Folds of Honor Collegiate Announced
NORMAN, Okla. - The Folds of Honor, American Dunes Golf Club, Michigan State University, and the Golf Coaches Association of America are partnering to host the Folds of Honor Collegiate, with proceeds benefiting the Folds of Honor and the GCAA Presidential Scholarship Fund.
The inaugural tournament will be held September 26-28, 2022 and feature 18 schools: Air Force, Arizona, Army, Central Michigan, Clemson, Eastern Michigan, Florida State, Grand Valley State, Illinois, Kansas, Liberty, Michigan State, Navy, NC State, Oregon State, Texas Southern, UCLA, and Virginia Union. Annually, the tournament will feature two HBCU programs. This reflects the 41-percent of Folds of Honor recipients that are minorities and the GCAA and Black Golf Coaches Association of America partnership to help grow opportunities for HBCU and black college golf.
American Dunes Golf Club is a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course that is a tribute to the military and commemorates the birthplace of Folds of Honor. The facility, which is located a few hundred yards from the east shore of Lake Michigan, is a dunes-like course, utilizing the dramatic local topography and sand base that covers the property. The course is a par 72 that measures 7,213 yards and has rolling and generous fairways.
“When we dreamed of building American Dunes with Mr. Nicklaus and hosting a collegiate tournament that represented our values of God and country, golf was a top goal,'' said Folds of Honor founder and CEO Lt Col Dan Rooney. “The Folds of Honor Collegiate will be a trailblazing event with great college golfers playing the game for a greater purpose supporting Folds of Honor recipients.”
“Being the host institution for the Folds of Honor Collegiate is one of the greatest opportunities of my career,” said Michigan State head coach Casey Lubahn. “Michigan State University is incredibly proud to partner with Folds of Honor, the GCAA, and American Dunes Golf Club to bring some of the finest collegiate programs in America to southwest Michigan. What started as an idea to honor true American heroes and their families has inspired us to think boldly about how we can combine an elite collegiate event and more importantly, share the incredible sacrifices these heroes and their loved ones have made to make America a beacon of freedom for the world. We look forward to working tirelessly to make this event impactful to all those involved.”
About Folds of Honor
Folds of Honor is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces. Our educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school and post-graduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate, or professional program. Applications for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also accepted. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 35,000 scholarships totaling over $160 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 41 percent are minorities. It is rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on GuideStar. It was founded by Lt Col Dan Rooney, the only-ever F-16 fighter pilot and PGA Professional, who is currently stationed at Eglin AFB, Florida as a member of the 301st Fighter Squadron. For more information or to donate in support of a Folds of Honor scholarship visit foldsofhonor.org.