DR. MICHAEL COOPER
Blog: September 2013
“Advocates Pro Tour”
For the second time in four years, Joshua Wooding of Riverside, CA defeated Vincent Johnson of Portland, OR in a playoff to win the Advocates Pro Tour (APT) Los Angeles event at Chester Washington Golf Course, August 17-18, 2013. Both players birdied the 17th and 18th holes in regulation play to get into the playoff; tying for the top spot at five under par 135.
Wooding got the victory with a birdie on the first playoff hole. The victory earned Wooding the LA County Supervisor Mark Ridley Thomas Champions Cup and $10,000, the largest first prize in the four year history of the Advocates Pro Tour.
The second place finish was worth $4,000 for Johnson, the all-time leading money winner on the APT.
Wooding also received the Adrian Stills Award, worth an additional $5,000. Each year the APT honors former PGA Tour member Adrian Stills by presenting the Stills Award to an APT member who has not only performed well in APT events but has done a great job of promoting the tour.
The purpose of the Advocates Invitational Pro Tour is to identify young aspiring African American talent, and help them achieve their dreams of competing on the PGA TOUR.
There has been a noticeable void of Black professional golfers over the years, and with the exception of Tiger Woods and Joseph Bramlett, the Advocates Tour has attracted the country’s finest African American players. It’s our hope that several will soon qualify for the highest levels of competition.
The thrilling finish in Los Angeles was a fitting end to a great APT season. Early in the season the PGA Tour entered into a five year sponsorship agreement with the APT. The partnership helped to increase prize money 25% in 2013 (over $80,000 for the season), and a 20% increase in overall participation.
Other winners on the 2013 Advocates Tour were Marcus Manley from Langston GC in Washington DC, and Jeremiah Wooding, Joshua’s younger brother. Marcus won the first event of the year in March, at historic Rogers Park GC in Tampa, FL with a score of 138, four under par. Jeremiah won the rain shortened event in Atlanta, GA with a six-under par round of 66. Both earned $7500 for their victories. Below are the top money winners for the 2013 Advocates Pro Tour:
1. Joshua Wooding $12,533 *
2. Vincent Johnson 8,000
3. Jeremiah Wooding 7,900
4. Marcus Manley 7,500
5. Tim O’Neal 3,658
6. Kevin Hall 2,533
7. Brad Brunner 2,500
8. Christian Heavens 2,270
9. Tony Funai 2,125
10. Maurice Jeffries 2,125
11. Harold Varner 1,750
12. Don Wright 1,550
13. Kevin Lyles 1,420
*Does not include the Adrian Stills Award prize monies.
We conclude our 2013 tournament schedule with great enthusiasm and anticipation for the 2014 campaign, which will open in Tampa, FL, at Rogers Park Golf Course. The tournament will once again be part of the annual Mid Winter Golf Classic, March 14-16, 2014. The festive weekend will feature the Advocates Pro Tour event, a flighted amateur competition, and the 28th National Black Golf Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony. More information will be shared in future blogs.
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What are you doing to help bring diversity to golf? Are there things we can do together to accelerate the process? Please contact me to share your thoughts and opinions.
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ABOUT MICHAEL COOPER, PH.D.
Dr. Michael Cooper is the Assistant Dean and Campus Director at Springfield College-Tampa Bay campus. He can be reached at urbangolf@aol.com and mcooper2@springfieldcollege.edu.
