Hendry Recipient of Inaugural Ron Balicki Scholarship

Luke Hendry, who studies at the University of Texas at Austin, has been named the first recipient of the Ron Balicki Scholarship, awarded by the Ron Balicki Scholarship Foundation established to celebrate the legacy of the former standout college golf writer from Golfweek.

The scholarship was established to assist aspiring golf journalists and to honor Balicki, who died in 2014, for his lifelong commitment to covering the game of golf. Hendry, a junior, is a journalism major (with a business minor) who boasts a GPA of 3.96. He is a member of the student-run Texas Student Television station and plays on the Texas Club Golf Team. He interned witih the Texas Golf Association over the summer and this semester is interning at Spectrum News Austin.

"The game of golf has been a longtime passion of mine, both as a player and now as an aspiring golf journalist," Hendry said. "I appreciate what the Ron Balicki Scholarship is doing, and I'm very humbled to receive a scholarship. I'm at a loss for words, which is pretty rare for me."

Through his writing at Golfweek, Balicki helped to bring great exposure to the college game, covering it for three decades. He was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 2010 – the first non-coach so honored – and later this year will be the journalism honoree (along with former New York Times/Golf Digest writer Larry Dorman) at The Memorial in Columbus, Ohio.

"Ron loved helping anyone, but he especially loved helping young people," said Debbie Balicki, Ron's wife. "He would be so humbled – and so pleased – to know that his legacy of kindness and encouragement and his love of golf lives on through this scholarship."

A scholarship of $2,500 will be awarded to Hendry for the spring semester. Beginning in the 2018-19 academic year, $5,000 will be awarded. Any college/university student pursuing journalism at the undergraduate or graduate level or high school journalist may apply for consideration.

For more information on the scholarship, or to donate to the Ron Balicki Scholarship Fund, please contact the Golf Coaches Association of America at (866) 422-2669.