Former PGA golfer Begay visits Alaska for charity event

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Four-time PGA Tour champion Notah Begay III regales Chris Horton with tales of the course and the broadcast booth at the Afognak Youth Charity Golf Tournament held Thursday, June 29, 2017, at Anchorage Golf Course. Foursomes could donate $100 at the 13th tee for Begay to hit a drive on their behalf. (Erik Hill / Alaska Dispatch News)

Being a four-time PGA Tour champion, Notah Begay III gets so many emails to his foundation, NB3, that he can't read them all.

But one particular email made it through the filters and caught his eye.

When the former professional golfer noticed an email from a charity golf tournament in Anchorage that helps raise money for Native youth programs, he decided he wanted to be a part of it.

So Begay, who is full-blooded Native American, and his family of four took a break from the intense New Mexico heat and flew to Anchorage to join the second edition of the Afognak Youth Charity Golf tournament.

"Any programming that's related to the youth that focuses on traditional values, the cultural heritage and leadership — those are the types of things that our indigenous communities need in our young people to be proud of who they are, where they come from," said Begay, who according to the NB3 website is the only full-blooded Native American to have played on the PGA Tour.

"… To be successful in life, you don't have to sacrifice your culture to do that."

Tournament director Ana Fisk said the Thursday tournament at Anchorage Golf Course raised more than $40,000 for programs operated by the Native villages of Afognak and Port Lions. The full tournament included 36 teams and 144 participants.

"There was really a shortfall of money available for all these different youth programs," Fisk said. "They do preschool activities, Alutiiq language lessons, camps for children from everything from harvesting to survival.

"They were going to have to cut programs."

The golf tournament aims to make sure that doesn't happen.

Begay, whose NB3 foundation helps Native youth who suffer from diabetes, said remembering and focusing on traditional and cultural values is important for Native youth. It's helped him get through some tough times.

"For me personally, my mom always made it a point to understand and never forget where I came from," Begay said.

During the tournament, Begay stayed on the 13th hole and hit one signed ball for each team of four on the par-3. The teams had the option to use Begay's shot as one of their own on the hole and got to keep the signed ball.

Begay said although it was a little boring to be on the same hole, hitting the same shot over and over again, he enjoyed meeting and sharing stories with the other golfers.

"We met a group from South Carolina," Begay said. "Just seeing that somebody from South Carolina took the time and energy to come up, specifically to play in this event, was really neat.

"I think those are the sorts of positive stories that you look for and try to build upon."

The winning team of Rob Nelson, Kirk Leadbetter, Scott Bringmann and Curt Hebert happened to shoot a 59 to win the tournament — the same score that Begay shot in 1998 on the Nike Tour.

Nelson, a former pro golfer, played with Begay about 20 years ago on some mini tours before Begay made the big time, he said.

"He's always been a first-class guy," Nelson said. "It's awesome that he took time out of his schedule to come up and help Alaskans."

Begay said he's enjoying his first trip to Alaska and hopes to make it an annual occurrence.

"I hope this isn't the last time that I come back up here 'cause I certainly had fun," Begay told the crowd at a post-tournament lunch. "A lot of you have one year to get better at golf."

Another pro makes an appearance

Begay wasn't the only former professional athlete at Anchorage Golf Course on Thursday.

One team featured former Major League Baseball All-Star Shane Victorino, who won World Series titles with the Phillies and Red Sox during his 12 years in the majors.

The former All-Star played on a team with family friend Tom Adams of Lounsbury and Associates.

Adams said Victorino, who kept a low profile during the tournament, enjoys playing golf and accepted an invitation to join his team during a visit to Alaska.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly quoted Fisk as saying "Aluet language." She said "Alutiiq language."