PGA Golfer Ghim Named Honorary Ambassador Of First Tee

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — It's been an exciting year of golf for Doug Ghim. The Arlington Heights native and Buffalo Grove High School graduate has been enjoying a number of strong finishes on the PGA Tour in recent months. Ghim, 25, was recently named an honorary ambassador for First Tee - Greater Chicago, joining fellow PGA professionals Luke Donald and Patrick Flavin, as well as Chicago Cubs' Ian Happ and Chicago Blackhawks' Alex DeBrincat.

First Tee – Greater Chicago is a youth development organization empowering kids to build their strength of character through the game of golf.

"There aren’t too many kids like me from Chicago who grow up to be professional golfers," Ghim said in a news release. “I know how much it would have meant to me to have a young TOUR player to look up to and learn from. I look forward to inspiring the next generation to know that they can achieve their goals if they work hard and put their mind to it.”

As an honorary ambassador, Ghim will be an integral part of the First Tee – Greater Chicago team, acting as a spokesperson to help raise awareness for the organization as well as hosting unforgettable events for First Tee kids, such as clinics and more, according to the news release.

Ghim graduated from Buffalo Grove High School in 2014 with an already impressive golfing career and was a standout on the golf team at the University of Texas. In 2018, he became the top-ranked golfer in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and was a recipient of The Ben Hogan Award for outstanding amateur golfer in the country before turning pro. In just his second year on the PGA TOUR, Ghim has proven to be one of the game’s most promising up-and-coming talents and currently sits 75th on the season-long FedEx Cup points list.

“We are honored to have Doug join us as an Honorary Ambassador,” said Lea Jesse, CEO of First Tee – Greater Chicago, in the news release. “He will be an amazing role model for our kids and help bring awareness to the work that we are doing to make golf more accessible to kids of all backgrounds.”

For 20 years, First Tee – Greater Chicago has been creating experiences for kids that build strong character and empower them through a lifetime of challenges, according to the news release. By seamlessly integrating the game of golf with a life skills curriculum, First Tee – Greater Chicago creates active learning experiences that build inner strength, self-confidence and resilience. These character education programs are offered at 20 golf facilities (including six Chicago Park District Golf facilities), 100+ schools, and 100+ youth development organizations in the Chicagoland community.

For more information on First Tee –­­ Greater Chicago, including opportunities to get involved and to support, visit www.firstteegreaterchicago.org.