Congressional investigators revealed today that a top Department of Justice official gave $500,000 to the World Golf Foundation to fight juvenile crime after traveling to the group’s Florida golf course headquarters and played a free round of golf with foundation officials. Flores admitted in testimony today before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, chaired by Congressman Henry Waxman (D-CA), that he did not “initially” pay for the round of golf in February 2006 at the Slammer and Squire golf course in St. A receipt produced to Congressional investigators by the World Golf Foundation shows he reimbursed the group for the $159 greens fees only yesterday, just 24 hours before his scheduled Congressional testimony. Congressional investigators reported that Flores and his chief of staff, Michelle DeKonty, met with a World Golf Foundation official in June 2007 and directed Justice Department officials to assist the group in submitting its grant application. read more

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Austin Junior Golf Academy summer camp is held for two weeks every June at Hancock golf course in central Austin. The Austin Junior Golf Academy, however, is anything but. The academy covers all the basics, all the fundamentals, said Erik Lopez, head of instruction at Clay/Kizer and one of the academy teachers. The youngsters who have participated in this year’s academy won’t appreciate it for a few years, but they have been learning the game on the most historic golf site in town. The First Tee of Greater Austin will conduct a Junior/Amateur Scramble Tournament June 27 at the Harvey Penick Golf Campus. Daniel Walton, 13, of Elgin will represent the Austin chapter at the National First Tee Life Skills and Leadership Academy on July 8-15 in Manhattan, Kan. read more

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Women’s Open next week at Interlachen, but her involvement with the U. Sorenstam long has been a whiz with the rules, one of the few players on any tour who has attended the USGA rules seminars. Open as the last player to win back-to-back years (1988-89) and the only player to break par in a U. Women’s Open, but the 17-year-old from Florida picked up her second Futures Tour victory last week in Illinois. read more

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