On Sunday, October 4, at the Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, California, a local LPGA*USGA Girls Golf leader will join 50 program members and their families to cheer on Amari Avery. The group will walk with her toward the 18th green and watch her finish the final round of a season that has carried her to a remarkable milestone: earning her LPGA Tour card for 2027. Among the group will be retired Los Angeles County deputy sheriff, youth golf advocate, and board member for the APGA Foundation Jenny Bethune.
“Amari has already mathematically secured her card,” stated Bethune in an email message to this publication. “After Saturday’s third round, she stood eighth in the Epson Tour’s Race for the Card, with the top 15 players earning LPGA membership for next season.” That makes Sunday a chance to honor the work, perseverance, and people behind her achievement. When Amari tees it up on the LPGA Tour in 2027, she is set to become the ninth Black woman to earn an LPGA Tour card. The Epson Tour confirmed her position and card status ahead of the final round.
Many first met Amari through The Short Game, the documentary that introduced audiences to talented young golfers when she was just seven. Her story has unfolded in public ever since, from junior championships to a record-setting college career at the University of Southern California and now professional golf. At the 2026 IOA Championship, she claimed her first Epson Tour victory, adding another breakthrough to a journey built over many years. She was among the young players featured in the film, and the Epson Tour records her 2026 win.
The Southern California golf community has been part of that journey. The Western States Golf Association (WSGA), The Honors Golf Club, and many local supporters have helped Amari through junior and college golf. The Honors Golf Club’s junior program mentored Amari and her sister Alona, while WSGA’s support helped open doors, including an exemption into the 2019 Women’s Junior PGA Championship. Individual contributions may have seemed modest at the time. Together, they helped sustain the training, travel, and opportunity required to compete at the highest levels.
That is what makes Sunday meaningful beyond one player’s achievement. Amari’s success shows what can happen when talent meets encouragement, access, coaching, and sustained community investment. It also raises a question for the golf world: Who will be the next Black golfer to reach the PGA or LPGA Tour, and what support will help that young player get there?
The next generation needs more than applause at the finish. Young golfers need welcoming places to learn, mentors who see their potential, competitive opportunities, financial support, and families and communities willing to stay beside them through setbacks as well as victories.
As Amari’s supporters celebrate her final putt in Indian Wells, they will also be looking ahead—working to build a pathway for the golfers who will follow.
