“It means a lot to me growing up with my dad being in the military, so to give back and be a part of what the Folds of Honor is doing through this tournament is an incredible opportunity to use golf as a way to empower that organization and what they do for military families,” DiNunzio acknowledged.
The Patriot All-America Invitational is unique in that it revolves around families of military members. Each player is given a special golf bag to use throughout the tournament etched with the name and branch of a fallen or wounded hero from the player’s hometown or school. The bags are auctioned off after the tournament to benefit the charity, Folds of Honor.
This year, DiNunzio will be representing Caryn Nouv, an Army Sergeant who was born in Yorktown, Virginia and graduated from Tabb High School in 2002. Nouv was killed on July 27, 2013 in Afghanistan due to wounds caused by an improvised explosive device. She was 29 years old at the time. DiNunzio will carry the name Caryn Nouv on the side of her golf bag throughout the week-long tournament.
The inaugural Men’s Patriot All-America Invitational was played in 2011 and has been held annually in Arizona each year for over a decade. This year will be the second time in which there is a women’s tournament. It boasts an elite field of 66 players from some of the top collegiate golf programs across the country. DiNunzio will represent Virginia Tech in the tournament and will be the first Hokie to ever participate in the event.
“To be the first Hokie means even more. I hope many more Hokies will get to experience [this], and I will let them know how it goes,” DiNunzio said.
The tournament is played at the Blue Course at the Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Arizona, located just outside of Phoenix. The Blue Course is a par 70 and measures 6,000 yards. The desert style course is much different from the eastern courses that DiNunzio is used to playing.
“I was only there once [in 2021], so maybe when I’m there I’ll learn more about Arizona golf. I’m excited to go back, just to learn what it’s like to golf there because we’re planning on getting to nationals again this year, so I’ll have more…
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