June 22, 2021
THE JOHN SHIPPEN NATIONAL GOLF INVITATIONAL INVITES THE NATION’S TOP BLACK MALE AND FEMALE PROFESSIONAL & AMATEUR GOLFERS TO COMPETE ON JUNE 27-28 AT DETROIT GOLF CLUB
THE JOHN SHIPPEN is named after John Shippen, Jr., who was the first American-born golf professional and also the country’s first Black golf professional. Shippen tied for fifth place in the second U.S. Open in 1896 and played in four additional U.S. Opens. He was bestowed PGA of America membership posthumously in 2009.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational Competition:
- The Women’s Division will feature a 36-hole competition with a two-player team format. The winning duo will earn an exemption into the LPGA’s Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational (July 14–17), which is also played as a team event.
- The Men’s Division will compete in a 36-hole individual stroke play event, with the winner receiving an exemption into the PGA TOUR’s Rocket Mortgage Classic (July 1-4).
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Shoot-Out Presented by Cognizant is a three-hole individual competition that will take place on the South Course (5th, 6th and 7th Holes) at Detroit Golf Club on Monday, June 28, directly following THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational final round play. The Shoot-Out will feature the four players from the second- and third-place teams of the women’s field with the individual winner being awarded a sponsor exemption into the LPGA’s Cognizant Founders Cup (October 4-10).
The sport of golf is an $84 billion industry with more than two million golf-related jobs. However, less than one percent of PGA of America club professionals are Black, and only four current PGA TOUR players are Black. These statistics do not reflect a lack of talented Black golfers, but rather, they reflect limited access and resources.
“We at Intersport believe THE JOHN SHIPPEN will serve as a springboard from which to bolster accessibility to the sport of golf for young Black players and sports professionals,” said Jason Langwell, Executive Vice President of Intersport and Executive Director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. “As a national sports marketing firm, we are fully committed to the creation and expansion of opportunities and growth for Black athletes and professionals, now and in the future. Through THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit, we will offer twenty scholarships and paid internships to several student participants and our corporate partners and sponsors have pledged their support in those areas.”
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Historical barriers for Black golfers include affordable and consistent access to championship courses; quality golf equipment; top-rated swing coaches; sponsorship; and access to capital for housing and travel.
To ensure that any financial barriers are removed, THE JOHN SHIPPEN will cover all travel costs (airfare and hotel) for participating players of THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational.
Intersport collaborated with Woods and Watts Effect to design THE JOHN SHIPPEN as a vehicle to fundamentally increase diversity in golf and to create opportunities for young men and women of color in sports on a national scale.
A National Invitational committee was formed to help lead the recruitment and evaluation of players. The committee consists of more than a dozen leaders who support the advancement of Black golfers and includes coaches from HBCU schools, leaders from golf governing bodies and from men’s and women’s national golf events. The National Invitational committee is responsible for recruiting the top Black professional and amateur golfers and recommending that group to the Selection Committee, which includes representatives from Intersport, the PGA TOUR, the LPGA, Woods & Watts Effect, Rocket Mortgage and DOW.
“We are excited for the women and men who have been invited and have accepted our invitation, to participate in the inaugural THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational,” said Sommer Woods, Co-Founder of Woods and Watts Effect, Tournament Lead for THE JOHN SHIPPEN and Volunteer Vice Chair of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. “Our hope is that THE JOHN SHIPPEN provides them with an opportunity to advance their golf careers in a way that has previously not existed for them.”
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit was created by Intersport to address the lack of people of color in business and
leadership roles in golf and across professional sports. To create an avenue for awareness and opportunities, THE JOHN
SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit will provide students with exposure to powerful and leading voices across sports and
business, and those individuals will share their experiences and offer advice about how to pursue and secure a career within
the business of sports.
Registration for THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit is now open for all high school and college students of color. The
Sports Business Summit will be held virtually June 29-30 to create national awareness and opportunities for students of color
interested in pursuing careers in the business of sports. Registration is free, and available now at www.TheJohnShippen.com.
