Some stories remind you exactly why this work matters. Ryan Voois is one of those stories.
First Tee – Orange County alumnus has been named one of three finalists for the 2026 Byron Nelson Award — one of the most prestigious honors in collegiate golf. Presented annually by the Golf Coaches Association of America in cooperation with the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, the Byron Nelson Award recognizes an outstanding Division I, II, III, or NAIA scholar-athlete for excellence in academics, community service, and golf performance. The winner will be announced on June 15.
Ryan is a finalist alongside Will Sides of SMU and Hiroshi Tai of Georgia Tech — an extraordinary group by any measure. To be among them is a testament not just to Ryan’s talent on the course, but to the character he has built over a lifetime of showing up for others.
From First Tee Participant to Collegiate Star
Ryan’s connection to First Tee – Orange County goes back to his roots. As an alumnus of our program, he experienced firsthand what it means to learn the game alongside the life skills that define the First Tee experience — integrity, confidence, perseverance, and respect. And when it came time to give back, he did. Before heading to the University of Illinois, Ryan returned to First Tee – Orange County as a junior coach, pouring into the next generation of participants the same way coaches had once poured into him.
That is the First Tee cycle at its most powerful — a participant who becomes a leader, a student who becomes a mentor, a game changer who goes on to change the game.
A Career That Speaks for Itself
At Illinois, Ryan left no doubt about the kind of player — and person — he is. He graduated with a finance degree and a remarkable 3.98 GPA while leading the Fighting Illini in nearly every major statistical category this season. He posted a 70.31 scoring average — the fourth-best single season in program history — while recording five top-10 finishes and eight top-20s. First Tee
His signature moment came at the Hal Williams Collegiate, where he co-won the title with a 15-under-par total that included a career-low 63 and the second-best 54-hole score in Illinois history. He earned recognition as a two-time PING Midwest Region selection and 2024 PING Honorable Mention All-American. First Tee
But what sets Ryan apart — what has always set him apart — is what he does when the clubs are put away. His volunteer efforts included food banks, literacy programs, children’s outreach, hospital support initiatives, and suicide awareness events. A complete student-athlete in every sense of the phrase. First Tee
What Ryan’s Story Means to Us
We will not pretend to be anything other than incredibly proud. Ryan Voois walked through the doors of First Tee – Orange County as a young golfer from Ladera Ranch. He leaves collegiate golf as a finalist for one of the sport’s highest honors — a young man who embodies every value we work to instill in our participants every single day.
He is proof that First Tee works. He is proof that access matters. He is proof that when you invest in a young person and surround them with great coaches, great values, and a community that believes in them, there is no ceiling on what they can achieve.
The Byron Nelson Award winner will be announced on June 15. Whoever takes home that honor, we already know one thing for certain — Ryan Voois is exactly the kind of game changer First Tee – Orange County was built to produce. And we could not be more proud to call him one of our own
