St. Mary’s College
“I am grateful for the way the core value of perseverance has not only helped me out on the course, but also shaped my approach to facing challenges in other aspects of my life.”

$3,500.00 CATEGORY:

“Valley Hi Women’s Golf Group”

Petra Yee $3,500.00 /Pleasant Grove HS / Williams College
“I was determined to work hard in everything I possibly could because I knew it could open up opportunities for me in the future.”

$2,500.00 CATEGORY:

“Jane & Rob Siebers Community Service Award”

Mason Pham $2,500.00 / Franklin HS / Consumnes River
“Through my experiences with the Morton Golf Foundation, I realized my strengths and found confidence in who I am.”

Marcus Leong $2,500.00 / Vista del Lago HS/ UC San Diego
“The single most impactful experience I’ve had in golf was developing the Par for Life Unified Golf Program. Through this program, I had the opportunity to work with students with disabilities, introducing them to the fundamentals of golf while also helping teach valuable life skills.”

“Sacramento Golf Council”

Aniruddh Mohan $2,500.00 / Mira Loma HS / UC Berkeley
“I have learned significant core values, like integrity and courtesy, which I use on the golf course and will continue to use on a day-to-day basis for the remainder of my life.”

$2,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Scenic View Wines Scholarship”

Matthew Kersting $2,000.00 / Bella Vista HS / UCSB
“I believe my passion, for becoming a better golfer and for becoming a better person, sets me apart from others.”

$1,600.00 CATEGORY:

“Murray Family Charitable Trust”

Avery Sousa $1,600.00 / Elk Grove HS / Chico State
“The game of golf has taught me that the biggest advantage you can give yourself is honesty and integrity, because it is how to see what needs to be approved upon.”

$1,500.00 CATEGORY:

“Western Engineering Contractors Scholarship”

Sophie Cook $1,500.00 / Pleasant GroveHS / CSU Northridge
“I’ve always done so many different sports when I was younger, but nothing has taught me commitment and honesty like golf has.”

$1,000.00 CATEGORY:

“Bosley Electric Company Scholarship”

Iliana Mao $1,000.00 / Laguna Creek HS / Consumnes River
“The core values that I have taken from golf include balance and resilience.”

“David Scott Scholarship”

Sahil Nathoo $1,000.00/ Pleasant Grove HS/ College TBD
“Patience is something golf has instilled in me through both success and failure.”

Jayden Lizama $1,000.00 / Franklin HS / Gonzaga Univ.
“My dream and goal ever since I was a little kid was to be playing on the PGA TOUR and winning a Major.”

Akira Ransi $1,000.00 / Folsom HS / CSU, Fresno
“I choose honesty as the most significant of the core values. I see it as a common denominator that connects to other values.”

Leiah Hicks $1,000.00 / Colfax HS / Santa Barbara City
“One of the greatest skills I have learned from golfing is patience.”

Nicholas Le $1,000.00/ Vista del Lago HS / CSU Fullerton
“Golf has also shown me that anything is possible with genuine dedication and consistent effort.”

Mindy Moore $1,000.00 / Monterey Trail HS / UC Davis
“I am forever grateful I decided to join Golf and thankful for the experiences and new doors it opened for me.”

Justin Wallace $1,000.00 / McClatchy HS / UC Davis
“My role as the team captain was to make everyone feel like they were part of an extended family.”

Congratulations to all of our scholarship winners. We look forward to seeing their continued success!

2nd Annual AJGA “Sacramento Junior Championship Presented by Morton Golf Foundation

The 2nd Annual AJGA Sacramento Junior Championship, Presented by Morton Golf Foundation, was held from April 17 to 20 and was a huge success!

Evan Liu from Rancho Santa Fe, CA won the Overall Winner and Boys Championship with an impressive minus 16.

Victoria Cui from Atherton, CA was the Girls Champion with a score of minus 12.

These are very impressive scores from these juniors!

The skies were shining bright with mild temperatures all week.  There was a full field of 96 junior from the ages of 12 – 19 from all over the world.

We are already planning for April 2 – 5, 2026 next year.

Hope to see you there!

PGA HOPE Receives Adaptive Cart from Morton Golf Foundation

Last year, Suzy Schneider, Program Manager for PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) was asked to speak at a Morton Golf Foundation Board meeting regarding their programs and helping Veterans through the game of golf.

Golfer standing in adaptive cart
Golfer sitting in adaptive cart
Adaptive Cart Golfer and Golfer in wheelchair
PGA Hope Sign at Swenson Park

When Suzy ended up telling us all the wonderful things that PGA HOPE does one of our board members asked, “What does PGA HOPE need?”.  Suzy answered back, “An adaptive cart to continue to help our wounded Veterans play with everyone else”.

When Suzy left the meeting our board of directors voted to buy PGA HOPE an adaptive cart so they could continue their mission.

Just recently a VertaCat cart was delivered to Swenson Park Golf Course in Stockton because PGA HOPE knows that would be the best location to reach as many wounded veterans as possible.

The founder and creator of the VertaCat adaptive cart is Anthony Netto.  He was a huge part in making this happen.  He is not only the designer of this cart but also spends his time growing the non-profit “Stand Up and Play” Foundation. Their mission is to give wheelchair users and those with mobility challenges the chance to stand up again, to experience the empowerment of looking someone in the eye, and to experience the freedom to play sports.   It’s simple. Their goal is to give as many people as possible the gift of standing up.

Morton Golf Foundation continues to be proud of these relationships as we all grow golfers one player at a time.

The Andy Classic Memorial Golf Tournament Benefiting Junior Golf

Andy Paisal, past Golf Rep for GT Golf and Bag Boy passed away last year.  Andy was a recognized junior golfer in the Northern California and well known by Haggin Oaks staff.

His family wanted to remember him for what Andy did best, giving back to junior golf.  When Andy was ever asked to support Junior golf, he never said, No.  Every time he continued to give back and pay it forward.

Last Friday, October 4th was Andy’s birthday and that was the day his family chose to remember him in a charity golf tournament called “The Andy Classic”.

The proceeds were given to Morton Golf Foundation who will continue to pass it on to local youth, disabled and underserved throughout the year.  

Thanks to Andy as he is still putting smiles on the faces as his good deeds continue.

LIVE from Pebble Beach at The PURE Championship

LIVE from Pebble Beach at PURE Championship

First Tee Juniors and Family at PURE Championship at Pebble Beach
First Tee Juniors and Family at PURE Championship at Pebble Beach
First Tee Juniors and Family at PURE Championship at Pebble Beach

Once a year the PGA Champions TOUR partners with the First Tee juniors from Chapters across the country.

This year, five juniors were selected from the First Tee – Greater Sacramento to play in this event. They were Sahil Nathoo, Abigail Lin, Gianna Singh, Ish Sodhi, Hannah Stouder.

On Saturday they play once again with their chosen PGA Pro hoping to make the cut so they can play again on Sunday.

Every junior player said the same thing when asked if they were having a good week at Pebble Beach, “This is as close as I have been to playing on the PGA TOUR.” They are all living their golf dream.