TEN PARTICIPANTS OF THE FIRST TEE TO BE RECOGNIZED BY
THE ROYAL BANK OF SCOTLAND GROUP FOR OVERCOMING ADVERSITY

St. Augustine, Fla. (July 6, 2010) - Ten participants of The First Tee will be recognized as RBS Achievers of the Year and awarded college scholarships through a program created seven years ago by The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBS), in conjunction with Charter One and Citizens Bank. The 2010 RBS Achievers will be celebrated July 8 during the U.S. Women’s Open at the historic Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Penn.

“These young people have overcome extreme obstacles and certainly embody The First Tee Nine Core Values,” said Joe Louis Barrow, Jr., chief executive officer of The First Tee. “We are proud of them and their achievements and are honored to help them further their education, thanks to the support of RBS.”

RBS, a Trustee of The First Tee, will present awards to two finalists, one male and one female, whom will each receive $10,000 scholarships to help fund their post-secondary education. The eight remaining semifinalists will each receive $2,000 for the same purpose.

The RBS Achievers of the Year awards recognize deserving students for accomplishments in their daily lives while overcoming difficult circumstances. The scholarship awards are not based on academic performance or exceptional golf skills. The program rewards young people that exhibit The First Tee Nine Core Values™ while demonstrating leadership, community service and teamwork.

RBS has added the RBS Outstanding International Contributor of the Year award to this year’s program. This new award recognizes a deserving international Chapter volunteer whose efforts have exemplified The First Tee Nine Core Values in affecting the lives of program participants. It will be given to an individual who has played a significant role in furthering the mission of the organization internationally.

The winner of the Outstanding International Contributor of the Year Award will receive a $5,000 award, which will be donated to their Chapter.

The 2010 RBS Achiever semifinalists, whose biographies are featured on www.thefirsttee.org are:

Boys:

• Joseph Brown, 17, The First Tee of Nashville
• Tyler Clem, 17, The First Tee of Fort Smith
• Fabio Colon, 18, The First Tee of Connecticut
• Adolfo Diaz, 16, The First Tee of San Antonio
• Austin Landis, 17, The First Tee of The Children’s Course
• Edward Nguyen, 15, The First Tee of San Jose

Girls

• Raven Clewis, 17, The First Tee of South Los Angeles
• Deloise Daniels, 16, The First Tee of Southern Nevada
• Lindsay Davis, 17, The First Tee of Pine Mountain
• Jamie Kirsila, 18, The First Tee of Greater Seattle

To learn more about The First Tee and its mission to impact the lives of young people, visit www.thefirsttee.org.

About The First Tee
The First Tee (www.thefirsttee.org) is an initiative of the World Golf Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Augustine, Fla. at World Golf Village, home of the World Golf Hall of Fame.  Its mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.  Since its inception in 1997, The First Tee has introduced the game of golf and its values to more than 3.5 million participants in 50 states, 3,400 elementary schools and four international locations - Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and Singapore.  Former President George H. W. Bush serves as honorary chairman.  The First Tee Founding Partners are LPGA, the Masters Tournament, PGA of America, PGA TOUR and the USGA.