Supporters Raise Record Amount in College Scholarships for Students Throughout Texas
The 11th Annual Big Tex Golf Classic was a hole-in-one for Texas students. A record-breaking $112,000 was raised at the event, with all proceeds going directly to the Fair’s Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program.
“After a strange year in 2020, people have been enthusiastic about getting back to normal. We had a sold-out course, and the excitement that we have seen toward this year’s Big Tex Golf Classic has been fantastic,” said tournament co-chairs, Kyle Berry and Leslie Chatman. “We set a lofty fundraising goal in anticipation of this excitement, and we are thrilled that we surpassed that goal again.”
One hundred percent of the money raised at this event goes to support the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction and Scholarship Program, which has awarded more than $30 million in auction awards and college scholarships in its history. This program benefits students from across the state who have competed in youth livestock events at the Fair, students attending one of six Dallas DISD high schools surrounding Fair Park, and seasonal employees of the State Fair of Texas.
A competitive 34 teams comprised of 136 golfers competed at the event held at the Tenison Highlands Golf Course in Dallas. The tournament’s first place team members of team Capital Commercial collected the trophy and annual bragging rights with a score of 56. With two teams scoring 57, a scorecard playoff was required. Landing in second place, the team members of Parking Company of America.
Woodrow Wilson High School, a participating school in the Big Tex Scholarship Program, fielded a teenaged foursome scoring a solid 59.
Leslie Chatman sponsored the $5,000 putting contest which resulted in a draw. The Axcent Networks sponsored the $10,000 Hole-in-One contest, which also resulted in a draw.
A special thanks to the following organizations and individuals:
- 2021 Co-Title & Glove Sponsor – Axcent Networks
- Player Merchandise Tent & Tailgate Game Sponsor – Commercial Capital Investments
- Player Shirt Sponsor – Lockton Dunning Benefits
- Big Tex Ball Sponsor – Grapevine Golf Cars
- Player Hat Sponsor – Sendero Consulting
- 30+ valued State Fair of Texas volunteers
The tournament was also sponsored by Marsh & McLennan, National Write Your Congressman, Keurig Dr Pepper, Lone Star Ag Credit, Ben E. Keith, Walne Family Holdings, Bush Rudnicki Shelton, Leslie Chatman, Mark Strickland, ACT Event Services, Republic National Distributing, Susser Bank, and ParkHub.
Team sponsors included United Mechanical, Cigna, MIINC Mechanical Contractors, Frost Bank, Martin Peck, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Steve Gwinn, IberiaBank – First Horizon, Fair Park First/Spectra, World Food Championships, Stratford Group, and Parking Company of America.
We are grateful to our in-kind donors: Lady Walton Cookies, Newport Concessions, Stiffler Concessions, Emergency Ice, Fletcher’s Original State Fair Corny Dogs, Pointer Outfitters, White Lion Safaris, The Network Bar, Jon Hart Design, Outside TX, Tiny Victories, Perot Museum of Nature, Dallas Arboretum, Omni Barton Creek Resort & Spa, Team Golf, Tenison Golf Course, United Mechanical, Mesero, Alto, Liza Page Jewelry and Earl Campbell.
Learn more about the 2021 Big Tex Golf Classic at BigTex.com/Golf.
Learn more about the State Fair’s Big Tex Scholarship Program at BigTex.com/Scholarship.
Learn more about the Big Tex Youth Livestock Auction at BigTex.com/Auction.