The Ouimet Fund welcomed nearly 1,500 guests to Encore Boston Harbor on Thursday, March 21 to celebrate its 75th anniversary at the 2024 Annual Banquet, the largest attended banquet since the Centennial Event in 2013. The Fund was proud to present Hall of Famer Juli Inkster with the Francis Ouimet Award for Lifelong Contributions to Golf.
Click below for links to all banquet videos and speakers, and continue reading for a full recap and photo gallery from another memorable evening at the Encore!
INTRO VIDEOS: 75th Anniversary | Student Speaker Nate Ingram | Honoree Juli Inkster
BANQUET SPEAKERS: President Duncan Gratton | Executive Director Colin McGuire | Connolly Award Recipient Jim Blue | Student Speaker Nate Ingram | Banquet Co-Chair Alison Walshe | Honoree Juli Inkster Q&A with Judy Rankin
The night began with a special video presentation to highlight The Fund’s 75th anniversary. Over the last 75 years, The Fund has awarded over $50 million in scholarships to more than 6,600 recipients. Executive Director Colin McGuire and President Duncan Gratton thanked The Fund’s donors and supporters while setting a future goal to cover 75% of unmet need for Ouimet Scholars.
Former Ouimet Fund President Jim Blue was the recipient of the Richard F. Connolly, Jr. Distinguished Service Award. Blue has made a significant financial impact on Scholars through various Ouimet programs along with his firms and peers. He is also an advocate for hiring young people and prioritizing youth caddies as a managing partner of Sacconnesset Golf Club in Falmouth.
Student Speaker Nate Ingram received a standing ovation following his speech about overcoming family adversity as a child and the loss of his father after high school. Ingram is a graduating senior at the University of Rhode Island who worked as a caddie at Boston Golf Club in Hingham, which helped provide stability and support following his father’s passing.
Inkster finished the night with an engaging fireside chat, moderated by fellow Hall of Famer Judy Rankin. The longtime friends discussed Inkster’s start in golf as a 15-year-old employee at Pasatiempo Golf Club in her hometown of Santa Cruz, California. Juli also shared her appreciation for the special named endowed scholarship created at the Ouimet Fund in honor of her parents Carole and Jack Simpson.
During her remarkable career, Inkster won three straight U.S. Amateur titles, seven major championships, 31 LPGA events, and seven Solheim Cups, including two as the U.S. team captain. She is a member of the LPGA and World Golf Hall of Fames and received the 2022 Bob Jones Award, the highest honor given by the USGA.
