PGA REACH North Florida Announces 2026 Tim Beckwith Scholarship Recipients
PGA REACH North Florida is proud to announce Alexis Castillo and Cooper Zysk as the recipients of the 2026 Tim Beckwith Scholarship. Each recipient will receive a $5,000 scholarship to support their continued education. The Tim Beckwith Scholarship honors the legacy of PGA of America Member Tim Beckwith and recognizes students who demonstrate strong character, leadership, perseverance, and a commitment to positively impacting those around them.
Alexis Castillo
Alexis Castillo is entering her final year at the University of Miami School of Law, where she has combined her passion for golf with her interest in law, leadership, and service. Golf
has been an important part of Alexis’ life since she began playing at age 12 through The First Tee of Tampa Bay. She went on to compete for eight years, become a four-time FHSAA state qualifier, serve as an assistant coach at First Tee camps, and join the organization’s Young Alumni Board. At Miami Law, Alexis has continued to distinguish herself through both leadership and service. She was a member of the school’s Sports Arbitration Moot Court team, which advanced through a field of 76 teams from around the world and placed first in the elimination rounds in Madrid. She has also dedicated her time to Miami Law’s Innocence Clinic, helping work on cases involving wrongfully convicted individuals. Alexis is also developing Castle Golf Collective, an initiative designed to introduce young professionals to golf while creating opportunities for networking and community. Her goal is to build a welcoming environment centered around what she describes as “class, conversation and confidence.”
Cooper Zysk
Cooper Zysk is a student at the University of Florida, where he is studying Construction Management with a minor in Leadership and maintains a 4.0 cumulative GPA. He is 
involved in numerous organizations on campus, including UF Club Golf, Florida Cicerones, UF Habitat for Humanity, the UF Real Estate Society, and construction management organizations. During his freshman year, Cooper founded the Gator Grill Club, which has grown to more than 650 members. As president, he has helped turn the organization into a vehicle for both connection and service, including an initiative that prepared and served more than 250 meals to homeless and underserved members of the Gainesville community. Golf has also played an important role in Cooper’s development. Through the game, he says he has learned the importance of consistency, integrity and building meaningful relationships, lessons he carries into his academics and leadership on and off campus. Professionally, Cooper is gaining construction management experience through an internship with Brasfield & Gorrie and ultimately hopes to build and lead a construction company that creates spaces where people can connect and build lasting memories.
Continuing Tim Beckwith’s Legacy
The Tim Beckwith Scholarship celebrates students who embody the qualities of leadership, character, mentorship, and service that Tim demonstrated throughout his career, In 2021, Beckwith received the PGA of America’s Bill Strausbaugh Award, recognizing his commitment to mentoring PGA of America Golf Professionals and positively impacting the careers of others.
Congratulations to Alexis and Cooper, the 2026 Tim Beckwith Scholarship recipients!