June 10, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF

News is circulating that Tiger Woods has declined an invitation to join the commentary booth for the June 17-20 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. Still in recovery from a serious single-car crash in February, the winner of the 2008 U.S. Open had then played on an injured knee to capture the tournament in an 18-hole playoff that went one extra hole. Woods clinched the victory with a par 4 on the seventh hole.

Woods is said to have rejected the assignment to call the action at the third major competition of the year during a conference call with NBC Sports broadcasters.

NBC Reaction:

“… Who better, if he couldn’t be there to play it, to voice it and have him a part of the show,” NBC’s Dan Hicks said. “But we were rebuffed.”

“He didn’t want to do it, and I totally understand his situation,” Hicks said. “There is a lot going on in his world right now and there’s also a part of Tiger that doesn’t want to become this, I don’t want to, for lack of a better word, a sideshow at an event where we should be concentrating on what’s happening.”

June 8, 2021

The 12th Junior Ryder Cup will be contested between the U.S. and Europe
at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club near Milwaukee, Sept. 20-21, 2021

• For complete United States Junior Ryder Cup Team standings, click here.
• For European Junior Ryder Cup Team information, click here.

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (June 8, 2021) – As the countdown is on to the 12th Junior Ryder Cup at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, Sept. 20-21, 2021, the PGA of America has updated the final official qualifying events and eligibility rules for the selection of the United States Junior Ryder Cup Team.

The Junior Ryder Cup is scheduled to resume this September after being postponed last year due to the pandemic. The U.S. Team will feature six boys and six girls who are U.S. citizens and members of the high school graduating class of 2022 or younger. All potential players must compete in the 2021 Girls or Boys Junior PGA Championship to be eligible, unless exceptional circumstances prevent the player from competing. There will be 10 players who qualify as exemptions, and two Captain’s picks by United States Team Captain and PGA Past President Derek Sprague. 

“The Junior PGA Championships will be super exciting, as they will determine the final teams for this year’s Junior Ryder Cup,” said Sprague, PGA General Manager of TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.

The final U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team will be announced by the PGA of America on Monday, Aug. 2, 2021, following the 45th Girls Junior PGA Championship. They will face a European Junior Ryder Cup Team selected by Captain Paul Lawrie and a selection committee. Lawrie won the 1999 Open Championship and has played in two Ryder Cups.

“The best junior golfers in the United States will comprise a formidable team that will travel to Milwaukee this fall, as we proudly represent our country and compete against Europe’s top players in this special international event,” added Sprague.

The Americans are vying for their seventh straight Junior Ryder Cup victory, holding an overall record of 7-3-1 in the event. Among the competition’s alumni are major champions, PGA Tour and LPGA Tour players including: Justin Thomas, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Hunter Mahan, Akshay Bhatia, Lexi Thompson, Alison Lee, Brittany Altomare and Yealimi Noh of the United States; and Rory McIlroy, Sergio Garcia, Nicolas Colsaerts, Suzann Pettersen, Emily Pedersen and Carlota Ciganda of Europe.

To be eligible for the 12th U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team, all players must compete in their respective Junior PGA Championship and achieve one of the following qualifications:

Exemptions:

• 2021 Boys Junior PGA Champion winner and runner-up (total of 2 boys)* – To be contested July 12-15, 2021. In an event there is a tie for 2nd place between two eligible players, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following play to determine the spot.
• 2021 Girls Junior PGA Champion and runner-up (total of 2 girls)* – To be contested July 27-30, 2021. In an event there is a tie for 2nd place between two eligible players, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following play to determine the spot.
• 2021 U.S. Girls Junior Champion** – To be contested July 12-17, 2021. If the champion is not eligible, the next highest ranked player on the United States Junior Ryder Cup points list will be selected.
• 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion** –  To be contested July 19-24, 2021. If the champion is not eligible, the next highest ranked player on the United States Junior Ryder Cup points list will be selected.
• Top two boys and top two girls from the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Points List (see charts below) Events earning points include: multiple AJGA Invitationals, USGA Junior Amateurs, Junior PGA Championships and select independent events. In addition, points are awarded to those juniors who make the cut in a 2019, 2020 or 2021 PGA Tour, LPGA Tour or USGA national event. All U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Points List ties will be broken by each player’s respective 2021 Junior PGA Championship finish.

*In the event of a tie for 2nd place between two eligible players in either the 2021 Girls Junior PGA Championship and/or 2021 Boys Junior PGA Championship, there will be a hole-by-hole playoff immediately following play to determine the spot. If the champion or runner-up is not eligible, the next highest ranked player on the corresponding U.S. Junior Ryder Cup points list will be selected. 

**If the 2021 U.S. Girls Junior Champion and/or the 2021 U.S. Junior Amateur Champion is not eligible, the next highest ranked player on the U.S. Junior Ryder Cup points list will be selected. 

Captain’s Picks:

• The final two spots will be one boy and one girl Captain’s pick. For these selections, the PGA of America will consider multiple national ranking systems, such as Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Rolex AJGA Rankings and World Amateur Golf Rankings to pinpoint the remaining top boy and girl selections.

12th U.S. JUNIOR RYDER CUP TEAM POINTS SYSTEM
Rank	2019-2021 Premier Championships	2019-2021 Top Events	Cuts Made in PGA Tour, LPGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, Symetra Tour, USGA National Events (2019-21)
1st	675	375	375 per cut made
2nd	360	180	—
3rd	320	160	—
4th	280	140	—
5th	240	120	—
6th	200	100	—
7th	160	80	—
8th	120	60	—
9th	80	40	—
10th	40	20	—
11th – 15th	20	—	—

UPCOMING 2021 GIRLS PREMIER EVENTS
Rolex Girls Junior Championship	June 14-18, 2021	Robert Trent Jones Golf Club	Gainesville, Va.
Polo Golf Junior Classic #	June 28-July 2, 2021	Liberty National Golf Club	Jersey City, N.J.
U.S. Girls Junior	July 12-17, 2021	Columbia Country Club	Colorado Springs, Colo.
45th Girls Junior PGA Championship	July 27-30, 2021	Valhalla Golf Club	Louisville, Ky.

UPCOMING 2021 BOYS PREMIER EVENTS
AJGA Invitational at Sedgefield	June 14-18, 2021	Sedgefield C.C. – Donald Ross Course	Greensboro, N.C.
Polo Golf Junior Classic #	June 28-July 2, 2021	Liberty National Golf Club	Jersey City, N.J.
45th Boys Junior PGA Championship	July 12-15, 2021	Kearney Hill Golf Links	Lexington, Ky.
U.S. Junior Amateur	July 19-24, 2021	Country Club of North Carolina	Pinehurst, N.C.

UPCOMING 2021 BOYS TOP EVENTS
Western Junior Championship	June 21-24, 2021	Onwentsia Club	Lake Forest, Ill.

# Only the eight players advancing to elimination will receive points for the
Polo Golf Junior Classic.

CURRENT GIRLS U.S. JUNIOR RYDER CUP TEAM POINTS STANDINGS
(As of June 8, 2021)

1st – Alexa Pano, Lake Worth, Fla. – 4585 
2nd – Megha Ganne, Holmdel, N.J. – 2910
3rd – Sophie Linder, Carthage, Tenn. – 1490
4th – Avery Zweig, Dallas – 1475 
5th – Paris Hilinski, Los Angeles – 1185 
6th – Amari Avery, Riverside, Calif. – 1171.6 
7th – Sara Im, Duluth, Ga., 950  
8th – Grace Summerhays, Scottsdale, Ariz. – 872.5
9th – Kaitlyn Schroeder, Jacksonville, Fla. – 870
10th – Jacqueline Putrino, Lakewood Ranch, Fla. – 770CURRENT BOYS U.S. JUNIOR RYDER CUP TEAM POINTS STANDINGS
(As of June 8, 2021)

1st – Luke Potter, Encinitas, Calif. – 1930
2nd – Ben James, Milford, Conn. – 1610
3rd – Caleb Surratt, Indian Trail, N.C. – 1160
4th – Wells Williams, West Point, Miss. – 1091.6
5th – Nicholas Dunlap, Huntsville, Ala. – 821
6th – Luke Clanton, Miami Lakes, Fla. – 770
7th – Bruce Murphy, Johns Creek, Ga. – 735
8th – Thomas Morrison, Dallas – 585.5
9th – Sean-Karl Dobson, Austin, Texas – 580
10th – Jack Turner, Orlando, Fla. – 555 

The idea for the Junior Ryder Cup came about in 1995, when a team of Europeans, including Sergio Garcia, played an informal exhibition match against the Central New York PGA Section and area juniors. Two years later, the Junior Ryder Cup was formally introduced as an event at Alcaidesa Links Golf Course, in Cadiz, Spain, and won by the United States, 7-5. 

The United States captured the 2018 Junior Ryder Cup at Disneyland Paris 12 1/2 to 11 1/2 for its sixth consecutive victory. 

	YEAR	WINNER	SCORE	LOCATION
Inaugural	1997	United States	7 – 5	Sotogrande, Spain
2nd	1999	Europe	10½ – 1½	Boston
3rd	2002	Europe	9½ – 2½	Straffan, County Kildare, Ireland
4th	2004	Europe	8½ – 3½	Westfield Center, Ohio
5th	2006	Halved	6 – 6	Newport, Wales
6th	2008	United States	22-2	Bowling Green, Ky.
7th	2010	United States	13½ – 10½	Gleneagles, Scotland
8th	2012	United States	14½- 9½	Olympia Fields, Ill.
9th	2014	United States	16-8	Blairgowrie, Scotland
10th	2016	United States	15½ – 8½	Minneapolis
11th	2018	United States	12 ½-11 ½	Paris, France
12th	2021	—-	—-	Wauwatosa, Wis.

June 8, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF

While golfing icon Tiger Woods resumes his in-home recovery from the Southern California SUV accident, his caddie, Joe LaCava, is making a return to professional golf this week. On Woods’ bag for his 2019 Masters win, LaCava will now be seen at the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, this week caddying for Fred Couples.

LaCava made several statement to TennisWorldUSA:
“Yeah, loopin for Fred in Des Moines. Actually eating pasta watching hockey with him right now. Like nothing has changed 10 years later! Would kill to be working for TW in Columbus. Of course I miss it.

“Love Fred like a brother” Alena Sharp is a 16-year LPGA Tour veteran and Olympic athlete from Canada. He wrote an article for the LPGA web site. “I’ve been married to my wife Sarah Bowman, who is also my caddie, since November of 2020 and our union is more accepted now than at any point in history.”

“People view us now as married people. We’re the couple, just like any other. That’s a big jump from just a few years ago and lightyears from where society was when I was a kid. I’m 40 now and have been on the LPGA Tour for 16 years.

LaCava admitted to TennisWorlsUSA that was he was a rookie, “my friends and family knew that I was gay. But it wasn’t something that I publicized. I didn’t want to alienate any potential sponsors and didn’t want to put any of my existing sponsors in an awkward spot.”

LaCave also shared with the publication that he wasn’t “closeted”: “I just lived my life quietly, keeping my orientation out of the public eye. Even that was better than the way society viewed us when I was young. I noticed when I was 15 -years-old that I was finding women more attractive than men.”

He continued, “I tried not to think about it, but it was always there. My last year of junior golf, when I was 17, I realized it more. It’s hard because you’re a kid and having feelings that you don’t understand. But who can you tell? I was raised Catholic where the teachings were clear: It is a sin.”

LaCava revealed that his grandparents and parents went to Mass and followed the precepts of their faith, so he was unable to confide in them. “I already knew what the priests would say. And this isn’t exactly a conversation that you have with teenaged friends,” he told TennisWorldUSA.com.

When LaCava headed off to college he shared that his confusion excelled to the point where he was “really confused because I was dating men and afraid to date a woman. I knew I wanted to; I knew by then that I was strongly attracted to women, but at that time there was an inherent fear. A fear of rejection; a fear of discrimination; a fear of being shut out and closed off from the relationships that mattered most to me at the time,” he told TennisWorldUSA.com.

“And there was, at times, a palpable fear of physical harm. There were still parts of the United States and Canada where you could be assaulted because of your orientation. So, in addition to all the other things a college freshman goes through, I battled all those questions, feeling, and fears”

June 7, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF

Did you know that Ghana has a strong presence in the sport of golf?

The Professional Golfers’ Association of Ghana is a Ghanaian organization of golf professionals.

Founded in Achimota Golf Club in December 1975.  The organization is a non-profit and as of this production, the PGA Ghana is currently made up of seventy-five men professional members.  The objectives of the association include:

1. To promote the national and international interests of the professional golfers in Ghana while boosting their image.

2. To enhance the skills of its members, encourage amateur and junior golfers alike and promote golf awareness within the general public. This would stimulate interest in the game of golf, and generate an overall appreciation of the game.

3. To organize, annually, an appropriate PGA Tournament and other events as sanctioned by the Executive Committee

4. To ensure strict adherence to the general R&A and USGA Rules of Golf as well as those provided in the bye-laws of the association. 

Additional details about the Professional Golfers’ Association of Ghana can be found at pgaghana.com

For more interesting articles and news items visit, read and subscribe at AfricanAmericanGolfersDigest.com

June 7, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF

Regretfully, this year July 9-11 King Whitner Pro-Am has been canceled, according to an announcement sent out by Paul Cunningham, tournament manager. The event was scheduled to be held in Greenville, SC and plans are in the works for continuing the challenge in 2022.

“I hope that all golfers will have a blessed summer and we’re looking forward to seeing everyone in Asheville, NC, July 13-15 2021 for the 61 Annual Skyview Pro-AM,” said Cunningham. The annual Skyview Pro-AM is held to benefit the Billy E. P. Gardenhight Scholarship and Elderly Programs and the tournament course has been featured in the documentary MUNI.

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE & REGISTER FOR 2021 SKYVIEW PRO-AM

For more information contact Paul Cunningham at [email protected]

RELATED: Billy Gardenhight, Legendary Tournament Director and Big Four Founder, Suffers Leg Amputation

June 4, 2021 | BY AAGD STAFF

There’s work to be done and everyone can help in getting a U.S. Heritage or Commemorative Postal Stamp to honor pro golfer John Matthew Shippen, Jr., the first American-born golf professional, who happened to be an African American.

In an ongoing initiative, since 2015, the John Shippen Memorial Golf Foundation has been embarking on an aggressive campaign for gaining a U.S. Postal Stamp to honor Shippen, the first American and the first African American to play in a U.S. Open golf tournament (1896).  

In 2020, the the United States Postal Service announced that it will be recognizing Arnold Palmer with the issuance of a nationwide stamp as a part of its 2020 stamp program, saying, “with drive and charisma, he helped transform a game once seen as a pastime for the elite into a sport enjoyed by the masses.”  The Palmer stamp is being issued as a Forever stamp, meaning that it will always be equal in value to the current First Class Mail price. 

Certainly, the life of John Shippen is deserving of this worthy honor. Shippen was born on December 2, 1879 and died on May 20, 1968. Shippen made his career in the sport and served as professional at several clubs, the last being the prestigious,African American-owned Shady Rest Golf Course in New Jersey, where he worked from 1924 to 1960. As industrious as he was ambition, Shippen made and sold his own golf clubs with the insignia reading “J.M. Shippen.”

Inside the fight to keep Shippen’s story alive is Ruby and Thurman Simmons. Married for over 58 years, the Scotch Plains, New Jersey couple have spent over 30 years to keep the golf trailblazer’s legacy alive. Shippen might have been forgotten if not for the Simmons, who are the co-founders of the John Shippen Memorial Golf Foundation.

They are no relation to the golfer and knew nothing about him until 1988. That’s when Ruby, an educator, took a course on African American Literature at a community college in Cranford, N.J. where her professor assigned her to write an essay on Shippen.

“The tribute stamp would be an inspiration to students, educators and the golf community throughout the world,” said Thurman in a previous interview with this publication. “There’s never been any golfer, Black or otherwise, that has had a U.S. postage stamp. I also believe that it would be a great selling stamp all around the world.”

The public is urged to play a participatory role in gaining this great honor for John Shippen, Jr. by signing the petition at https://www.change.org/p/pga-commemorative-or-heritage-us-postal-stamp-john-matthew-shippen-jr?fbclid=IwAR2koBW-HxL1q5_375RHXKCvYILrn8OVVltJWdJYV8519g5OLkinW3M5MA8

ORLANDO, Fla. (June 2, 2021) – It’s everything about golf … but different.

NBC Sports Group’s world premiere of The Approach, 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday, June 15, will be an open and free event for all audiences to join with celebrities, tour players, innovative business leaders and fellow golfers to celebrate new and emerging ways to “consume” the sport, with a special salute to the ever-growing population of new golfers who respect golf’s traditions but prefer to enjoy the game in their own unique ways.

Conceived by GolfNow, The Approach will be hosted by recording artist Macklemore, whose passion for golf motivated him to recently launch a new golf fashion line, called Bogey Boys. For Macklemore, growing the game of golf is all about accessibility and he points to his fashions as one catalyst that can bring more people to the game.

“I’ve really come to love golf. It is important to share that passion and to make the game more accessible,” Macklemore said. “I’d love for all the people who have been existing on the fringes of the game, like me, to know they are welcome without having to fit into a one-size-fits-all box.”

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These messages will be echoed throughout The Approach, which will be streamed by GolfPass. Registration is free at The Approach and all registrants will automatically be entered for a chance to win a four-night golf vacation for four from Troon Golf at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa in Scottsdale, Ariz. Special offers also will be extended by other participating companies. Registrants are encouraged to post their own videos to social media explaining their “approach” to the game, using the hashtags #theapproach and #whatsyourapproach.

“There are a lot of people out there who never envisioned themselves as golfers, but have taken to the game in record numbers,” said Jerramy Hainline, senior vice president and general manager, GolfNow. “Their motivation for playing might be totally different from what we call the stereotypical golfer, from the way they dress, play and interact with the sport – and we believe that’s great for the game. All people should feel comfortable at any golf course anywhere, no matter what their approach may be. So, with that in mind, this is our invitation to open minds to new possibilities to bring everyone closer to the game.”

The motivation behind the approach, according to Hainline, is to help to change some of golf’s perceptions, as well as to showcase new and non-traditional ways the game can be enjoyed – from technology to fashion – with help from some of the biggest names in the sport. Pros, like major champions Rory McIlroy and Gary Woodland – who will appear with fellow Team Full Swing members, including NBA superstar Stephen Curry – will participate, as well as titans of business, TV personalities, social media influencers and other celebrities, sharing their passion for golf and demonstrating how the future of the game can be experienced today.

Segment topics featured in The Approach include:

Sports Betting: Social media personality, professional golfer and PointsBet spokesperson  Paige Spiranac will host this segment, which will educate the audience about the evolution of sports betting and its roots within golf. PointsBet Senior Editor Teddy Greenstein will provide an overview about how fans can enter the betting realm and why golf is one of the easiest and best sports for betting. Will Gray, who manages betting and daily fantasy golf content for NBC Sports EDGE, will discuss getting up to speed on all things betting or sharpening existing skills heading into the U.S. Open Championship, which will be broadcast later that week exclusively by GOLF Channel and NBC. Golf Channel personality Blair O’Neal will provide a tour of the new Compete app, which provides the opportunity for recreational golfers to compete and wager among themselves in a wide variety of ways during a round of golf.

Digital Currency: As the popularity of cryptocurrency rises, CNBC Senior Markets Correspondent Dominic Chu  will join GolfNow personality Lauren Thompson to explain why cryptocurrency is a big deal in today’s economy, how to buy and use it, and how crypto is infiltrating the world of golf.  Thompson also will introduce Gavin Michael, CEO of Bakkt, the Official Payment Partner for GolfNow. Bakkt offers an innovative way for consumers to set up a digital wallet to aggregate unused gift cards, hotel points, airline miles and cryptocurrency. Some of these assets can then be sent or spent as digital payments, including rounds of golf through GolfNow.

Fitness Technology:  The world of fitness technology has exploded, and no company exemplifies this industry more than Whoop, wearable digital technology designed to optimize daily human performance. Whoop CEO Will Ahmed will interview professional golfer and Whoop user Jessica Korda about performance, rest and recovery, which are the tenets of Whoop’s mission. Additionally, viewers will be able to watch a video featuring Rory McIlroy and how he optimizes his day with the help of Whoop.

In-Home Golf Tech:  Not all golf is played on green grass, so this segment also features the world of golf simulation technology with the help of Full Swing’s Jason Fierro, who introduces video tours of the home simulators belonging to pro golfers and Team Full Swing members Jon Rahm, Gary Woodland and Jason Day, as well as NBA star Stephen Curry. Each athlete will showcase his unique home set-up and how it helps keep their games sharp. Fierro also will talk about the benefits of golf simulators for any home.

Fashion:  In addition to learning more about Macklemore’s Bogey Boys golf fashion line, segment host O’Neal will introduce viewers to the PUMA Golf fashion icons Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau who will talk about the company’s latest styles – for the traditional and fashion-forward golfer – and their mission to be the brand of inclusion.

Travel:  Comedian and writer James Davis will explain why golf and travel are the perfect companions and showcase scenes from his new GolfPass series, Golf Road Trippin’.

Sprinkled throughout The Approach will be video vignettes – titled My Approach – which will feature various personalities from the world of golf and television sharing their relationships with the sport of golf, and their hopes for the future of the game.

Topics Covered in The Approach:

• Accessibility & Inclusiveness
• Sports Betting
• Digital Currency
• Fashion
• Travel
• Fitness
• Technology

Personalities Featured in The Approach (alphabetical order):

• Will Ahmed – CEO, Whoop
• Dominic Chu – Senior Markets Correspondent, CNBC
• James Davis – comedian, writer and host of Golf Road Trippin’ on GolfPass
• Dylan Dreyer – host and weather anchor for NBC’s TODAY show
• Jason Fierro – SVP of Sales & Marketing, Full Swing
• Will Gray – golf content, NBC Sports EDGE
• Teddy Greenstein – senior editor, PointsBet
• Jessica Korda – pro golfer; six-time winner on LPGA Tour; two-time U.S. Solheim Cup team member
• Macklemore (Ben Haggerty) – recording artist and founder of Bogey Boys
• Rory McIlroy – pro golfer; four-time major champion
• Gavin Michael, CEO, Bakkt
• Conor Moore – comedian, impersonator and host of The Conor Moore Show on GolfPass
• Blair O’Neil – co-host of Golf Channel’s School of Golf and social media influencer
• Paige Spiranac – social media influencer, professional golfer, PointsBet spokesperson
• Lauren Thompson – GolfNow personality
• Torrie Wilson – former WWE Diva/fitness expert

Pro athletes appearing in Full Swing home simulator videos include:

• Stephen Curry – professional basketball player; two-time NBA MVP
• Jason Day  – pro golfer; PGA Champion
• Gary Woodland – pro golfer; U.S. Open Champion
• Jon Rahm – pro golfer; former World No. 1

The Approach will be available on demand on GolfPass and on NBC’s streaming service, Peacock, following the live presentation.