Driving Legacy Forward

Some of Leigh Masterson’s most treasured memories of his late wife, Sandy, were made on golf courses around the world. Now, a scholarship bearing her name will honor those memories while creating opportunities for Rice women golfers.

Sandy had never played before she met Leigh, who had loved the game since his youth. But she took lessons, practiced regularly and eventually began competing alongside him as a husband-and-wife team in amateur tournaments. Over the years, golf became part of their life together, taking them to courses around the world, including some of the sport’s storied courses in Scotland.

“She got to be pretty good,” Leigh says. “She was really a wonderful woman, and I’ll do anything I can to honor her memory.”

When Rice announced the launch of its women’s golf program for the 2026 school year, Leigh immediately saw a meaningful connection. The Sandy Masterson Women’s Golf Scholarship will provide financial assistance to student athletes and honor Sandy through a sport they came to love together. “With the start of a women’s golf team, it was just a natural fit,” he says.

Golf also runs deep in Leigh’s own history. Growing up in Houston, he played golf at Lamar High School before joining the golf team at Rice, and the sport remained part of his life throughout a career in oil and gas that took him around the world.

Over the years, Leigh has used philanthropy at Rice to celebrate people, relationships and experiences that matter deeply to him. In 1991, he created the Sandra K. Masterson Women’s Athletics Scholarship to provide financial assistance to female student-athletes who exemplify Sandy’s qualities: kindness, compassion, and selflessness on and off the field of play. In 1997, he established the Leigh H. Masterson Golf Scholarship as well as the Wayne Graham Baseball Scholarship II, honoring his friendship with the legendary coach and the many games they traveled to together, including the College World Series and the university’s first NCAA team national championship in 2003.

The Sandy Masterson Women’s Golf Scholarship adds another chapter to that legacy, bringing together Leigh’s love of Rice, his lifelong connection to golf, and most importantly, his memories of Sandy.

Leigh’s generosity also reflects his gratitude for what Rice made possible in his own life. An economics major, he attended what was then the Rice Institute at a time when students paid no tuition. He credits his Rice education with helping him secure his first job and opening doors throughout his career.

“Rice has been very good to me,” he says. “I feel obligated to pay it back.”

Coach Joanne Berglund (left) poses with members of the 2026 Rice Women’s Golf Team

Accelerate the Vision

Leigh Masterson is creating opportunities for talented Owl athletes, including the newly established women’s golf team. To learn how you can support Rice Athletics and student-athletes, contact Michael McBride, senior associate athletic director of development, at michael.mcbride@rice.edu or 713-348-6970.