April 5, 2021 | BY KELLEY PIERRE
The Rocket Mortgage Classic announces the launching of a new challenge: “The John Shippen,” a four-day event that begins this year, in late June 2021. The John Shippen will begin with a 36-hole tournament for the top Black golfers who can earn an exemption to the Rocket Mortgage Classic and to the Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational on the LPGA Tour. The event concludes with a two-day sports business summit that offers paid internships and scholarships for students of color.
In 2019 when the Rocket Mortgage Classic made its debut on the PGA Tour and won the inaugural “Fair Way Award” for diversity and inclusion by leaning on minority-owned vendors at Detroit Golf Club and having a volunteer base that reflected the community, turns out it was just the start of a larger plan.
To gain greater insight on this brand new tournament, reporter Kelley Pierre speaks with Jason Langwell, Executive Director for the Rocket Mortgage Classic and Sommer Woods, Co-Founder, Woods & Watts Effect and serves as the Tournament Lead for The John Shippen. She’s also the Vice-Chair for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.
RELATED: New National Golf Event: ‘The John Shippen’ to expand pathway for Blacks
“Golf is a multi-billion dollar industry and it lacks diversity,” said Langwell, “We’re building a platform, two events that show up on the intersection of diversity, inclusion, and golf. We’re not only excited about that, but we’re also excited to use the event to shine a light on the legacy and great untold story of John Shippen Jr.”
Shippen was the first Black to play in the U.S. Open in 1896 at Shinnecock Hills and the first American-born golf professional. Shippen, an assistant to Willie Dunn at Shinnecock, was encouraged to play in the second U.S. Open along with Oscar Bunn, a club caddie and member of the Shinnecock tribe.
English and Scottish players threatened to boycott if Shippen and Bunn were allowed to play until Theodore Havemeyer, the USGA president, said the championship would be played even if Shippen and Bunn were the only ones playing. Shippen was tied for the lead after the first day, only to make an 11 on the 13th hole to shoot 81. He tied for fifth, matching his best finish in his U.S. Open appearances.
Kelley Pierre is a Certified Coach with U.S. Kids Golf, Founder & CEO of All Access Golf and Director of Circulation and Consumer Engagement at African American Golfer’s Digest
