FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, Feb. 6, 2020

JOHN TUCKER HONORED WITH AWARD; OTHERS RECOGNIZED AT 8th CELEBRATION OF BANQUET

-Record 325 in attendance at TPC Sawgrass; Event sells out for fifth year in a row-

JACKSONVILLE, FL – Despite a 75-seat increase, a sellout crowd of 325 turned out on Wednesday evening at TPC Sawgrass for the 8th annual Celebration of Golf Banquet. The highlight of the evening came when John Tucker was presented the Deane Beman Award for a lifetime of contributions to professional golf and other community-benefitting activities, with numerous other 2019 award recipients also recognized.

Tucker and the former PGA TOUR commissioner Beman were the two individuals most responsible for the TOUR’s move to Northeast Florida in 1976. The former being the driving force behind the community effort to lure the TOUR to the Jacksonville area, and Beman the forward-thinking TOUR commissioner.

Tucker was introduced by two-time JAGA president and JAGA director from Timuquana Country Club Fred Seely. After Beman presented the award to Tucker, the two engaged in a “fireside chat” that reviewed and reflected on their key interactions and successes in the 1970s and 80s. Former PGA TOUR executive and longtime Beman friend Duke Butler III moderated the discussion.

Perhaps the highlight of those many successes is the $100 million TOUR events have generated for North Florida charities. “Deane’s accomplishments are the gift that keeps on giving,” Tu c k e r r e m a r k e d .

As banquet chairman and Timuquana JAGA director Michael McKenny said, “Deane’s leadership made it possible and John was the person who put everything together, convincing North Florida leaders to do everything possible to sell the area.”

Prior to the TOUR’s headquarters move from the Washington, D.C. area to Ponte Vedra Beach, Tucker engineered the return of professional golf to Jacksonville in 1965 and the former Selva Marina Country Club. The Greater Jacksonville Open was the forerunner to THE PLAYERS being staged in Ponte Vedra Beach beginning in 1977.

Tucker enjoyed a career with the telephone company before joining Florida Publishing Company (owner of the Florida Times-Union until it was sold in 1983 to Morris Communications) as general manager in 1963. He created “The Redcoats”, the leadership group for THE PLAYERS, and served as tournament director for several years in the mid-80s. The Ft. Pierce native and University of Florida graduate was also influential in attracting the World Golf Hall of Fame to St. Augustine in the 1990s.

Tucker is the sixth recipient of the Beman award, following in the footsteps of Deane Beman (2014), Herb Peyton (2015), John Hayt (2016), Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. (2017) and Anne Nimnicht (2018).

Deane Beman (left) presents Deane Beman Award to John Tucker (Photo Credit / JAGA)

In addition to Tucker, the following people and organizations were recognized:

Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association Award (presented by former president Suzanne LaPlante) • 2019-20 JWGA Championship Award – Shari Zeimetz (Queen’s Harbour Y&CC)

Former JWGA President Suzanne LaPlante (left) with Championship Award winner Shari Zeimetz (Photo Credit / Ponte Vedra Recorder)

2019 JAGA Awards (presented by Randy Nader, President/JAGA) • Club Executive of the Year – Bruce Mohler (Jax Beach GC) • Community Service Award – Bill Hughes (PGA TOUR/TPC Sawgrass) • Director of the Year – Thomas Bozzuto (Hyde Park GC) • Earl and Eleanor Kelly Long-Time Service Award – Emily Brown (Eagle Harbor GC) • Professional of the Year – Clint Avret (Timuquana CC)

JAGA Award Winners: (left to right) Randy Nader, Bruce Mohler, Emily Brown, Thomas Bozzuto, Molly Hughes (for Bill Hughes) (Photo Credit / Ponte Vedra Recorder)

Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA Awards (presented by Tim Cooper, Chapter President) • Amateur of the Year – Therese Quinn (Deerwood CC) • PGA Professional of the Year – Jennifer Borocz (North Florida Chapter) • Player of the Year – Bob Wallace (Ponte Vedra Inn & Club) • Superintendent of the Year – Trevor Hughes (Jax Beach GC) • Youth Player Development – Jack Aschenbach (North Florida Junior Golf Foundation)

Northern Chapter Award Winners: (left to right) Tim Cooper, Jennifer Borocz, Jack Aschenbach, Trevor Hughes, Bob Wallace, Therese Quinn (Photo Credit / JAGA)

The Banquet was co-sponsored by the Jacksonville Area Golf Association (JAGA) and the Northern Chapter of the North Florida PGA, and supported by the Jacksonville Women’s Golf Association, The First Tee of North Florida and the North Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association. It was a sellout affair for the fifth year in a row. The banquet moved to TPC Sawgrass this year after being held at San Jose Country Club last February. The 2018 banquet was at the World Golf Hall of Fame at World Golf Village in St. Augustine and the five before it at Timuquana Country Club.

Other groups represented were the North Florida Junior Golf Foundation, the PGA TOUR, THE PLAYERS Championship, with many of its Redcoats in attendance, along with area golf clubs, officials and friends of golf in North Florida.

TPC Sawgrass General Manager Derek Sprague served as the emcee.

The evening commenced with the invocation by former TOUR executive, PGA TOUR and PGA TOUR Champions winner and amateur great Bob Dickson, followed by his wife Carolyn leading the singing of “God Bless America.”

Banquet chairman McKenny was supported in organizing the banquet by JAGA director, PGA Northern Chapter member and Jax Beach Golf Club professional Kevin Glynn and his wife, Nikki.

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Media Contact: Jeff Adams JAGA, VP-Administration Cell: 904-607-6142 Email: [email protected]