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Local golfers honored at 13th Annual Babe Zaharias Awards

Top Southeast Texas high school golfers receive Babe Zaharias Junior Golf Awards

The 2023 winners of the Babe Zaharias High School Junior Golf Awards are announced at the annual banquet honoring high school golfers in Southeast Texas.

The prestigious annual awards banquet recognizes the area’s top high school golfers, team leaders, underclassmen, and high school golf coaches for the 2022-2023 school and competition year. This year’s banquet at 5 Under Golf Center in Beaumont includes a dinner and a presentation from keynote speaker, Brian White of the Houston Astros Golf Foundation.

The winners announced:

Girls Player of the Year

Hallie Westfall - Hardin-Jefferson

Girls Character Award

TIE

Saylor Moreaux - Bridge City

Annabel Cardenas - Kelly HS

Girls Underclassmen Player of the Year

Tatum Bean - Port Neches-Groves

Girls Underclassmen Character Award

Peyton Hidalgo - Hardin Jefferson

Boys Player of the Year

TIE

Lincoln Parks - Orangefield

Xander Parks - Orangefield

Boys Character Award

Preston Deserrano - Nederland

Boys Underclassmen Player of the Year

Julian Mathews - Kelly HS

Boys Underclassmen Character Award

Drake Andrepont - Hardin-Jefferson                

Austin Williams, Babe Zaharias Foundation Board Member and Director of South Texas PGA Jr. Golf–Beaumont Metro, says the awards banquet is a time of celebration for all honorees, coaches, families, and community.

"The awards banquet is such a special night, and everyone gets to share in the celebration. The future of Southeast Texas golf is bright with this group, and we hope they know that all of the Golden Triangle is behind them. The inspiring speech from Mr. Brian White is going to be with this group for a long, long time."

About the Babe Zaharias High School Junior Golf Awards

Former PN-G coach, Jerry Honza, originally pitched the idea to the late W.L. Pate, Jr. (longtime chairman of the Zaharias Foundation) many years ago and the partnership began under the name of Babe Zaharias Junior Golf Awards. After Pate's passing in recent years, Austin Williams has taken the reins of the awards at 5 Under and each year has seen increased involvement and participation. Past speakers include former Lamar golfers such as PGA Pro, Chris Stroud, and 2-time champ on the Nike Tour, Kelly Gibson, along with Pulitzer Prize winner, Don Van Natta, 1983 PGA Player of the Year and PGA Championship Winner, Hal Sutton, and Port Arthur legendary golfer, Marty Fleckman, among others.

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