IJGA Newsletter: The Oaks May 2019 | Page 6

IJGA STUDENT-ATHLETES PARTICIPATE IN THE RBC HERITAGE PRESENTED BY BOEING IJGA student-athletes had the unique opportunity to walk inside the ropes along side PGA Pros during the RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, on Hilton Head Island, SC, April 15 - 19. The 51st annual tournament held on the famed Harbour Town Golf Links, a Pete Dye and Jack Nicklaus designed course, was home for the week to the world’s best and biggest names in the golf industry; Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth, Francesco Molinari, Xander Schauffele, Matt Kuchar, Jim Furyk, Ian Poulter, Bryson Dechambeau, Luke Donald, Zach Johnson, Tommy Fleetwood and more! IJGA students were involved in the opening ceremonies, which included a parade around the harbour, welcome speeches and participating in the tournament’s cannon being fired into the Calibogue Sound. IJGA students One Kashima and Sae Saito served as Japanese/English translators for the 2018 RBC Heritage Current Past Champion Satoshi Kodaira of Japan during the welcoming speeches and press conferences with the media. Other IJGA student-athletes were part of the Standard- Bearer program, walking with the pros carrying a sign with the players’ scores, handing out bibs to caddies on the first 6 and tenth tees, and volunteering their time to help make the tournament a success. Students took advantage of the close proximity they had to the players and posed for photo opps and received autographed balls, gloves, hats and shoes from the pros. Hats off to IJGA Director of Mental Performance Coach Skylar Jewell and Assistant Mental Performance Coach Cory Cottrell for organizing over 170 student volunteers as part of the Standard-Bearer program.