Jack Nicklaus II to Be Featured Pro at Annual Spring Golf Classic

Jack Nicklaus II, an award-winning golf-course designer and former touring professional, will be the featured pro at the 17th Annual Spring Golf Classic hosted by the Pennsylvania College of Technology Foundation on May 12 at the Williamsport Country Club.

The annual fund-raising event for sponsors supports the Scholarship Aid Program for Penn College students. Since 1990, the foundation has provided more than $160,000 in scholarships from the proceeds generated by the event.

Nicklaus II, the oldest son of golfing legend Jack Nicklaus, played professionally around the world on the PGA, Canadian PGA, AustralAsian, European, Nike and Golden Bear Tours before turning his focus to golf-course design in the late 1980s. He now serves as president of the North Palm Beach, Fla.-based Nicklaus Design, which has 24 courses open for play worldwide. Eleven of the courses were co-designed with his father.

In 2000, he was awarded membership into the prestigious American Society of Golf Course Architects and was named to Golfweek magazine's "40 Under 40" list, which featured those from the golf industry deemed "most likely shape the game and the business of the game for the next 10 or 20 or 30 years."

Nicklaus II has received numerous honors for his golf-course designs. His co-design at Aspen Glen in Carbondale, Colo., was named among the "Best New Courses for 1998" by Golf Digest. Arzaga Golf Club, a solo project in Lake Garda, Italy, was named "Best New Course in Italy" for 1998. Estrella Mountain Ranch was named to Golfweek's list of the "Top 40 Daily-Fees in America" and received honorable mention in Golf Magazine's 1999 "Top 10 You Can Play."

The Spring Golf Classic begins with a breakfast and photo session at 8:30 a.m., followed by a golf clinic with Nicklaus II at 9:45 a.m. A luncheon with players and sponsor guests will be held at 11:30 a.m. The tournament gets under way at 12:45 p.m.

Afterward, a reception and awards presentation will take place at 6 p.m. in the Thompson Professional Development Center on the main campus, followed by dinner at Le Jeune Chef Restaurant.

Sponsors of the 17th Annual Spring Golf Classic are Central Atlantic Toyota Distributors, Fairfield Auto Group, Fisher Mining Co., Citizens & Northern Bank, Jersey Shore State Bank, Legacy Bank, M&T Bank, SunBank, WNB Bank and Woodlands Bank.

For more information about the Spring Golf Classic, call the Penn College Foundation office at (570) 320-8020.