ELMSFORD, N.Y. (May 29, 2015) - The Metropolitan Golf Writers Association will hold its 64th National Awards Dinner on Tuesday, June 9 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, N.Y., to commemorate golf's greatest players, writers, and organizations in America who have shown positive efforts to spread and grow the game of golf. 

Any golf fan around the area is welcomed to attend the event and enjoy one of golfs largest dinners of the year. 

RELATED: Attend the MGWA Awards Dinner June 9

The MGWA will pay homage to one of golf's big three members, Gary Player, and The Player Foundation, with the Winnie Palmer Award. Since 2000, this Award is named after Winnie Palmer, Arnold Palmers wife, who was known to give back for devoting her time to charity work, health care, and literacy programs.

In 1983, Player and his family produced the Player Foundation, having goals such as providing a quality education, medical care, nutrition, and extra-curricular opportunities for underprivileged children across the world. Player and his foundation have raised more than $50 million in 32 years with annual events, in areas such as U.S., Asia, Europe, and South Africa.

The Player Foundation is headquartered in Palm Beach, Florida and will host the Gary Player Invitational on October 11 and 12 at GlenArbor Golf Club in Bedford Hills, N.Y.

Related: Tickets for the Gary Player Invitational

Ron Sirak, a former president of the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association and the Golf Writers Association of America, will be honored with the MGWA Golf Journalism Award. The 64-year-old began his sports writing career at the age of 37, and didn’t start working as a full-time golf writer until he was 45. Since then he has won over a dozen awards, including the 2015 PGA Lifetime Award this year, and the 2008 GWAA Award.

Sirak is currently a senior writer for GolfDigest, and is the former executive editor of Golf World. In 2005, he became the first journalist to cover all four men’s and women’s majors in the same year, and in 2013, became the first to cover nine majors when the LPGA added the Evian Championship as a major. Over the course of his career, Sirak has covered over 140 men’s and women’s major championships, seven Solheim Cups, and 10 Ryder Cups.

LPGA’s world No. 26 Morgan Pressel will receive the Bing Crosby Tournament Sponsor Award, which is presented to an individual who promotes and supports the game of golf through commercial sponsorship of quality events. Pressel was recognized for this honor through her organization, the Morgan Pressel Foundation. Since starting in 2008, it has been able to raise more than $4 million for those fighting cancer through her annual January charity event, the Morgan & Friends Fight Cancer Golf Tournament held at St. Andrews Country Club in Boca Raton, Fla.

Former world No. 1 and 2003 World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Nick Price will receive the Gold Tee Award, an award honored to a golfer who represents the tradition of golf and has been honored to previous players such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Phil Mickelson, and Fred Couples. Price has previously received honors such as PGA Tour Player of the Year, PGA of America Player of the Year, and has won three major championships. This October, Price will be the captain of the International team for the President’s Cup.

The Women’s Met Golf Association will receive the Distinguished Service Award, which is given to those who contribute service to golf. This is the first time a golf association has won this award since the Metropolitan PGA won in 1999. The Women’s Met Golf Association is the second oldest women’s golf association in the U.S. and was recognized for encouraging the participation of junior girls golf and women’s amateur golf.

The Club of the Year Award will be given to Glen Oaks Club in Old Westbury, N.Y., a 27-hole club that has hosted various charity and community events, including local golf tournaments. Next year, Glen Oaks will host the 101^st Met Open.  

The MGWA was formed in 1952 by Fred Corcoran, whose goal was to recognize goal journalists and provide scholarships funding for those eligible around the Met area. As of this year, it has raised $1.5 million for Caddie Scholarship programs and the Dave Marr Journalism Scholarship at Columbia University. 

For more information about the 64th National Awards Dinner, please contact Kate Keller at kate@metgolfwriters.org.