July 2025 - First Tee - Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky

Finley Mentzel aspires to make positive changes in her community

Through golf, young people can find more than athletic skill. They can discover a pathway to personal growth, leadership development and lasting community impact.

For 17-year-old Finley Mentzel, First Tee has been an integral part of her leadership journey. The guidance and support Finley has experienced through First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky have been foundational in developing her character both on and off the course, she said.

This summer, Finley will attend First Tee’s Game Changers Academy. Now in its 25^th year, the weeklong event brings together teens from across the country for meaningful discussions on self-awareness, inclusive leadership and community building – skills they will carry with them throughout their lives.

“This experience has inspired me to lead and make a difference on and off the course,” she said. “I’ve learned so much and want to create more positive change in my community,” Finley said.

Finley joined First Tee – Greater Cincinnati & Northern Kentucky at age 8 with her older brother Henry, who’s now a First Tee Scholar, and fraternal twin Tiernan, an attendee at the First Tee’s Game Changers Academy in 2024. Throughout her golf journey, Finley has received mentorship that she believes has shaped her into the athlete, student and friend she is.

“First Tee helped me by teaching me life skills in how to manage work, hard teachers and to set smaller goals to accomplish larger ones,” said Finley. “The First Tee lessons and coaches have helped me accomplish many things both big and small.”

Finley currently serves as a volunteer coach and participant advisor, known by her coaches and peers for her patience and ability to connect with participants of all skill levels.

Last fall, Finley attended the First Tee Innovator’s Forum in Phoenix, Arizona. Her experience resulted in a community service project that aims to connect chapter alumni with current participants. Her chapter is currently working to implement it.

Finley plans to pursue a career in the health care industry after college with hopes of someday working in a children’s hospital. She hopes to combine her passion for working with children with her desire to make an impact on her community.

Mayo Clinic supports First Tee’s Game Changers Academy, helping to prepare the next generation of leaders, including those in the health care industry like Finley.

Learn more about Game Changers Academy and follow this week’s activities on social.

80 First Tee teens selected to compete during PGA TOUR Champions’ PURE Insurance Championship at Pebble Beach

Golf Channel announced the full field of teens which includes exceptional students, tournament winners and committed collegiate golfers

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. (July 8, 2025) – First Tee and PGA TOUR Champions are proud to announce the 80 exceptional teens selected to compete in the 2025 PURE Insurance Championship Impacting First Tee, to be held September 19–21 at the iconic Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course.

The annual tournament is hosted by PURE Insurance and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and broadcast internationally on Golf Channel. It uniquely pairs First Tee participants with PGA TOUR Champions professionals and amateurs from the business world for a week of competition and mentorship. The teens, ages 15 to 18, represent 48 First Tee chapters nationwide and will compete for the male and female pro-junior titles.

Participants were chosen based on both their golf skills and personal growth through First Tee’s youth development programs. This year’s class boasts an average GPA of 3.89 and nearly seven years of involvement with First Tee.

“The PURE Insurance Championship is more than a golf tournament — it’s a celebration of the dedication, perseverance and character of First Tee juniors,” said Katie Krum, Chief Marketing Officer at PURE Insurance. “Having experienced firsthand the lasting impact of youth sports, I am proud to support such a worthy cause and thrilled to share that we have extended our title sponsorship commitment through 2029 and continue championing these inspiring young leaders.”

The 2025 junior field was announced live on Golf Channel, featuring an interview with Dylan Au, an alumnus of First Tee – Greater Seattle, who competed in the 2024 PURE Insurance Championship alongside Fred Couples. Au will begin pre-med classes at the University of Washington this fall.

In addition, Marley Pedrique of First Tee – Florida Gold Coast earned an exemption into the tournament by finishing third at the 2025 First Tee National Championship, held in June at the University of Notre Dame’s Warren Course.

“This moment represents years of hard work and dedication for these 80 teens,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of First Tee. “Thanks to our partners at PURE Insurance, PGA TOUR Champions, Pebble Beach Resorts, the Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Golf Channel for supporting this event. It is a week filled with incredible golf, mentorship and invaluable life lessons.”

This year’s PGA TOUR Champions field will include legends such as David Duval, Ernie Els, Vijay Singh and defending champion Paul Broadhurst. Clint Eastwood returns as chairman of the PURE Insurance Championship.

Tournament play begins Friday on both Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hill Golf Course. Following Saturday’s rounds, the top 24 juniors will advance to Sunday’s final round at Pebble Beach, where one male and one female First Tee participant will be crowned champions.

The junior field for 2025 PURE Insurance Championship can be viewed here.

For more information on the tournament, visit PUREInsuranceChampionship.com.

Game Changers Academy – First Tee’s longest running participant event – celebrates 25 years of impact

The speaker lineup will feature a who’s who of Minnesota sports legends, including Maya Moore and John Randle.

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (July 8, 2025) – Over the last quarter century, thousands of First Tee participants have attended Game Changers Academy Honoring Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., the nonprofit youth development organization’s flagship event, where they learn about inclusive leadership and community building. First Tee proudly announces the event’s 25^th anniversary edition will take place July 8-12, 2025, in Minneapolis. Seventy-two exceptional teens from across the country will participate in the transformative week of leadership training and personal growth that will include visits to U.S. Bank Stadium and Topgolf Brooklyn Center, as well as the opportunity to stay on-campus at the University of Minnesota.

The First Tee Game Changers Academy is supported by AWS, Mayo Clinic and Topgolf Callaway Brands, and is designed to challenge participants to elevate their voices, embrace their differences and become advocates for positive change, both on and off the golf course. As First Tee’s longest running participant event, it paved the way for a full slate of unique teen opportunities.

The 2025 First Tee Game Changers Academy is headlined by guest speaker Maya Moore, a Minnesota Lynx legend who will be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. Moore is an Olympic gold medalist, WNBA MVP and college basketball national champion. She’ll speak at a celebratory dinner supported by U.S. Bank. Throughout the week, participants will also spend time with NFL Hall of Famer John Randle and current Minnesota Vikings rookies, while engaging in interactive workshops, challenging conversations and immersive golf experiences.

“The Game Changers Academy is about giving young people the tools, confidence and support they need to become changemakers in their communities,” said First Tee CEO Greg McLaughlin. “We are proud to celebrate the event’s 25^th anniversary this year and grateful to our dedicated partners – AWS, Mayo Clinic and Topgolf Callaway Brands – for making it possible.”

First Tee continues to serve children and teens of all backgrounds, using golf as a vehicle to build life skills and core values like integrity, collaboration and perseverance.

For more information about the Game Changers Academy and First Tee’s national opportunities, visit firsttee.org .

How Stephen Im has gone from First Tee participant to game changer

Stephen Im’s golf story is about giving back to the community that helped shape him.

Stephen grew up in the inner city of San Diego, just minutes from Pro Kids, home of First Tee – San Diego. It was the 1990s, and “Tiger Mania” had a whole generation dreaming big. For Stephen, First Tee – San Diego quickly became his second home. “I describe my time at First Tee as the best years of my youth, when life was simple,” he said.

His journey through First Tee wasn’t just about swing mechanics or lowering scores — it was about building character and finding belonging. “The reason I credit much of my own development to First Tee has to do with my involvement during my teenage years,” he said. Being multiracial, Stephen struggled at times with identity and community, he said. “Learning who I was and what made me unique led me to develop better judgement.”

One defining moment of his youth came when Stephen was selected to attend the very first Game Changers Academy at Kansas State University. From navigating dorm life to playing one of the toughest golf courses in the country, Colbert Hills, the week was packed with new experiences.

Returning to Game Changers for a special anniversary

This year, Stephen returns to Game Changers Academy — not as a participant, but as a coach and mentor. The event, which focuses on inclusive leadership and community building, is taking place in Minneapolis and celebrating its 25^th anniversary this summer.

Stephen is excited to be involved so he can help teens expand their horizons, just as he did decades ago. “There’s something about visiting another community that opens your eyes to the world we share with others,” he said. He hopes participants walk away with broadened perspectives — and the courage to inspire others through their experiences.

More than anything, Stephen is excited to spark those lightbulb moments. “Guiding teens to find their place in the world and giving them a safe space to express themselves. That’s what this work is about,” he said.

Coaching with Purpose

Since getting involved as a kid, golf has been an important part of Stephen’s life. While earning his degree from Cal Poly Pomona, he joined First Tee – Greater Pasadena as a coach and found his calling.

Over the years, Stephen wore many hats: coach, mentor and leader, becoming a Level 4 coach in 2020. Through his eight years in Pasadena, he watched young participants grow from beginners to high school graduates, and they, in turn, witnessed his own evolution.

Stephen returned to San Diego in 2023, and now he’s back in the same neighborhood where it all began, allowing him to bring experience and relatability “For the kids I get to work with now, I can literally say, ‘I’ve been in your shoes,’” he said.

He credits his own growth to the coaches who once saw his potential: “I can still describe a specific conversation with a coach from 30 years ago,” he said. “That’s the power of intentional mentorship.” He now strives to be a mentor for others by helping kids find their own strengths.

The Game Changers Academy is part of First Tee’s full slate of national participant opportunities designed to keep teens engaged with the program. First Tee offers leadership programs, a girls empowerment event, competitive golf opportunities and a community service workshop.