Hall birdied the first playoff hole for his fifth APGA Tour victory
Palm Springs, CA – In the first full-field event of the APGA Tour’s 2023 season, Kevin Hall shot a final-round 3-under-par 69 and birdied the first playoff hole against DeVaughn Robinson to win the APGA Tour Black History Month Classic at Indian Canyon Golf Resort. Hall and Robinson finished the two-day, 36-hole event at 10-under-par with Hall securing his 5th career win on the APGA Tour and the $7,500 winner’s prize.
Hall shot a 7-under-par 65 in the opening round and appeared to be cruising to victory after an opening 4-under-par 31 on the front nine. But eight pars and a bogey on the back nine put Hall in a playoff against Robinson. Hall admitted to playing a little more conservative on the back nine, but when he found himself in a playoff, his mind set changed.
“In the playoff, I had to go and get it, or Devaughn was going to take it from me,” Hall said.
Hall hit the par-5 green in two with a driver and then 6-iron from 181 yards to 35 feet. Robinson’s attempt to hit the green in two clipped a tree and left him 100 yards away. Hall two-putted for birdie and Robinson’s birdie attempt just missed giving Hall the victory.
Kevin was diagnosed as profoundly deaf at age 2 after surviving H-flu meningitis. He learned to play golf at 9 and later became the first Black golfer to play at Ohio State University where he was the winner of the 2004 Big Ten championship. The win was especially poignant for Hall as Donald Barnes, who Hall credits as getting him started by taking him to a golf course at age 8 and teaching him the game, passed away in his early 90s from complications due to Alzheimer’s early this week.
“It hasn’t hit me yet that I was able to win. I owe a lot to Donald and know he was looking down on me today,” Hall said. “At my age, to win this event is huge for me. It’s getting harder and harder to win. The young kids are getting better and better. Moments like this keep me motivated and push me to keep working hard.
“I have so many people in my life that support me from my parents, friends and family to some incredible partners and sponsors at Velocity Global, Cisco, Pahhni and the APGA Tour. Their support makes it possible for me to chase my dreams and I don’t want to let them down,” Hall continued. “That gets me up every day. I still have the fire inside of me. I love competing. I always tell people if that fire goes away, I’m done.”
When Robinson was 11 years old, his father introduced him to golf. It didn’t take long before he was hooked. Growing up in the Bahamas, Devaughn’s family didn’t come from great means, so Robinson would often sneak through the bushes onto a golf course before sunset. Using a cut down golf club with duct tape for a grip, he grabbed as much time as he could before it was completely dark. Robinson won seven times in college at Texas Southern University and won the 2017 Houston Amateur Championship. In November of 2022, Robinson, a father of two, won the local qualifier to earn an exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Great Exuma Classic.
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf. The APGA Tour Board of Directors works to accomplish this by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs and by introducing the game to inner city young people.
“It’s amazing what the APGA Tour does to give us the opportunity to play in these events and at a collection of incredible golf courses,” Hall said. “They support us, they help us with resources, they pave the way for exemptions and opportunities at a number of PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour events. A lot of us are improving and finding continued success and it’s all because of the work of the APGA Tour staff.”
APGA BLACK HISTORY MONTH CLASSIC HONOREES
As part of the APGA Black History Month Classic, the APGA Tour honored several influential figures who have made significant contributions to the growth of the game and the APGA Tour. APGA Tour CEO Ken Bentley led a presentation of the awards to the following recipients:
- Kenyatta Ramsey, Vice President, Player Development, PGA TOUR – Ramsey leads the efforts of the PGA TOUR in overseeing the relationships and functions of the PGA TOUR and other golf organizations to help create a pipeline for minority golfers both on and off the course throughout the industry and through all levels of PGA TOUR competition. Ramsey’s consistent support of the APGA Tour and its players have been instrumental in the APGA’s growth over the last several years.
- Jeff Champ, Cameron Champ Foundation – Through Champ’s leadership, the Cameron Champ Foundation is committed to unlocking the potential in and transforming the lives of youth from underserved and underrepresented communities. Examples of these efforts include:
- Mack Champ Invitational – This tournament was established for the game’s best junior golfers of diverse backgrounds in 2020. In addition to providing an annual showcase for these players, the tournament is helping players and families navigate the world of competitive junior golf and college recruiting while building a sense of community for players who are too often the only players of color when they compete. This event is connecting with the APGA Tour in many ways to develop a pipeline and pathway for golfers from Junior through college and into professional play.
- Golf Programs – The Champ family manages Foothill Golf Course in Citrus Heights, CA, with the intention of making golf accessible to the community and especially its young people.
- Scholarships – The foundation has established college scholarships named after legends who overcame obstacles to make golf more diverse and inclusive.
- Will Lowery, Beyond the Fairway Co-Host and on-air talent for Golf Channel and PGA TOUR Live – Known for his signature cross-handed grip as a player where he continues to balance his playing career with APGA Tour events and his additional addition to the game as a content creator and on-air talent, Will’s reverse swing style and dreadlocks are shattering the perception of what a golfer looks like. In everything he does, Will uses the power of education and storytelling to create opportunities that change the landscape of golf and remove the illusion of inclusion. Will brings personality and purpose to all his partnerships and uses his relationships and platforms to create a sustainable path into golf and upward mobility for multicultural athletes. As a champion for youth mentorship, Will partners with a number of organizations to create access and opportunity for the youth they serve.
- Olajuwon Ajanaku, Founder of Eastside Golf – Olajuwon Ajanaku, the Founder of Eastside Golf grew up in East Atlanta. He gained a golf scholarship to Morehouse College and won a National Championship alongside his co-founder, Earl Cooper. Together, the two formed Eastside Golf with a mission to build a lifestyle golf brand developed to raise awareness about golf among youth and non-golfers and to inspire the culture, promote diversity and continue to be authentic.
ABOUT THE APGA TOUR
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf. The APGA Tour Board of Directors works to accomplish this by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs and by introducing the game to inner city young people. In addition to conducting an expected 18 tournaments awarding close to $1 million in prize and bonus money in 2023, the APGA has organized a Player Development Program to aid young minority golfers as they work to chase their goals in professional golf.
