(Photo: Ricardo Hamilton)
May 1, 2021 | BY GLENNON BAZZLE
The “Black Stars” in golf aligned in New Orleans, LA, for the 2021 Zurich Classic held April 22 thru 25. The Zurich Classic is the only two-man team event on the PGA Tour. More about the tournament later.
The really exciting news is this that on Tuesday morning, April 20, I wrote a letter to Mayor LoToya Cantrell of New Orleans, informing her that April has been designated as National Black Golf Month and this is its 10th Anniversary. I also informed her that there were going to be three Black PGA players, and a very special Black man, participating in the Zurich Classic being held at the TPC in Avondale, LA, a suburb of New Orleans.
(Photo: Ricardo Hamilton)
The three Black players were Joseph Bramlett, Cameron Champ and Harold Varner III. Bramlett teamed with Maverick McNealy, Champ with Tony Finau, and Varner III with Brandon Grace. The very special Black man involved with the PGA tour is Mr. Donnie Wallace. Mr. Wallace was Director of Operations for the PGA Tour for 30 years. He has recently been promoted to Vice President Operations PGA Tour Shot Link.
On Thursday morning, April 22, Mayor Cantrell, who is Black and the first female elected to lead the city of New Orleans, prepared a Certificate of Recognition making Bramlett, Champ, Varner III and Mr. Wallace honorary citizens of New Orleans, LA. They each also received a Key To The City and a commemorative medallion.
The reactions from Bramlett, Champ and Mr. Wallace were similar. Surprised, shocked, appreciative, and grinning. Unfortunately, I was not able to see Varner III on Thursday, and his team missed the cut on Friday. I was told that he had immediately left the course. However, I did forward his recognition items to his foundation.
(Photo: Ricardo Hamilton)
The TPC course is a 7,425 yards, par 72 track. The purse was $7,400,000. Champ and Finau were picked to win. They shot 63-68-67-76 to finish minus 14. They each earned $37,463.
So there you have it. New Orlean’s first Black female mayor recognizing three Black PGA Tour players, the Black Vice President Operations PGA Tour Shot Link, a local Black professional golf educator, and the celebration of the 10th anniversary of National Black Golf Month, which was declared by a Black lady, AAGD Publisher Debert Cook. This year during the Zurich Classic it was Black-on-Black, on-Black-on-Black, on-Black-on Black. If “dat” ain’t Black History I don’t know what is.
Glennon E. Bazzle
aka “The King of Swing,” is author of Anatomy of the Perfect Golf Swing, available in English, Spanish, Japanese and Chinese, and Founder and CEO of Global Golf Institute, LLC. He may be contacted at email golfswing2000@gmail.com
cell phone: 504-583-6842
