The Wisconsin PGA Junior Foundation is proud to announce the 2024 scholarship winners. Thirty five individuals were awarded scholarships totaling $85,000. This is a new record in the amount of money awarded to scholarships by the WPGA Junior Foundation. We congratulate all the applicants for their great accomplishments.

Mike Schnarr Scholarship $10,000 (One boy recipient)

The Balance & Believe Foundation is proud to announce Will Schlitz of Eau Claire as the Mike Schnarr Scholarship recipient. 

Mike Schnarr has been a longstanding member of the Wisconsin PGA. His resume is full of accolades dating back to the early 1970’s and he has been Teacher of the Year, Professional of the Year, and a past president of the Wisconsin PGA. Mike would tell you his most proud accomplishment of his presidency was the inception of the Wisconsin PGA Junior Tour. This tour was one of the first in the country and now boasts some of the largest fields and number of events statewide. The Wisconsin PGA thought it was time to honor Mike with his very own Mike Schnarr Championship. This championship is the last event of the year for boys to get points to win the POY. When the PGA approached Mike about starting this new event, he wanted to make sure that everyone knew he was about growing the game for all genders, not just the boys. Since his son Derek started the Sherri Steinhauer Championship to help grow women’s golf in the state it seemed right for his father to host the boys. It is only fitting for both Championships to be played at Blackhawk Country Club where Mike and Derek have been golf professionals for over 50 years.

Sherri Steinhauer Scholarship $10,000 (One girl recipient)
The Balance & Believe Foundation is proud to announce Payton Schmidt of Jefferson as the Sherri Steinhauer Scholarship recipient. Sherri Steinhauer qualified for the LPGA Tour in 1986 and had a successful 26 year career. Her 8 victories included 2 majors: the 1992 du Maurier Ltd Classic and the 2006 Women’s British Open. She also won the British Open in 1998 and 1999 before it became a major. She played on the United States team in the Solheim Cup matches four times and passed the $6 million mark in career earnings. She continues to attend the Sherri Steinhauer Girls Championship named after her each year and pass along her knowledge of the game onto our young junior girls.

Tony Coleman Scholarship $2,000 (two recipients)

Evan Harmann of De Pere & Charlie Jambor of Middleton each have been awarded a Tony Coleman Memorial Scholarship for $1,750. Tony was the PGA General Manager and COO for Bishops Bay Country Club from 1994-2013. He led the facility from its development into the first rate operation it remains today. Tony was a 36-year member of the PGA. Tony’s passion for golf was most evident when working with a junior golfer wishing to excel in the game. This scholarship was made possible by the generous support of the Coleman family, friends, Bishops Bay CC members and the membership of the Wisconsin PGA.

College Scholarships

Grant Bauman - $1,500

Tanner Coenen - $1,500

Emily Foran - $1,500

Terry Noel Scholarship (four winners at $2,500)

Nora Cerroni of Waukesha, Brin Neumann of Warrens, Kayla Johnson of Sussex and Kate Krueger of Hartland have all been awarded the Terry Noel Memorial Scholarship each for $2,500. Terry was a tribute to golf, but more importantly a tribute to respect and love of mankind and the ability to spread happiness with his kindness and constant smile.  Terry was first and foremost a loving husband, brother, uncle, and friend to all he met. Terry was also a proud Army veteran from the Vietnam era, serving most of his time in Germany and at The Presidio in San Francisco, CA. Finally, Terry was an avid, passionate golfer who spread his goodwill on the course and off.

High School Senior Scholarships

Casey Peters - $1,750
Charlie Moore - $1,750
Cooper McLaughlin - $1,750
Sam Hjortland - $1,500
Madison Haugen - $1,500
Carter Morrison - $1,500
Madison Engebose - $1,500
Steffen Larson - $1,500
Ava Frederiksen - $1,500
Parker Van Rossum - $1,500
Natalie Quella - $1,500
Lauren Lupinek - $1,500

The Warren Family Scholarship: - $1,750 (One girl recipient)
Brianna Kirsch of Lancaster has been awarded the first Warren Family Scholarship. The Warren family has seen firsthand the valuable lessons of sportsmanship, competition, and social interaction the game of golf provides. We look forward to helping a deserving student golfer fulfill her early life goals. The scholarship will assist young women graduating from high school who have participated in Wisconsin PGA Junior Tour events. The annual recipient will show high academic achievements, a history of solid extra curricular activities, and be hopeful of playing golf at the collegiate level. The Warren family consists of Mike, a long-time golf sales representative and Junior Tour sponsor, Donna, a great "golf mom," and Liz, a junior tour player 1999-2005 who went on to play collegiately at Hofstra University and is now a businesswoman in the Madison area.

Marty Swab Kid to Kid Scholarship ($2,000)
Brett Wieland of Milton was awarded the Kid to Kid Scholarship. Marty Swab, currently a rising sophomore at Lake Forest College, started the Kid to Kid Scholarship in 2017. This scholarship will be awarded based on three qualities: showing a solid history of giving back to the community, integrity and sportsmanship. The ideal candidate for this scholarship shows a history of giving back to others, a positive attitude, and being graceful in victory or defeat. Your character on the golf course will also be considered. The funds for this scholarship were raised by the generous donations from golfers throughout the state. Marty, a WPGA Junior Foundation member for 11 years, raised the money by collecting donations at area golf courses and out in the community. Marty raised over $50,000 for the WPGA Junior Foundation since he started raising funds at the age of seven. 

Wisconsin Golf Salesperson’s Association Scholarship ($1,750)
Zachary Greenhill of Hartford was awarded the WGSA Scholarship. The Wisconsin Golf Salesperson’s Association (WIGSA) is a non-profit organization comprised of sales representatives that serve golf throughout the state. A part of the mission of the WIGSA is to foster a positive relationship with PGA Professionals. Another part is to give back to the game and this scholarship is a direct reflection of their dedication to their profession and to the game. This scholarship aims to reward the hard-working efforts of those working to put themselves through school. 

Wisconsin Golf Group ($1,750)

Matthew Zagar of Hartford was awarded the Wisconsin Golf Group Scholarship. The Wisconsin Golf Group is a Facebook group that runs an event each summer with the primary proceeds benefiting the WPGA Junior Foundation. 

Wisconsin Golf Facilities ($1,750)

Norah Berken of Kaukauna was awarded the Wisconsin Golf Facilities Scholarship. The money for this scholarship is donated from multiple golf courses around the state that support the WPGA Junior Foundation. 

The Rain or Shine Golf Scholarship ($1,750)
Rylan Conley of Cottage Grove was awarded the Rain or Shine Golf Scholarship. Rain or Shine is proud to launch this scholarship in partnership with the Wisconsin Jr PGA. Rain or Shine Golf's founder, Shawn Foley, was an active participant in many of the WPGA Junior Foundation events over the years, and was really shaped into the golfer and person he is today due to the influence that the WPGA Junior Foundation had on his childhood. Shawn was a junior player from 2004 - 2010 and went on to play collegiately at Northern Illinois University, before starting Rain or Shine Golf in 2016. The Rain or Shine Golf Scholarship aims to support a recipient with aspirations of playing golf at the collegiate level, while also striving for great academic success in the classroom. (https://rainorshinegolf.com/)

Sparks Family Charitable Fund Golf Scholarship ($1,750)
Jenna Schumacher of Sherwood is awarded the Sparks Family Scholarship. The Sparks Family Charitable Fund is delighted to introduce its Golf Scholarship, a reflection of the family's deep-rooted involvement in and commitment to the sport of golf, particularly through the WPGA Junior Foundation. This involvement began from the time their son, Tyson, first gripped a golf club, marking the start of a lifelong journey with the sport, culminating in his position on the golf team for West Point Military Academy.
This scholarship is designed to support young athletes who embody the spirit of golf, characterized by hard work, sportsmanship, and living with honor both on and off the course. Recognizing that financial barriers can prevent talented individuals from reaching their full potential, the Sparks family is dedicated to providing financial assistance to those aspiring to continue their golf career but are hindered by lack of funds. Eligibility is open to golfers who demonstrate an unwavering commitment to the sport, uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct, and require financial support to further their golfing pursuits. The Sparks Family Charitable Fund Golf Scholarship aims to nurture and empower the next generation of golfers, ensuring that financial challenges do not obstruct their path to achieving excellence in a sport deeply valued by the family.

Meyers Family Foundation Scholarship ($1,750)
Jordan Shipshock of Waunakee was awarded the Meyers Family Foundation Scholarship. This is the first year of this scholarship. The Meyers family is honored to participate in the WPGA Junior Foundation golf scholarship program. The game of golf has given our family unique experiences throughout the country, and we have enjoyed the competition and many friendships that have been established. Growing up our son, Cal, played in many junior tournaments and had the pleasure of playing for Bentley University, including participation in the DII Men’s Golf Championship Tournament. We are pleased to award this scholarship to an applicant that has accomplished solid academic achievement, extracurricular activities in high school, and involvement in their community.

American Family Insurance Scholarship - $3,500 each (One boy and One girl recipient)

The WPGA Junior Foundation has teamed up with the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation to offer these two scholarships. American Family Insurance has brought a new PGA Champions Tour event to Wisconsin. The event was played at University Ridge on June 4-6. As part of the event the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation is making charitable donations to groups around the state and the WPGA Junior Foundation was chosen to receive some of these funds.
Girls Winner – Ellen Close of Middleton - $3,500

Boys Winner – Jack Rubo of Minocqua - $3,500

Balance and Believe Scholarship - $3,250 each (Two recipients)
The Balance & Believe Foundation, based in Madison, WI, was formed in 2014 by Derek Schnarr to help promote junior golf, teach life lessons, and focus on community service. These three pillars of the Foundation come together in the Foundation's mission statement - Promoting junior golf, while providing a platform for kids to give back to the community. Over the past four years the Foundation has used this event, previously called the Michael Luedtke Memorial Golf Outing, to raise the necessary funds to support the multitude of programs in the Madison area they are involved with. The programs range from the Food Pantry and Resource Center at Falk Elementary School, to the Snack Pack program at Olson Elementary School, B&B36 program, Longest Day of Golf, and the B&B Community, Michael Luedtke, and Dick Wilson Memorial Scholarships.
Girls Winner – Anneke Barnett of Delafield - $3,250
Boys Winner – Bryce Hodson of Middleton - $3,250