BEAUMONT, Texas — 5 Under Golf Center was the place to be Monday night with the annual Babe Zaharias Junior Golf Awards being presented.
Former PGA golfer and Lamar University alum Kelly Gibson entertained the crowd with some great stories from his time at LU and on the tour before Port Neches-Groves golf coach Jerry Honza was recognized for his ten years of service with the Zaharias awards.
After that it was time to honor the best junior golfers in Southeast Texas, Little Cypress-Mauriceville's Jack Burke and Hardin-Jefferson's Makenna Henry.
For Burke it was his third-straight year taking home the award.
"It feels great. I mean there's two emotions. I'm happy. I put in a lot of hard work these last four years. There's been adventurous ones such as junior year with COVID, but once again I'm happy to be here. Then there's the sad part. This is the last one. It's kind of surreal. It went by in a blink of an eye. Enjoyed all of it. Playing golf down here has been something that has been a part of me since, every since I've been walking so it's surreal."
Meanwhile for multisport athlete Makenna Henry said receiving an award honoring Zaharias was special.
"I mean Babe, she played all different sports and I think when I think of her I think of not just golf, but just everything. And I'm just glad to get this award from her because who wouldn't want that award."