The Players Championship and PGA Tour have joined with Florida State College at Jacksonville to honor AJ Laguerre Jr., the youngest victim of the Dollar General shooting last year.
The AJ Laguerre Jr. Endowed Scholarship was announced at an assembly at Raines High School, where Laguerre graduated in 2023. He had planned to attend FSCJ and major in Cybersecurity before he was killed on Aug. 26, 2023 along with Jerrald De’Shaun Gallion and Angela Michelle Carr in a racially motivated mass shooting.
More than 200 students were in attendance the rally, where FSCJ President John Avendano posthumously presented Laguerre with an honorary Association in Science degree in Cybersecurity. He gave the diploma and a school jersey to the Laguerre family.
‘The trauma is still there’: One year after racist shooting at Jacksonville Dollar General store
Applications for the scholarship will be open to high school graduates seeking enrollment at FSCJ to pursue a career in cybersecurity, IT and related areas. Preference will be given to students who reside in Health Zone 1, the 32202, 32204, 32206, 32208, 32209 and 32254 zip codes.
“Partnership is what brings us together today. It’s people, and the people in organizations, with ideas and hearts for those who need a little extra support to make their dreams a reality,” said Avendano at the assembly. “We are proud to partner with the PGA Tour and The Players to honor AJ’s dream and aspirations.”
Players Championship Executive Director Lee Smith said the scholarship will “have a lasting impact.”
“As members of this community, we strive to ensure that the contributions our tournament and the PGA TOUR make are meaningful,” he said “We are honored to play a small part in ensuring AJ’s legacy reflects and supports the dreams of future FSCJ students with similar goals.”
Prior to the scholarship announcement, a panel, featuring cybersecurity, information technology and industry leaders and alumni, was hosted to inform students of the various IT and STEM-related careers.
“Seeing our graduate honored at his alma mater with the announcement of the AJ Laguerre, Jr. Endowed Scholarship is truly heartwarming,” said Duval County School Superintendent Christopher Bernier. “I am thankful to The PGA Tour, The Players and FSCJ for ensuring that AJ’s legacy will continue to be one of hope in this community.”
Students can appy for the scholarship by visiting fscj.edu/scholarships to apply.
PGA Tour will launch World Feed at 2025 Players
The PGA Tour announced earlier this week that it will launch the PGA Tour World Feed during the week of the 2025 Players Championship, which will originate from the Tour’s new content facility, PGA Tour Studios, which opens in January.
According to a release, the World Feed “will allow the Tour and its international media partners to provide fans with more customized coverage and storytelling of the Tour’s international players, complemented by a customized graphics package and a dedicated international commentary team.”
Rick Anderson, PGA Tour Chief Commercial Officer, said the launch, “is an important step — the first of many — as PGA Tour Studios comes online and we create more opportunities to showcase our world-class athletes and championships to an ever-growing audience.”
The World Feed will be produced exclusively for international media partners and their viewers with a customized graphics package and specific cameras focused on international golfers.
The new, live telecast will feature weekly on-site reporters and include up to six dedicated cameras at select FedExCup events, allowing for greater coverage of international players. Following its debut at The Players, the World Feed will be produced for all remaining events on the 2025 schedule.
The Tour been delivering an Enhanced International Feed (EIF) for more than 20 years. But the current EIF production model only supplements the United States feed. The World Feed will be a separate dedicated feed that will serve international media partners while also following the leaders and the overall competition.
Launching the World Feed is the first step toward producing localized live feeds specific to certain countries, with native language announcers and graphics, in the coming years and a major step toward improving the international fan experience.
PGA Tour Studios, located at the Tour’s Global Home in Ponte Vedra Beach, is a 165,000-square-foot facility and home to the largest library of golf content in the world. It also will house all PGA Tour Media operations, including live production for PGA Tour Live, PGA Tour Champions and the Korn Ferry Tour, as well as social media, digital operations and international media.
Samuel Ha captures FJT event in New Smyrna
Samuel Ha of St. Augustine went on a birdie streak to start the back nine of his second round and went on to post a 70 to win the Florida Junior Tour 16-18 Sugar Mill Country Club Open by four shots at 7-under-par 137. Ha had a bogey-free 67 in the first round, then put the tournament out of reach when he birdied Nos. 10, 11, 12 and 15 in the second round. Cooper Franklin of Ponte Vedra Beach (146) tied for ninth. … Chloe McGrath of Jacksonville shot 1-over 145 to finish along in fourth in the FJT 13-15 Osprey Point Open in Boca Raton. She finished four shots behind winner Grace Carter of Jupiter. … Jude Johnson of Ponte Vedra Beach posted 1-over 145 to tie for fourth in the boys division, five shots behind winner Shayaan Kim of Rockledge. … Tim Cobb of St. Augustine shot 1-under 215 and tied for fifth in the Florida State Golf Association 40 and Over Championship at Lakewood National. He was six behind winner Seth Strickland of Miami Shores.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: AJ Laguerre Jr., Endowed Scholarship created by Players, PGA Tour, FSCJ
