Program to provide path to professional golf for junior and collegiate golfers from diverse backgrounds
Written by Stacy M. Brown
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA – The PGA TOUR today formally announced its Pathway to Progression player development program, a comprehensive effort to achieve greater diversity in golf through an increased focus on developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups.
“Through the Pathway to Progression program, we hope to motivate and inspire the next generation of golfers from diverse and underrepresented communities,” said PGA TOUR Vice President, Player Development Kenyatta Ramsey. “Pathway to Progression, in alignment with our APGA Tour partnership and the Collegiate Ranking program, will provide a path for talented junior and collegiate golfers from diverse backgrounds to continue their development and chase their dream of becoming a professional golfer. We are excited to provide these enhanced competitive and training opportunities in the development process.”
The junior golf program will create competitively focused opportunities for the identification and support of highly talented junior golfers from underrepresented communities. Twenty-four juniors, to be determined with key partners at the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA), American Junior Golf Association (AJGA), Cameron Champ Foundation, First Tee, Jim Thorpe Invitational, Notah Begay III Junior National Championship and UNDERRATED Golf presented by Stephen Curry, will have the opportunity to participate in a joint AJGA/Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA) junior golf tournament, a two-day development camp and shootout at TPC Sawgrass, and receive developmental support and college preparatory tools.
The collegiate program – aligning with PGA TOUR and APGA Collegiate Ranking goals to provide top Black collegiate players with transitional support in the professional ranks – will elevate the level of awareness, competitive opportunities and education for HBCU golfers while providing tangible career development opportunities. This includes, with support from partners at the GCAA, Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) and Golfstat, a continued HBCU Coaches Summit at the GCAA National Convention. Top performers will also participate in a two-day development camp at TPC Sawgrass.
“The PGA TOUR continues to provide HBCUs with the exposure and resources to grow our college golf programs,” said North Carolina Central University Coach Dr. Kendra Greene. “The support not only assists financially, but continues with professional development opportunities for HBCU coaches, collaboration with the BCGCA to execute quality collegiate events for our players, and devotes attention on a global stage to the promotion of minority golf. It has really allowed for us to elevate our profiles and get junior golfers interested in competing for our teams.”
