Timeline :: 1999 - 2008
1999
The Ouimet Fund celebrates its 50th Anniversary in several ways:
The Fund awards its third “Francis Ouimet Award for Lifelong Contributions to Golf” to Ryder Cup Captain Ben Crenshaw at sold out 50th Anniversary Banquet at Westin Copley Place Hotel. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is Honorary Chairman and Bob McDonald of 1949 Ouimet Scholarship class is Alumni Speaker.
The Fund announces a supplemental addition of $75,000 to the 1998-99 scholarship, bringing the total to $725,000.
The Fund announces the establishment of an endowed scholarship in the name of Charlie Crenshaw, Ben Crenshaw’s father, from the proceeds of the 50th Annual Banquet. In addition to the Crenshaw Award, five other endowed scholarships were created, including Ouimet Fund Trustee Raymond Faxon establishing a major endowed award for Cape Cod scholars .
The Women’s Golf Association of Massachusetts/Dolly Sullivan Scholarship is also formalized that year. Proceeds of the annual Dolly Sullivan tournament are contributed to the endowment every year. It is The Fund’s first endowed scholarship for young women.
Bob Pack of Texas makes a life-size statue of the famous Francis and Eddie image which is unveiled at the World Golf Hall of Fame. A second life-size statue is brought to The Country Club for the Ryder Cup, and now is at Brookline Golf Club at Putterham.
Tom Martin, Boston College Hockey Hall of Famer, won the Inaugural Lowery Division title of the Ouimet Memorial which is for players over 50, and was presented with a replica of the Bob Pack statue.
Ouimet Fund produces 50th Anniversary Brochure.
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2000
Ouimet Fund awards 4th Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award to Curtis Strange, winner of the 1988 U.S. Open at The Country Club.
The Fund establishes the Richard F. Connolly, Jr. Distinguished Service Award, presented each year at the Annual Banquet. The first recipients are Charlie Fox, Denny Goodrich, and Mark Robinson.
The Fund was presented the Golf Digest Earl Woods Trophy in honor of its 50 year history and for its dedication to the inner city initiatives, especially its work with the Franklin Park Caddie Scholars Program.
The year 2000 saw six new Endowed Scholarships for The Fund.
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2001
The 2001 Annual Banquet is another hit, this time honoring two golf legends in Eddie Lowery and Ken Venturi. Andrew Curcio, Wendell Fitch, and Richard R. Stimets were awarded the Distinguished Service Award at the event.
Frank Vana, Jr. won the 2001 Ouimet Memorial Tournament, becoming only the second player to win multiple titles. Arnold Palmer succeeds the late Gene Sarazen as Honorary Chairman of the event.
Continuing the recent trend, four more Endowed Scholarships were created, including the Heritage Award for inner city scholars.
Ouimet Fund Alumnus Allen Doyle wins the Champions Tour’s season long points race, The Schwab Cup, and designates part of the $1 Million annuity to the Heritage Fund.
The Ouimet Fund starts its “Ouimet Chair of the Year” award. Dr. Lee Othon and Henry and Carolyn Savage are the first recipients.
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2002
The Fund awards a record $941,909 to 350 scholars from across the state.
The 2002 Annual Banquet honored former President George H.W. Bush in front of 1,700 attendees at the Boston Marriott Copley Place. Trustee Raymond Faxon was honored with the Distinguished Service Award.
Frank Vana, Jr. won his third Ouimet Memorial and second in a row, becoming the only player to ever accomplish both feats.
2002 was another great year for Endowed Growth, as The Fund created four more permanent scholarships.
Mark Frost’s book Greatest Game Ever Played is released. The Fund assists Mr. Frost with research for the book.
The Fund moves its offices to the William F. Connell Golf House at TPC Boston.
The Ouimet Fund starts its “Honorary Alumni” award. Denny Goodrich is the inaugural recipient. ________________________________________________________________
2003
In 2003, The Fund awarded Chi Chi Rodriguez with the 8th Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award. Bill Foley, Sr. was the Distinguished Service Award recipient.
The Fund awarded $975,000 to 350 students in another record year.
2003 was another great year for endowed scholarships as six more were created. The Fund also began the annual Endowed Reception where endowed winners can meet those who established the scholarships.
The PGA TOUR’s Deutsche Bank Championship begins, and Ouimet Scholars work as caddies in the event’s Pro-Am’s.
2003 saw the start of a new award and major endowed scholarship fund raiser, The Spirit of Golf. The inaugural winner was John J. McCafferty. Proceeds from this event created the John J. McCafferty Scholarship.
Allen Doyle participates in the first of five annual “Doyle Day” fundraisers with The Fund.
The Fund experiments with “Survivor” putting event fundraiser at daily fee courses
The special Dale Carnegie Course Program begins for Ouimet Scholars and is held annually.
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2004
Nancy Lopez was the first woman honored with the 9th Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award at the Annual Banquet. Walter Lankau, Owner of Stow Acres Country Club won the Distinguished Service Award.
Alison Walshe won the first Women’s Division title in the Ouimet Memorial Tournament.
Endowed Scholarships were up again in 2004 with seven more being added, including the Tiger Woods Foundation Scholarship.
The Roche Brothers were honored with the second Spirit of Golf.
Ouimet’s book A Game of Golf is re-printed with foreword by Ben Crenshaw.
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2005
The Fund set a new scholarship record by awarding $1 Million to a record 362 students across the state.
The Shark was in town as The Fund honored Greg Norman with the 10th Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award. Banquet Chair Peter Maich won the Distinguished Service Award. The banquet moved to a new location at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.
Endowed Scholarships had another great year with the addition of seven new permanent awards.
John Hamill was given the third Spirit of Golf Award at an outing at The Country Club.
Mark Frost’s book Greatest Game Ever Played is turned into a Disney movie. The premiere is held in North Attleboro and there are receptions at the TPC Boston clubhouse and William F. Connell Golf House . ________________________________________________________________
2006
The Fund continued on its record setting ways by awarding $1.15 Million to 312 scholars.
Golf’s funnyman Peter Jacobsen was the 2006 recipient of the Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award at the 57th Annual Banquet. Mark Frost, Author of Greatest Game Ever Played and The Match, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award.
Frank Vana, Jr. wins his record 4th Ouimet Memorial Tournament. Alison Walshe capped off a rare three-peat in the Women’s Division as the only player to win the title since its creation.
2006 was a banner year for Endowed Scholarships as 11 new awards were created.
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2007
The Fund celebrated another record year by awarding $1.3 Million to 338 scholars.
The Fund honored golf’s most famous couple, Jack and Barbara Nicklaus at the 58th Annual Banquet in front of 2,100 guests. It was the largest golf dinner ever held in the United States. Tom Martin, Head of Cramer Productions and Ouimet Director, was awarded the Distinguished Service Award.
The Ouimet Marathon celebrates 15 years and over $3 Million raised.
The Fund had another banner year with Endowed Scholarships as seven new ones were created.
Jerry York, NCAA Championship winning Head Coach of the Boston College Eagles Hockey Team, is honored with the 4th Spirit of Golf Award.
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2008
The Fund had its biggest year on record, awarding $1.5 Million in scholarships to 328 scholars, bringing the average award to $6,000. The past 10 years have seen $10,161,909 awarded to 1,046 scholars, and $19.2 Million to 4,500 over the past 60 years!
Gary Player, the world’s most traveled athlete and a fine humanitarian, is honored with the 13th Lifelong Contributions to Golf Award at the 59th Annual Banquet. Mr. Player made a surprise contribution of $100,000 to the endowed scholarship that was created in his parents names. Anne Marie Tobin, one of the greatest female amateur golfers in the state and a Ouimet Director and former President, was given the Distinguished Service Award.
Jay Driscoll of Wollaston won the Ouimet Memorial and Carter Fasick won the Lowery Division. Brittany Weddell won the Women’s Division. Richard F. Connolly, Jr. was honored for his 30 years as Chairman of the event.
Mr. Connolly was honored later that year as 700 of his closest friends and family gathered at the 5th Spirit of Golf Award in a gala dinner. The proceeds created the Richard F. Connolly, Jr. Scholarship, The Funds largest endowed award.
The Connolly Scholarship was one of six Endowed Scholarships created in 2008. Included in that number is one in honor of golf writer Herbert Warren Wind, who was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame later that year.
To commemorate the Herbert Warren Wind Endowed Scholarship, a display was created in the Golf House museum, along with a Greatest Game Ever Played display in the Ouimet Room.
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1949-1958 | 1959-1968 | 1969-1978 | 1979-1988 | 1989-1998 | 1999-2008