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Cal Poly’s Cartwright Recipient of Labron Harris Sr. Award

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NORMAN, Okla. – Scott Cartwright, Head Men’s Golf Coach at Cal Poly and a member of the Southern California PGA Section, has been named winner of the Labron Harris Sr. Award presented by the Golf Coaches Association of America in cooperation with The PGA of America. The Harris Award is presented to the college or high school coach and PGA Professional whose support of the game through teaching, coaching and involvement in the community has helped ensure the continued growth of the game of golf and who represents the finest qualities the game has to offer.

“I am honored and humbled to be the 2017 Labron Harris Sr. Awards winner,” said Cartwright. “I like so many of my fellow PGA Members and GCAA Member are builders.... Builders of programs, builders of facilities, character builders, and builders of characters. To be recognized by my peers is quite fulfilling and I am very grateful. I have been fortunate to have been involved with so many great people both in the golf industry and outside the industry to help promote the Game of Golf. Thanks to the many PGA Members who aided in opening doors for new programs to develop. I will certainly strive to honor this award with continuing to grow the game.”

Cartwright is in his 17th season as head coach of the men’s golf program, which was resurrected in 2000 and coached by Tom Moos for one year. He also served 12 seasons as the women’s golf head coach from 2003-15. A two-time Big West Conference Coach of the Year, Cartwright has guided the Cal Poly men’s team to the NCAA West Regional twice and individuals in three other regionals. Cartwright guided the Mustang men’s program to its first Big West Conference championship in 2006. He also coached former Mustang standout Travis Bertoni to 11 career wins, including the Big West individual title in 2005. In 2011 Cartwright guided Geoff Gonzalez to qualify individually for the NCAA finals, a first for Cal Poly.

Outside of Cal Poly’s success on the golf course, Cartwright has raised $15 million to endow the Cal Poly golf program. He has been in charge of development of golf facilities, oversees golfers academic progress and directed the team’s overall strength program. For eight straight years Cal Poly has received a perfect 1000% APR recognition from the NCAA.

Cartwright played collegiately at Cal State Fullerton and graduated in 1981 with a major in physical education and a minor in business.
Prior to his coaching career at Cal Poly, Cartwright was head golf professional and director of golf at San Luis Obispo Country Club. While there he was involved in the total greens reconstruction, total cart path redesign and construction, course redesign and total clubhouse construction. Before his stint at San Luis Obispo Country Club he was head professional at Mountain View Country Club.

Cartwright founded and was director of San Luis Obispo County Junior Golf. He developed the group’s Junior Golf Olympic Program which evolved into Drive, Chip and Putt. Cartwright also developed team play tournaments for the five PGA chapter junior golf associations He also served as head coach at San Luis Obispo High School. For his contributions he was named Junior Golf Leader of the Year for the Southern California PGA Section in 1997.

Cartwright has twice qualified for the National Club Professional Championship. In 2002 he won the Southern California Section Match Play Championship and captured the Northern Chapter’s championship in 2009. Twice Cartwright was named the Northern Chapter’s Golf Professional of the Year.
Also active in the community, Cartwright serves as a youth basketball coach for the YMCA and soccer coach and referee for AYSO. Previously he served as vice president of San Luis Obispo Youth Baseball. Cartwright is the youth group leader for the San Luis Obispo Church of the Nazarene. He is also involved with the Wounded Warrior Project, Birdie for the Brave, Birdies for Breast Cancer and Folds of Honor.

Scott and his wife Cheryl have two children.

Cartwright follows in the footsteps of past Labron Harris Award recipients Jay Hardwick (Virginia Tech/Middle Atlantic PGA Section), Devon Brouse (Purdue/Indiana PGA Section), the late Rod Myers (Duke/Carolina PGA Section), Herb Page (Kent State/Northern Ohio PGA Section), Jim Brown (Ohio State/Southern Ohio PGA Section), Pat Owen (U.S. Naval Academy/Middle Atlantic PGA Section), Rick Pohle (Williams College/ Northeastern New York PGA Section), John Bermel (Northern Iowa/Iowa PGA Section), Pat Goss (Northwestern/Illinois PGA Section), Mike Small (Illinois/Illinois PGA Section), Mike Mayer (Indiana/Indiana PGA Section), Puggy Blackmon (South Carolina/Carolinas PGA Section) and Harry Hammond (West Chester/Philadelphia PGA Section).