The First Tee received $72.8 million in pledges and gifts

• By Golf Channel Digital
• May 9, 2012 2:45 PM ET

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The First Tee has received $72.8 million in pledges and gifts toward The First Tee Campaign for 10 Million Young People, PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem and The First Tee chief executive Joe Louis Barrow announced jointly on Wednesday.

“This is wonderful news, which can be attributed to the hard work and generosity of many individuals,” Finchem said. “While great progress has been made, there is yet more work ahead as we focus on reaching our goal of $100 million by the end of 2012.”

Launched last July at the Nature Valley First Tee Open in Pebble Beach, The First Tee Campaign for 10 Million Young People is an effort to raise $100 million by the end of 2012, which will allow the organization to expand its programs at chapters, in schools and at other youth-serving locations, with the goal of reaching 10 million additional young people between 2011 and 2017.

Barrow added, “The campaign is significant for many reasons as it will give us the ability to administer a matching grant program for The First Tee chapters – helping build local capacity – as well as important initiatives including growing the National School Program, research and curriculum enhancements.”

Further updates will be announced regularly between now and the conclusion of the campaign. For more information about The First Tee Campaign for 10 Million Young People, visit www.thefirsttee.org/campaign.