New York Youngster Wins USGA's
Inaugural Holiday Card Contest

October 29, 2008

By Araceli Ortiz

This year the United States Golf Association decided to give youngsters the opportunity to showcase their artistic talents by creating a Holiday Card Contest. Open to juniors ages 7 to 17, the contest attracted scores of entrants, with the winning design chosen by a committee of USGA staffers. 

Of the many wonderful, golf-themed holiday designs, one stood out the most. It was created by Steven Williams of Brentwood, N.Y., and featured a large golf club and ball in front of a sky-blue background with the text "Happy Holidays."  The card is simple, yet colorful and evocative (and, no, the judging panel was not stacked with left-handed golfers)  As the USGA staff holiday card, Steven's design will be sent to more than 10,000 recipients.

Williams, 12, is a participant in the PAR FORE junior golf program, located in his neighboring town of Stony Brook, N.Y. Williams joined PAR FORE, a USGA-supported program, in 2007 along with his twin brother and younger sister.  He admitted that his greatly improved golf swing can be directly attributable to his participation in the program.  As his interest and confidence in the game began to grow, Williams, along with his twin brother, Kevin, tried out for their junior high school golf team - both made it. Williams said that his biggest aspiration, as he put it, "is to continually improve and be one of the best players in the world." 

For his winning effort, Williams will receive tickets to attend the 2009 U.S. Open. The Open, to be hosted at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on New York's Long Island, is less than 40 minutes from his home. Williams is excited about attending his first national golf championship; he's already eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see his favorite player, Tiger Woods, perform on golf's greatest stage. Though Woods is currently recuperating from knee surgery performed just days after his dramatic victory at Torrey Pines, he offered no guarantees that he will be able to "double-defend" not only his 2008 U.S. Open victory but that of his triumph in 2002, when the U.S. Open first came to Bethpage Black.

The USGA plans to hold a second annual Holiday Card Contest in 2009.  Please visit www.usga.org in March, 2009, when entry information will become available, or contact Araceli Ortiz , USGA Grants and Fellowship Department, at (719) 471-4810, x 13. To view a selection of USGA holiday cards available for purchase, visit the Holiday Card Center .

Araceli Ortiz is a first-year USGA Fellow and graduate of Stanford University.