March 17, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF
=UPDATED @6:50PM ET=
When golfers tee off at this week’s Honda Classic at PGA National Resort & Spa it will be a time of Nostalgia for Blacks and others who follow the sport.
“The pairing this week of Kamaiu Johnson and Joseph Bramlett will be historic in many ways,” says United Golf Association (UGA) Executive Director Tarek “Ty” DeLavallade. “It’s been two years since two African American men have been paired on the PGA Tour and even more special because their caddies are also Black this week.”
Actually, two African American golfers were paired previously. “In 2019 at the BMW Championship, Cameron Champ was paired with Harold Varner III, according to PGA Tour officials,” said DeLavallad in a later statement today.
DeLavallade initiated a resurgence of the UGA in Fall 2020. For those not familiar with the organization, the UGA was organized in 1925, as a group of African American professional golfers who operated a separate series of professional golf tournaments for Blacks to compete in during the era of racial segregation in the United States.
Functioning as a type of parallel institution to the all-white PGA of America (PGA), during its time the UGA attracted top Black golfers from around the country and conducted highly popular tournaments. Pro golfers included Ted Rhodes, Charlie Sifford, Pete Brown, James Black, Jim Thorpe, Chuck Thorpe, and many, many others who were denied entry into PGA tournaments because of the color of their skin.
In last years Masters Tiger Woods was paired with Tony Finau, but Finau is of Samoan descent.
Today, DeLavallade is diligently working to continue the legacy of the 45-year-old UGA while bringing opportunities for other Black youth and adults. Andy Walker, serves as Director of the UGA Developmental Academy and Player Development.
At 2:10pm on hole #1 Kamaiu Johnson and Joseph Bramlett are paired to tee off. The pairing of Johnson and Bramlett is historic. Joining Johnson and Bramlett is pro golfer Brandon Hagy.
Harold Varner III, the other African American playing in the Honda Classic will tee off at 9:04am on #10 along with Russell Henley and Kris Ventura. In 2021, Varner has made the cut in 12 events. At The Players Championship (3/11 – 3/14) held at TPC Sawgrass he earned $33,000 posting scores of 70-73-71-76 — 290 (+2).
Event information
What: Honda Classic
When: March 18-21
Where: PGA National Resort & Spa — Palm Beach Gardens, Florida
Purse: $7,000,000
Honda Classic Full Leaderboard
Founded in 1972 as the Jackie Glaason Inverrary Classic, The Honda Classic is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour in south Florida.
