Each year, the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour community comes together to celebrate the birthday of co-founder and Chairman Ken Bentley. But the celebration is about more than recognizing one individual. It represents an opportunity to advance the mission Bentley helped establish more than a decade ago: creating greater access, opportunity and pathways for underrepresented golfers through the game of golf.
From September 1 through October 15, friends, corporate partners, players and supporters are invited to honor Bentley by making a gift to the APGA Foundation. Contributions help support professional competition, player development, youth programming, scholarships, mentorship and educational opportunities.
Last year, supporters demonstrated the power of the APGA community by raising an extraordinary $130,000 in Bentley’s honor. That generosity helped create additional opportunities for talented golfers and young people seeking to use golf as a vehicle for personal and professional growth. This year’s campaign seeks to build on that momentum.
A Vision That Became a Movement
The APGA was founded in 2010 by Bentley and former PGA TOUR professional Adrian Stills. The idea grew from a conversation during a golf outing in Las Vegas. Bentley, after watching the documentary Uneven Fairways: The Story of the Negro Leagues of Golf, questioned why the presence and influence of Tiger Woods had not resulted in substantially greater racial diversity at the highest levels of professional golf.
Stills, who had been one of the few Black golfers to successfully navigate the PGA TOUR qualifying system during that era, explained that a lack of money, mentorship, competitive opportunities and resources represented significant obstacles for minority golfers.
The conversation led to action. The APGA was created to provide a competitive platform where underrepresented professional golfers could develop their games, earn money, gain exposure and pursue opportunities at higher levels of professional golf. What began with a small schedule has evolved into a national developmental tour playing at some of the country’s most prestigious golf facilities.
Today, the APGA has featured more than 600 professional golfers and helped its current and former members make more than 200 starts in PGA TOUR events. Its 2026 schedule has expanded to 15 tournaments, with more than $1 million in prize and bonus money available.
The organization’s mission extends beyond professional competition. Through the APGA Foundation, youth clinics, mentorship programs, career initiatives and scholarships introduce young people to golf while demonstrating how the sport can contribute to education, wellness and career development. The Foundation has impacted more than 3,000 young people and awarded more than $250,000 in scholarships.
Ken Bentley: A Career Built Around Opportunity
Bentley’s commitment to creating opportunities for others predates the APGA.
A longtime business executive, Bentley spent 31 years with Nestlé USA, ultimately serving as vice president of Community Affairs and Workforce Diversity. He also held leadership positions with Farmers Insurance and has served on the boards of organizations including the TGR Foundation.
His own experience as a trailblazer helped shape his philosophy of giving others the tools necessary to succeed. Bentley was the first Black member of the University of California Santa Barbara men’s tennis team and has spoken about the importance of receiving encouragement and resources early in his life.
Golf eventually became another vehicle for that philosophy. Under Bentley’s leadership, the APGA developed relationships with major corporations, the PGA TOUR and golf organizations that have helped create playing and professional-development opportunities. Farmers Insurance, for example, became an important supporter, helping provide tournament opportunities and sponsorships for APGA players.
In 2024, Bentley transitioned from his longtime role as APGA CEO to Chairman of the Board, allowing him to remain deeply involved in guiding the organization’s future while new leadership assumed day-to-day responsibilities. Bentley has received numerous honors for his leadership, including induction into the African American Golf Hall of Fame in 2021, the Diversity in Sports Award in 2023 and the APGA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
His birthday campaign therefore represents more than a fundraising appeal. It is a celebration of a philosophy that has become central to the APGA: talent deserves opportunity, and opportunity can change lives.
Through October 15, supporters have the chance to help extend that legacy by contributing to the APGA Foundation and ensuring that the next generation of golfers has access to the resources, competition and mentorship needed to pursue their dreams. CLICK HERE TO MAKE A DONATION TODAY.
