Those who know James Reede III, Julian Woodfork and Will Smartt say they are good junior golfers and impressive young men.

But impressive enough to inspire a professional athlete in one afternoon to donate $35,000 to save nine boys and nine girls golf programs targeted for elimination by the Elk Grove Unified School District?

Apparently so.

After clinching the season-long Champions Tour points title and a $1 million annuity Sunday at the Charles Schwab Cup in Sonoma, Loren Roberts said as much.

"They were just great, great kids," Roberts said. "Good positive attitudes. … So I just got to thinking about it.

"I said, 'Gosh, it just seems like that might be something that maybe, you know, I could be involved in or have a part in.' That's what the Schwab Cup allows us to do."

Dr. James W. Reede Jr. took the boys to Sonoma on Saturday with tickets donated by the PGA Tour to the Northern California Minority Junior Golf Scholarship Association. The younger Reede, Woodfork and Smartt are buddies through the First Tee of Greater Sacramento and the Sacramento Area Black Golf Club. Each is 15 and in the 10th grade. Their cumulative handicap index is 11.

The Sacramento foursome followed Roberts and developed a rapport with the player during the day, the elder Reede said. After the round, he told Roberts: "I'm not going to be able to knock those smiles off their faces. You made these kids' day."

National golf writer Tim Rosaforte was preparing to do a Golf Channel interview with Roberts and joined the conversation. Talk turned to how the younger Reede's chances of earning a college golf scholarship could be compromised by the elimination of his Monterey Trail High School golf team (Woodfork and Smartt attend McClatchy and Kennedy, respectively, whose teams are not at risk).

"Loren Roberts' face just got red," Reede said. "He said 'What? We need to do something about this.' "

Reede explained how the elimination of golf – for a savings of $35,000 – was part of $42 million in proposed Elk Grove district cuts for the 2010-11 school year. Swimming and diving, water polo and boys' volleyball are other varsity sports on the chopping block.

Since each boys and girls golf team at the district's nine high schools can have 10 players, that's up to 180 kids potentially affected, Reede told Roberts. Freshman sports could be eliminated altogether.

Jim Smrekar, the athletics and facilities director for the Elk Grove district, said a $35,000 donation would guarantee the presence of all 18 golf teams for 2010-11.

"We would certainly try to sustain it after that," Smrekar said.

The proposed cuts were scheduled to be discussed Tuesday night at the district's Board of Education meeting. Action on the proposal is scheduled for Nov. 17.

Roberts was in Biloxi, Miss., on Tuesday for a Champions Tour announcement of a new event there and couldn't be reached for additional comment or specifics.

Reede, an engineer for the California Energy Commission and professor of environmental science at Sacramento State, said he's confident the pro golfer meant what he said.

"He sought me out after the interview and asked for a business card and said, 'I'm going to work on this,' " Reede said. "He said in two different interviews that he wants to help. I don't have any reason not to believe a person of his stature that when he says he wants to help, he'll help.

"Golf is an honorable sport."

Call The Bee's Steve Pajak, (916) 326-5526.