The GCSAA, a golf course management organization, has awarded scholarships to three college students for their turfgrass related essays.

The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America has awarded three essay contest scholarships to college students James W. Hempfling, Jesse J. Benelli and Derek Pruyne.

The top award of $2,000 went to Hempfling, a first-year Ph.D. student at Rutgers University. He won for his essay: "Lines Drawn in the Sand: The Evolution of Topdressing Practices."

The second-place award of $1,500 went to Benelli, a first-year Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee. His paper was titled "Strobilurin Fungicides: Historical perspectives and implications on plant health."

Pruyne, who is in his second year of pursuing a master's degree at Penn State University, claimed the third-place award of $1,000 for his writing: "Assessing and optimizing soil pH of creeping bentgrass putting greens."

"On behalf of the association's 18,000 members, I offer my sincere congratulations to James, Jesse and Derek on their achievements," GCSAA President Keith A. Ihms, CGCS, said. "With support from the Environmental Institute for Golf, GCSAA is able to reward those who will help move the golf industry forward."

The contest was open to GCSAA members who are undergraduates or graduate students pursuing degrees in turfgrass science, agronomy or any field related to golf course management. Judges from the GCSAA Essay Task Group selected the winners.

Scholarships are funded by the Environmental Institute for Golf through the Robert Trent Jones Endowment. The EIFG is GCSAA's philanthropic organization.

For more information about scholarship programs please visit eifg.org.

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