It’s getting warm here!
Day 3
We Are Family is not just the title of the 1979 song by Philly based Sister Sledge but it is the feeling one has, or one gets while attending this historic event in south Dallas. The 4 Sledge sisters were given vocal training by their grandmother Viola Williams, a former lyric soprano opera singer and protégée of civil rights leader Mary McLeod Bethune.
The song’s ethos was to establish the dance floor as a social space that cut across the boundaries of class, creed, gender, nationality, race and sexuality.
Well, this week Golf is our dance floor, but I really have seen people swaying and dancing (including me) to the infectious background music from our DJ while the folks on the course are trying to make music with their instrument of choice.
Well, it was a party yesterday from the wonderful food being served to the scores being posted. Matthew Vital of Temple University lit it up with a bogey free 6 under 65 to go 8 under overall to snatch the men’s lead from Texas Southern’s Kci Lindskog who shot even par.
On the ladies side Emily Odwin of SMU shot a 4 under 67 to take the lead from high school sensation Shyla Brown. Emily has pushed her two-round total to minus 8 but Shyla at minus 5 is not going away. I’m sure there will be some great golf today the final round at Cedar Crest .
I enjoy analysis and I have been noodling over some stats from the Showcase
Here are some interesting numbers for you to review.
| 42 Players |
| 21 Men |
| 21 Women |
| 20 Players from HBCU Schools which is 47.6% of the total field |
| 8 HBCU Schools in the field |
| 9 Players from Howard University (6 Men 3 Women) which is 21.4% of the total field |
| 2 Players from Texas Southern University ( 1 Man 1 Woman) |
| 2 Players from Livingstone College |
| 2 Players from North Carolina Central University |
| 3 Players are in High School or being Home Schooled |
| 2 Female High Schoolers are in the Women’s Top Ten Places after Round 2 |
| 78 Was the highest score carded by the Men on Monday |
| 81 Was the highest score carded by the Women on Monday |
| – 4 Was the best score on Monday for the Men and the Women |
| 6 Men shot even or under par on Monday |
| 6 Women shot even or under par on Monday |
| 11 Men shot even or under par on Tuesday |
| 8 Women shot even or under par on Tuesday |
| 65 Is the lowest 18-hole score for the Men |
| 67 Is the lowest 18-hole score for the Women |
| The Par 4 Hole 1 has been the hardest for the Men with a field average of 4.36 |
| The Par 5 Hole 18 has been the easiest for the Men with a field average of 4.36 |
| The Par 4 Hole 1 has been the hardest for the Women with a field average of 4.34 |
| The Par 5 Hole 18 has been the easiest for the Women with a field average of 4.67 |
| 132 is the number of Eagles and Birdies made by the Women Thru 2 Rounds |
| 153 is the number of Eagles and Birdies made by the Men Thru 2 Rounds |
Networking and Fellowship
While the action on the course was plentiful and exciting, the networking and socializing was even more intense. Let start with the Pro Duffers Golf Club of Dallas. I was told that there are 15 members of the Pro Duffers Golf Club of Dallas who are volunteering at the Showcase. Here are a couple of them at hole 18 keeping the lively crowd in check as the players are trying to make their putts.
Meet Pro- Duffers Sherry Addison, VP of the Southwest Chapter in Dallas and Eddie Mayberry.
Another gentleman, Mr. Johnson, brought out a trophy his dad won back in the day to have it autographed by Cedar Crest General Manager Ira Mayola.
His dad, Albert Lee Johnson aka “Tyler” played in about 60 years in tournaments on the “Chitlin Circuit” in Oklahoma, Kansas, Illinois and Missouri. He won or placed top 10 in these Black golfer events.
Small Business Support
The Showcase has also showed outstanding support for small, women and minority owned businesses in the Pro Shop and on the Course. Take a look here.
The Ongoing Fashion Show
Then there is the fashion all around the course starting with longtime coach and mentor Gladys Lee.
Since 1986 she has been committed to improving the lives of young people as well as adult women using the attributes of golf to grow the game of golf. She established a 501c-3 junior golf program called the Texas International Stroker’s Junior Golf Association, later named in 1997 The Roaring Lambs International Junior Golf Academy.
Well, Tuesday was my last day on the course, so I will watch it from my home in Omaha,Nebraska and will be rooting for everyone. Yes, as Fred Prepall, president of the USGA said at our dinner Sunday night. There will only be 2 trophies awarded at the end of play, but we and the players must remember that they all all winners by virtue of just being selected to come to Cedar Crest and continue to make history, theirs and ours. Thanks Cedar Crest for your leadership. I can only hope other tournaments amateur and pro follow your example of inclusion.
