First Tee Champions Challenge Kicks off at the Chubb Classic for a Lesson with PGA TOUR Champions Winner Brett Quigley

By Zoe Waltzer

NAPLES, Fla. – In addition to the competitive fire and talent which largely defines the success of the PGA TOUR Champions, equally compelling and attractive is the investment in the game’s future. While the legends of the game gather at the Chubb Classic presented by SERVPRO, a new generation of talent has touched down in Southwest Florida to begin a journey of their own.

Ten standout student-athletes from First Tee chapters across the country—representing Philadelphia, New York, Massachusetts, Chicago and Minnesota—arrived in Naples today. Their welcome to Tiburón Golf Club began with a masterclass in both swing mechanics and character.

Wasting no time, the group headed to the practice facility for an intimate clinic with PGA TOUR Champions winner Brett Quigley. For Quigley, the opportunity to mentor these young players is a fundamental pillar of the sport.

“It’s essential,” Quigley said following the session. “Not only for growing the game, but growing the people.”

The clinic focused on the technical nuances that have kept Quigley at the top of the leaderboards, but the conversation quickly shifted to the intangible "life skills" that define the First Tee mission.

“You learn so much playing golf… playing with people, learning a lot about yourself—what makes you tick,” Quigley noted. Watching the kids engage with the clinic, he saw reflections of his own early days in the sport. “I was their age playing in high school, so it’s certainly very relatable.”

While other professional sports often feel like they exist behind a glass wall, the Chubb Classic provides a rare intersection where the game’s legends and its future stars share the same turf. It is a proximity unique to the world of golf.

“I think golf is at least the most unique sport in that you and I can go play golf together,” Quigley explained. “You and I can’t go play tennis with Novak Djokovic. We can’t go play football with Tom Brady. We can’t do all these other things with other athletes, but golf brings everybody together. I just think it’s a great future for kids and adults.”

As the First Tee competitors settle into the atmosphere of a professional tour, they aren't just here to watch the veterans compete for a trophy. They are here to see their own potential mirrored in the pros they admire.

With the clinic concluded and the tournament set to begin, these 10 young golfers leave the range with more than just pro tips—they leave with the understanding that while the "office" may be inside the ropes, the lessons learned on the grass are meant for life.