On Sunday, October 4, at the Epson Tour Championship in Indian Wells, California, a local LPGA*USGA Girls Golf leader joined 50 program members and their families to celebrate Amari Avery. The group walked with her toward the 18th green and watched her complete the final round of a season that brought her to a major milestone: securing her LPGA Tour card for 2027.
Avery officially earned her card when the Epson Tour Championship concluded Sunday. She finished tied for fifth at 11-under par and placed among the top 15 in the season-long Race for the Card, the group awarded LPGA Tour membership for next season. She will make her LPGA Tour debut in 2027, becoming the ninth Black woman to earn an LPGA Tour card. The Epson Tour confirmed Avery as a member of its 2026 graduating class, and reported her tie for fifth at the championship.
Many people first met Avery through The Short Game, the documentary that featured her as a young golfer. Her story unfolded in public from junior championships to a standout college career at the University of Southern California and then professional golf. In April 2026, she claimed her first Epson Tour victory at the IOA Championship, adding another breakthrough to a journey built over many years. The USGA noted Avery’s appearance in the film, and the Epson Tour covered her first professional win.
The Southern California golf community had been part of that journey. The Western States Golf Association (WSGA), The Honors Golf Club, and local supporters helped Avery through her junior and college years. The Honors Golf Club’s junior program mentored Avery and her sister Alona, while WSGA 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 support the training, travel, and opportunities required to compete at the highest levels.
Sunday’s celebration meant more than one player’s achievement. Avery’s success showed what could happen when talent met encouragement, access, coaching, and sustained community investment. It also raised a question for golf: Who would be the next Black golfer to reach the PGA or LPGA Tour, and what support would help that young player get there?
The next generation needed more than applause at the finish. Young golfers needed welcoming places to learn, mentors who recognized their potential, competitive opportunities, financial support, and communities that stayed beside them through setbacks as well as victories.
As Avery’s supporters celebrated her final putt in Indian Wells, they also looked ahead. Her achievement honored everyone who helped her reach the LPGA Tour—and renewed the call to build a pathway for the golfers who would follow.
The historical list of Black women who have earned LPGA Tour membership includes nine players. The first eight are listed in African American Golfer’s Digest’s historical roster; Amari Avery joined them after earning her 2027 card on October 4, 2026. (Epson Tour)
- Althea Gibson
- Renee Powell
- LaRee Sugg
- Shasta Averyhardt
- Cheyenne Woods
- Sadena Parks
- Ginger Howard
- Mariah Stackhouse
- Amari Avery
The list includes players from different eras; it doesn’t mean all nine are currently active on Tour.
