The 14th Annual Big Tex Golf Classic was a hole-in-one for Texas students. A record-breaking $212,500 was raised at the event, with all proceeds going directly to the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Programs to help fund education for students throughout the Lone Star State.
Through special fundraising events last year, including the Big Tex Golf Classic, the State Fair of Texas raised more than $2.1 million in 2023 to support students throughout the Lone Star State in auction awards and new college scholarships. The Big Tex Scholarship Program benefits students from across the state who have competed in youth livestock events at the State Fair, students attending one of six Dallas ISD high schools surrounding Fair Park, and longtime seasonal employees of the State Fair of Texas.
The annual Big Tex Golf Classic event, chaired by Zack Lamp with HKS and Caleb Robinson with Robinson Growth Partners, led a competitive 77 teams that included 308 golfers and five area high school teams competing at the event held at both Tenison Golf Courses in Dallas, The Highlands, and The Glen. First and second-place teams, per course, took home the trophies and annual bragging rights. Taking second place honors on The Glen was Lake Highlands High School with a score of 58. Leading the course in first place was the team from Ben E Keith Beverages, with a score of 56. On the Highlands, second place went to Grapevine Golf Cars with a score of 55, and All-American Turf Solutions took home first place with a score of 52.
Keeping the tradition alive, local high school teams played alongside our donors, who sponsored the student teams. High School team sponsors included Davey Davis/Andrew Prine, Southwest Construction Services, Talley-Riggins Construction Group, Pave Growth Capital, Bush Rudnicki Shelton, 5555 N. Beach, Capital Commercial Investments, and Brasfield & Gorrie.
Younger Partners sponsored Closest to Pin contests on each course, and winners received $500 gift cards for Calloway Golf. Longest Drive Contests were also held on each course and were sponsored by The Gwinn Foundation on the Highlands Course and Walne Family Holdings on the Glen Course. Winners received a $250 gift for Terry Black’s BBQ and Texas Rangers tickets. Additional on-course activations and prizes were offered throughout both courses and were sponsored by Frontier Airlines, The Nelson Golf and Sports Club, Costa, Lone Star Ag Trust, and HKS.
“The 14th Annual Big Tex Golf Classic proved nothing short of exceptional. From a record number of participating golfers and teams to a record-breaking amount raised, our dedicated group of donors came ready to support Texas students,” said State Fair of Texas President Mitchell Glieber. “The nearly $213,000 raised goes a long way in funding Texas students’ higher education through the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program. We are so grateful to all of our donors, sponsors, volunteers, and staff who made this event possible and are looking forward to continuing our fundraising efforts for years to come.”
A special thanks to the following organizations for sponsoring the tournament:
- Tournament Tumbler: Atmos Energy
- Player Ball Sponsor: Grapevine Golf Carts
- Breakfast Sponsor: Kahn Mechanical Contractors
- Lunch Sponsor: New York Life
- Tournament Shirt Sponsor: Marsh McClennan Agency
- Social Hour Sponsor: Ruibals Plants of Texas
- Tournament Glove sponsor: Texas Building Controls
- Tournament Towel sponsor: Merrill Lynch Price and Associates
- Tournament Hat Sponsor: PXP Solutions
- State Fair of Texas Scholars Sponsor: HKS
- Putting Contest Sponsors: Raising Canes and All-American Turf Solutions
- Tent Sponsor: National Write Your Congressman
- Beverage Stations Sponsors on the Highlands Course:
- The Guardian Life Insurance Company
- Cigna Healthcare
- Ashford Building Solutions
- Hello Deluxe Carwash
- Beverage Station Sponsors on the Glen Course:
- Robinson Growth Partners
- Kangaroo Cases
- Keurig Dr Pepper
- Snelling Homes
- Golf Tees and Divot Fixer Sponsor: Dallas Sports Commission
- Team Photo Sponsor: Miller Services
- Ball Marker Sponsor: ParkHub
- Closest to the Pin: Younger Partners on both Highlands Course and Glen Course
- Driving Range Sponsor: Frontier Airlines
- More than 65 valued volunteers participated from the State Fair’s Chairman’s Task Force & State Fair staff.
Special thanks to our Benefactor Donors: Brad and Angela Bowman, Penn Davis McFarland, Inc., and United Healthcare.
The Live Auction included six one-of-a-kind packages and raised $20,000. We are very grateful to our Live Auction Donors: Pointer Outfitters, Team Golf, Ag Trust Farm Credit, Ft. Worth Sheraton, Hall Arts Hotel, Dallas Chamber Symphony, Maple and Motor Restaurant, Trinity Dallas FC, Woodbine, The Albany Group, Live at Lowes, Hyatt Lost Pines Resort, Bent Tree Country Club, Royal Oaks Country Club, The Nelson Golf and Sports Club, Lajitas Golf Resort, and Travis Matthew.
Learn more about the 2024 Big Tex Golf Classic at BigTex.com/Golf.
Learn more about the Big Tex Scholarship Program at BigTex.com/Scholarship.