In May 2017, Tger Woods was arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) in Jupiter, Florida, after being found asleep behind the wheel of his car with the engine running. A toxicology report revealed a combination of prescription pain medication (hydrocodone), sleep medication, and marijuana in his system, though no alcohol. Below are the full police report documents.
(Photo by: Cy Cyr/Golf Channel)
Troy Mullins is an athlete. Scratch that – she’s a heptathlete. While an undergraduate at Cornell, Mullins performed in the 200-meter, 800-meter, 100-meter hurdle, high jump, long jump, shot put and the javelin throw. She took to athletics at an early age, participating in volleyball, tennis and swimming. “I kind of just played everything,” she recalls. Except, of course, for golf.
The latter isn’t really surprising; the game is expensive, and it’s pockmarked by a history of exclusion. That’s where Mullins comes in. “When I show up at a country club, I’m usually the only woman that I see … unless it’s a Tuesday. And I’m usually the only person of color. And I’m definitely the only black woman on the course, if that makes sense,” she says while laughing, all at once acknowledging, bemoaning, embracing, and finding humor in that reality. “I’ve narrowed it down. It’s like 20 percent to 10 percent to one. It’s … it’s tough.”
She’s not far off. Despite some inclusionary progress and public efforts to – wait for it – “Grow the Game,” the National Golf Foundation found that of the 23.8 million people age six or older who played at least one round golf in 2016, only 1 million, or four percent, were African American. The numbers for African-American women are considerably lower. But Mullins – an Ivy League graduate who works as an academic tutor, speaks four languages (English, Spanish, Mandarin and Sign) and enters Long Drive tee boxes to the sound of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” – is living proof that it only takes one well-struck ball to fall in love with golf, no matter who you are or where you’re from.
On June 6, Mullins will compete at “The Clash in the Canyon” in Mesquite, Nev., a World Long Drive event televised on Golf Channel which is a precursor to the World Long Drive Championship in September. The road she’s taken to get there is as unique as her place in the game. Mullins decided to move on from the heptathlon midway through her collegiate career when she suffered a hamstring injury and grew tired of running with shin splints. Though she had just one prior experience playing golf, a summer-camp clinic in which she was the only girl, she had been introduced to the game as a teenager in a different way.
Through a family connection, Mullins and her mom used to attend the L.A. Open’s annual pro-am, back when a young Tiger Woods regularly played Riviera. Years later, out of a desire to stay active after moving on from track and field and in an effort to try something new, Mullins, in 2008, started going by herself to the driving range. “I would do it just to work out and relieve stress. I would actually break a sweat,” she says, still with surprise. “I would beat balls until my hands would bleed. There’s something about that first time you compress the ball, and that sound. I was just addicted to hitting the ball.”
That addiction followed her halfway around the world. A China and Asia-Pacific Studies major, Mullins sought out a local driving range while in Beijing during a study-abroad program. As far as she knew at the time, she wasn’t doing anything remarkable. She was just swinging as hard as she could and hitting the ball all over the map. She would only come to learn otherwise once she was back in Los Angeles, out of college and working at Brookside Golf Club to keep up her new golf habit. It was at Brookside that someone she now calls a friend, 2017 Ladies European Tour rookie Jenny Lee, opened her eyes to what she was really doing. “She was like, ‘You hit it really far,’” Mullins said, recalling their conversation. “And I was like, ‘No, I don’t. … I don’t hit it far.’ “And she was like, ‘Dude, girls don’t hit it that far.’”
To be clear, Mullins, at 5-foot-8, surpasses 300 yards even when she fails to clear her hips and ends up pushing it right. When she does square up, she’s one of the longest women in the world. That became obvious when she worked her way into the 2012 Women’s World Long Drive Championship as a substitute following a withdrawal. It was Mullins’ first official Long Drive event, a testament to the division’s fledgling status. A do-it-herself-er learning on the fly, she arrived with two items – her Pomeranian (named after singer Etta James) and a standard-length, off-the-rack Ping Anser driver. “I didn’t have a team or a sponsor or any of that, but I was told I shouldn’t go myself,” she says, explaining Etta’s presence. As for the club: “It’s the best driver Ping ever made,” she maintains, five years later. “I wish they would bring it back.”
RELATED: Alexis Belton, 2-Time Mini Tour Winner Eager to Strike Gold
Mullins’ praise is understood. In her first event, the World Long Drive Championship, with a club she picked up at a Roger Dunn Golf Shop, she busted a ball 321 yards and took home second prize. She had done it all on her own in just four short years – but it would take her four more to make it back. After years spent working by herself, Mullins was looking to hone her skills, and not just as a long driver. A four handicap, Mullins had qualified for the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur even before the Long Drive.
Now she was setting her sights on the pro game, with an eye on the Symetra Tour and the LPGA. With the help of a potential sponsor and the recommendation of a pro at a prestigious L.A. club, Mullins hooked up with an instructor in 2014 who unfortunately did more harm than good. “He totally destroyed my swing,” she says. “Destroyed my swing, destroyed my back. Every day I was at acupuncture … it was horrible. “I had the hooks. I hooked, even, wedges. I hooked the whole bag. … It ruined the game for me. I quit for a while. I was really upset about it. So all of 2014, I didn’t play. I didn’t do anything.”
After a year break allowed her back to heal, Mullins found herself right back where she started – by herself, at the range. Except unlike before, she wasn’t enjoying herself. She was there instead out of determination, out of an unwillingness to quit, even after her game had largely left her. “I was so … hurt by the fact that I trusted someone and it just ruined my swing,” she said. “So I actually didn’t own a driver for two years. I only hit irons. That’s how ashamed I was that my swing had fallen apart.”
Still beating range balls morning after morning, Mullins was noticed by an ex-teaching pro, Don Huffaker, who was impressed more than anything else by her commitment. Huffaker offered his help, but after her last experience with an instructor, Mullins was naturally skeptical. “He asked, ‘Can I help you?’ And I was like, ‘I don’t want to trust someone again.’ So I told him, ‘Maybe I’ll just come practice with you,’” she says. “He wasn’t going to change that much. We talked about it. And he just helped me get back, back to where I can do my own swing, do my own thing.” Little by little, Mullins swing and confidence started to come back. After a lot of work and a little help from Huffaker, she is now a one handicap. And after four years away, she returned to the World Long Drive Championship last year, where she made it to the quarterfinals, and destroyed this camera.
Read rest of the story at by Nick Menta at GolfChannel.com
Watch Troy Mullins and the rest of the World Long Drive Women’s Division compete in Clash in the Canyon at Mesquite – June 6 at 8PM ET on Golf Channel.
Tiger Woods, former world number one golfer, was arrested in the sunshine state of Florida on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to online jail records.
Woods was booked into the Palm Beach County Jail early Memorial Day morning of Monday, May 29m 2017 at 7:18 a.m. (ET). Following his arrest by police in Jupiter, Fla. Woods was released on his own recognizance a little after three hours later, at 10:50 a.m.
Messages left by this publication to the Jupiter Police Department were not immediately returned.
Now age 41, Woods, has struggled to return to golf following several back surgeries. Woods went through a fusion back surgery on April 19 – his fourth procedure to his back since April of 2014 – and will not play on the PGA Tour this season.
The 14-time major champion and winner of 79 PGA Tour titles has not played since he withdrew from the Dubai Desert Classic on Feb. 3 after an opening-round 73. He’s only made three worldwide starts the past two years.
He wrote in a statement on his website last week that he remains committed to playing competitive golf.
“As for returning to competitive golf, the long-term prognosis is positive. My surgeon and physiotherapist say the operation was successful. It’s just a matter of not screwing up and letting it fuse,” Woods wrote. “I’m walking and doing my exercises, and taking my kids to and from school. All I can do is take it day by day. There’s no hurry.
“But, I want to say unequivocally, I want to play professional golf again. Presently, I’m not looking ahead. I can’t twist for another two-and-a-half to three months. Right now, my sole focus is rehab and doing what the doctors tell me. I am concentrating on short-term goals.”
RELATED STORY: Tiger Woods Reaches Plea Deal in D.U.I. Case, Says Prosecutor
It’s not the first time Woods has made headlines for his actions off the golf course. In November 2009, he was involved in a car crash at his Florida home that led to revelations of his extra-marital affairs. He publicly apologized in February 2010 and took four months off from playing competitive golf.
RELATED STORY: Tiger Woods Appears Confused in Dashcam Video During DUI Arrest
(L-R) Chris Arceneaux, Founder, The Darby Foundation with Earnie Ellison Jr., Managing Partner, Ellison Consulting Group LLC. (photo: Michael Herman)
FREEPORT, NEW YORK (May 25, 2017) — Building relationships while helping minority and women-owned businesses grow was the goal of the Supplier Diversity and Inclusion Meet & Greet Networking Reception hosted by Pro-Golfer Chris Arceneaux and The Darby Foundation. Arceneaux, Founder of The Darby Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Freeport, NY, hosted the 2017 Supplier Diversity and Inclusion program on Wednesday, May 24 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the PGA Tour Superstore, 1254 Corporate Dr., Westbury, NY 11590.
The event featured an information panel session which discussed opportunities for Minority and Women-Owned businesses. A networking reception followed, giving attendees an opportunity to meet with peers, industry experts, professional service providers, and suppliers.
Panel guests and speakers included:
- Stephen Drummond, Esq., Drummond & Squillace, PLLC
- Earnie Ellison Jr., Managing Partner, Ellison Consulting Group, LLC (former PGA of America Director of Business and Community Relations)
- Debert Cook, Publisher, African American Golfer’s Digest
- Dean E. Bennett, President/CEO, J.K. Bennett & Associates, NYS Certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise
- Woodline Gedeon of the Governor’s Office of Storm Recover (GOSR)
- Laura Palker, Trade Show Solutions
“I am excited to bring together a network of business professionals and the community. This is an excellent opportunity to assist small business owners and entrepreneurs who desire to get started as well as take their business or event to the next level,” said organizer Chris Arceneaux. 
“As a professional golfer, I chose to organize this event around the sport of golf because golf is one of the best networking venues I know. I never knew, starting out playing golf as a 12-year-old boy, that golf would expose me to so many opportunities, and, allow me to make the connections and establish the relationships that I have made and maintained to this day.” As with his Darby Foundation’s many other successful networking events, Arceneaux had an opportunity to connect with longtime friends and supporters.
Attendees engage with panelists during the forum.
Stephen Drummond, Esq., Drummond & Squillace, PLLC with Laura Palker, Trade Show Solutions.
Sponsors for the program included Mercedes-Benz, Tour Edge Golf, Scratch Sundays, PGA Tour Superstore, LL Dent Restaurant, Papa John’s Pizza, Chef Paula, Michael Herman, Digital Donations, African American Golfers Digest and Trade Show Solutions
For more information and upcoming programs please contact Mr. Chris Arceneaux, Pro-Golfer, Darby Foundation at [email protected] or call (516) 880-2196.
Photo: UA Athletics
Lakareber Abe was the lone black golfer to play in the 2017 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Women’s Golf Championships. A member of the Alabama Women’s (Crimson Tide) golf team, Abe showed fortitude and a strong effort in her individual and team performance, especially after being sidelined by an elbow injury that required surgery a few weeks ago.
Growing up in Angleton (TX) Abe has a long history in the sport of golf and upon completing high school at Texas Connections Academy in Houston, she honed her skills at the Jim McLean Junior Academy in Fort Worth, Texas. There she was coached by Justin Poynter, now a Master Instructor with the Academy. Abe went on to become the nation’s No. 3 recruit for 2014 by Golfweek, ranking third among 2014 recruits by AJGA Polo Golf rankings and 13th overall.
In 2013, the Ugandan lady golfer almost became the first black female individual champion in USGA history while competing in Ohio at the World Golf Championships, Bridgestone Invitational. 
At the 2017 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship, the Alabama Crimson Tide closed out their 2017 season on May 22 with an under par performance on the final day of stroke-play. The competition was held at the par-72, 6,343-yard Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.
As the sole black golfer to compete, Abe finished tied for 119th place and the team finished 14th.
This all went down when Alabama shot a one-under par 287 on Monday, the only round below par by any team in the tournament, to finish at 64-over par (328-313-287/928) and tie California for 14th place. Northwestern (301-298-298/897) finished first at 33-over par. Stanford (311-298-296/905) was second at 41-over par. Arizona State (311-309-289) finished third at 45-over par.
Ohio State (311-299-303/913) was fourth at 49-over par. Florida (320-302-292/914) and USC (315-303-296/914) tied for fifth at 50-over par.
Competitive golf within the NCAA Women’s Golf Championships is challenging. Team members are also students and good grades and studying go hand-in-hand. So finding time to focus on golf competitions can be a struggle.
Lakareber Abe’s scorecard, 2017 NCAA Women’s Golf Championship
However, no matter the challenges, the 5’5” junior is determined to leave her mark in the collegiate realm and her family is strongly behind her efforts. Her parents, Daudi and Fiora have been there from the start of her career. Her father, Daudi, even used to play to a single-digit handicap. It was during his Sunday golf rounds that his two daughters would follow and watch him play.
The sister’s interest was piqued, and so finally one day, when Tezira was 11 and Lakareber 9, he took them to the First Tee of Houston. Today, Lakarebe’s younger sister, Tezira, is an exceptional golfer and plays with the Texas Longhorns at the University of Texas. Her Uncle, Dr. Luka Abe, has a passion for the game and relocated from the USA several years back and now lives in Kampala. There’s no sibling rivalry between the sisters, who, at times, have caddied for one another. 
While a Freshman, she opened her collegiate career with a 3-under 69 in the first round of the Mason Rudolph Championship and was the Crimson Tide’s top finisher tying for 14th with a 5-over 221. That same year she was UA’s top finisher in two tournaments and had one top-five finish and five top-20 showings.
In her sophomore year, she ranked No. 25 in the country in the final Golfweek/Sagarin Performance Index. Her 73.22 stroke average ranked third on the team and she led the team with four top five finishes and top 10 finishes for the year. As a Junior, during 2016-17, Lakareber was fifth on the team in scoring average (73.86) and average vs. par (+2.27) and finished under par in six career tournaments, including her first two outings this season.
The low handicapper tied for 67th at the NCAA Athens Regional with a 15-over par 231. Her efforts help to defeat Northwestern’s Sarah Cho, 2-and-1 in the semifinals at the Northwestern Quad Match on April 29. Lakareber tied for 50th at the SEC Championships with a 10-over par 226 and tied for 18th in the stroke play round at the Liz Murphey Collegiate Classic with a five-over par 77. Her skills enabled her to open the season with a fourth place finish at the Mason Rudolph Championship Sept. 16-18, carding a seven-under par 209 (71-75-63) that included a school-record 63 in the final round. Here the 9-under par round was also a school record.
Abe’s Personal Bests:
Collegiate Debut:2014 Mason Rudolph Championship Low 18: 63* — 2016 Mason Rudolph Championship (third round) Low 18 vs. Par: -9* — 2016 Mason Rudolph Championship (third round) Low 54: 204 — 2015 Mason Rudolph Championship Low 54 vs. Par: -12 — 2015 Mason Rudolph Championship Victories: 1; 2015 Mason Rudolph Championship Career Top-Five Finishes: 6, last 2016 Mason Rudolph Championship Tournaments Under Par: 6, last 2016 Schooner Fall Classic. View The NCAA entire field HERE (where you can click on each name to see scorecards from each of the 3 rounds) To see the final scores HERE. The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes.
Streamed live on May 17, 2017 at Brooklyn College.
The evening marked the Brooklyn premier of “The Cornel West Concerto”. The concerto, commissioned and premiered by the Apollo Theatre last year, is a collaboration between five-time GRAMMY -winner Arturo O’Farrill and award-winning author and GRAMMY-nominee Cornel West. The concerto draws from the rich trove of traditional African American Jazz, Blues, and the chanted sermon, and was inspired by the current spirit of political unrest and resistance in the U.S. In the style of the fiery southern preacher, West improvises his reflections on W.E.B. DuBois’ four questions.
The show was held in the Brooklyn College Whitman Theatre at 7:00 p.m. with an intimate conversation with Dr. West and Prof. O’ Farrill, followed by the musical program that included The Brooklyn College Big Band, directed by Arturo O’Farrill with special guests Conservatory Singers, directed by Malcolm J. Merriweather.
Within the Concerto, Dr. West answers W.E.B. DuBois’ Four Questions:
- How shall Integrity face opposition?
- What shall Honesty do in the face of deception?
- What does Decency do in the face of insult?
- How does Virtue meet brute force?
The musical show began at 8:00 p.m. with O’ Farrill leading the Brooklyn Big Band.
The Brooklyn Big Band magnificently played several wonderful pieces: A Still Small Voice in four movements: Trump, Untrump; Acknowledgement (from A Love Supreme), Suite Brazil 64-16, and The Cornell West Concerto: The Four Questions which featured Dr. Cornel West – – one of the most provocative cultural critics and social activists of our time.
Dr. West plays congas on stage during the musical tribute.
The Cornel West Concerto answered all Four Questions in brilliant style, as West danced onstage, played congas, directed the band in segments and delivered his powerful message to the audience. Dr. West – – one of the most provocative cultural critics and social activists of our time was masterfully in touch in the musically charged theatre where friends and fans enjoyed an up-close and personal encouner.
The audience, estimated at nearly 400, clapped, sang, chanted, and engaged with Dr. West throughout the performance. Hands were raised and supportive yelps moved others to engage in the mastery of the eloquence of the seasoned activist Dr. West. The musical tribute was presented by the Hitchcock Institute for Studies in American Music in cooperation with the Conservatory of Music, Dept. of Africana Studies, and the Central Brooklyn Jazz Consortium.
Cornel West is a philosopher, political activist, social critic, author, and public intellectual. Â He is currently a professor at the Practice of Public Philosophy, holding a joint appointment at the Harvard Divinity School and the university’s Department of African and African American Studies. Â He is Professor Emeritus at Princeton University and has also taught at the Union Theological Seminary, Yale University, and the University of Paris. Â West is the author of more than twenty books that include Race Matters, Democracy Matters, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, and his most recent, Black Prophetic Fire and Radical King.
Trump National Golf Club, Washington D.C.
Much has changed since May 1, 2014, when the PGA of America announced that it was beginning a partnership with the Trump Organization. The PGA selected Trump National Golf Club-Bedminster in New Jersey to host the 2022 PGA Championship and Trump National Golf Club-Washington, D.C., in Potomac Falls, Va., as the site of the 2017 Senior PGA, which begins today.
Most notably, the clubs’ owner and host, Donald Trump, is now the U.S. president. That was not on anybody’s radar in the spring of 2014. The road traveled from then to now has been filled with a few chuckholes that the PGA of America has maneuvered around. The Trump relationship also was predicated on a four-year sponsorship of the now-defunct PGA Grand Slam of Golf. After Trump’s 2015 remarks about illegal immigrants were deemed by the PGA and many others to be insensitive to Hispanics, the Grand Slam at Trump L.A. was shelved. Later, the PGA scrapped the event altogether.
So, this week will be the first of the scheduled major championships delivered by the PGA and Trump properties. Three years ago, it was a given that Donald Trump would be highly visible at these events and his fingerprints would be all over them. However, President Trump embarked on his first foreign trip May 19. He is scheduled to be on the Italian island of Sicily on Friday and Saturday for meetings with the Group of 7 major industrial democracies and visit U.S. troops stationed at Sigonella Naval Air Station.
Any chance that President Trump might make a last-minute visit to the Senior PGA on Sunday? Trump, an avid golfer whose business empire includes ownership of 16 courses, no doubt would love to make an appearance. Would it be deemed a conflict of interest, given his role as the nation’s chief executive and his detachment from his businesses, if he were to do so?
“Unfortunately, I wouldn’t know the answer to that one as it is ‘church and state,’ and I have not spoken with him,” said Larry Glick, an executive vice president with Trump Organization.
So, how did the Senior PGA Championship wind up at Trump National-D.C.?
KitchenAid sponsors the tournament. Company officials worked closely with the PGA of America in 2014, and the Washington market fit the business objectives of KitchenAid, a home-appliance division of Whirlpool Corp., so Jeff Fettig, Whirlpool’s chief executive, gave his approval. Next, Kerry Haigh, the PGA’s chief championships officer, deemed the site worthy of hosting a Senior PGA. The venue, about 30 miles northwest of the nation’s capital, was no stranger to the PGA, which held its 2013 PGA Junior Championship at Trump D.C.
Read More by Ted Bishop at TheMorningRead.com
BY AAGD STAFF
May 2017
If it is your wish to get tickets to attend the 2018 Masters, then lady luck may be on your side. But the only way to know for sure is to put in your application before the June 1, 2017 deadline. Keep in mind, the lottery for 2018 Mater’s tickets is not a sweepstakes or a “give-away,” but rather, a pre-qualification drawing from completed application entries of people who wish to purchase tickets to the Masters® Tournament. There is no application fee or purchase necessary to submit the application online; however, should you be selected and notified that you may purchase tickets, your payment must be made in full.
Tickets for the 2018 Masters Practice Rounds and the Daily Tournament are sold in advance, and done by random selection, only after the receipt of an online application. Practice Rounds Tickets and a very limited number of Daily Tournament Tickets are available this year. For the lottery, fans can select up to four tickets for each practice round and up to two for each tournament round.
The Augusta Master’s is still keeping to its strict rules:
- Only one application per person/address will be accepted (i.e., one per household/family residing together).
- Only apply from your permanent residential address. Do not apply from a student / temporary address, second home or business address.
- Duplicate applications or applications which are subsequently determined to have false or misleading information will not be given consideration or may have any offer of tickets withdrawn.
- All applicants must be 21 years of age or older.
- No applications will be accepted through the mail. Applicants may apply for any and all days, however, are eligible to win only one day.
- No additional tickets/badges will be sold at the tournament gates.
Rates for the Daily Tournament tickets are daily grounds passes valid for one of the four Tournament days (Thursday, Friday, Saturday or Sunday) and cost $115. Practice Rounds tickets are daily grounds passes valid for either Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and cost $75 each.
Good luck! Apply at tickets.masters.com.
For additional information regarding Master’s tickets lottery please contact the Masters Tournament Ticket Office at (706) 667-6700.
Bowers Corp. hosted their 23rd Mother’s Day Invitational Golf Tournament on
May 12-13, 2017 at Kinderton Country Club in Clarksville, VA.
36 Holes, 55 Players
Championship Flight 76-80
1. Gerald Price 76-71=147
2. Connell Maynor 77-75=152
3. Craig Galbrieth 78-75=153
4. Raymond Wright 80-75=155
5. Richard Degree 80-76=156
6. Sean Bowers 78-79=157
7. Chris Pearson 79-82=161
8. Reese Carson 80-85=165
9. Ashley Berry 77-WD
First Flight 81-87
1. Paul Hunt 81-75=156
2. Stephon Brown 83-74=157
3. Terrain Gill 83-74=157
4. Bobby McCall 81-79=160
5. Russell Venable 81-79=160
6. John Dailey 81-80=161
7. Jesse Garner 82-81=163
8. Tony Banks 84-81=165
9. Travis Bowers 86-81=167
10. James Graham 84-85=169
11. Sam Parker 85-86=171
12. Doc Reaves 87-93=180
Second Flight 88-93
1. Harold Parker 88-79=167
2. Julian Bowers 88-80=168
3. Darrell Albright 90-78=168
4. Joe Person 90-81=171
5. James Smith 90-81=171
6. Melvin “Red” Thompson 88-84=172
7. Gerald Anthony 89-83=172
8. George Parris 88-85=173
9. James Terry 90-85=175
10. Ray Johnson 88-91=179
11. Clayton Henry 93-86=179
12. Troy Bowers 92-88=180
13. John Love 93-91=184
14. Larry Hester 93-96=189
15. Al Williams NC
16. Al Bowers, Jr. WD
Third Flight 94-128
1. Tom Hoggs 94-86=180
2. Terry Dearmon 96-86=182
3. Earl Small 97-91=188
4. Patrick Mancuso 103-86=189
5. Mike Harris 96-94=190
6. T.J. Warren 96-95=191
7. Skip Sartor 97-94=191
8. Maurice Massenburg 128-126=252
9. Eion Driscoll 94-WD
10. Carl Cabaniss 101-WD
Senior Flight 78-96
1. Craig Galbrieth 78-75=153
2. Raymond Wright 80-75=155
3. Paul Hunt 81-75=156
4. Bobby McCall 81-79=160
5. Russell Venable 81-79=160
6. John Dailey 81-80=161
7. Jesse Gordon 82-81=163
8. Tony Banks 84-81=165
9. James Graham 84-85=169
10. James Smith 90-81=171
11. Melvin “Red” Thompson 88-84=172
12. George Parris 88-85=173
13. Claude Garner 93-83=176
14. Ray Johnson 88-91=179
15. Clayton Henry 93-86=179
16. Troy Bowers 92-88=180
17. Terry Dearmon 96-86=182
18. John Love, Sr. 93-91=184
19. Mike Harris, Sr. 96-94=190
20. T.J. Warren 96-95=191
21. Al Bowers, Jr 92-WD
Super Senior Flight 83-106
1. Dave Boger 83
2. Norman Minor 86
3. Zollie Gill 104
4. James Green 106
Low Medalist
Saturday Gerald Price 76
Sunday Gerald Price 71
Saturday and Sunday Gerald Price 76-71=147
Closest to Pin Friday
#3 Paul Hunt
#8 Richard Degree
#17 Zollie Gill
Longest Drive Friday
#7 Julian Bowers
#14 Sean Bowers
Low Net Friday Gross Handicap Net
1st Chris Pearson 79 13 66
2nd Connell Maynor 77 10 67
3rd Larry Hester 93 26 67
Skins Thursday
#1 Gerald Price (Birdie)
#5 Sam Parker (Birdie)
#8 Julian Bowers (Birdie)
#11 Travis Bowers (Birdie)
#13 Norman Minor (Eagle)
#15 Gerald Price (Birdie)
#18 Bobby McCall (Birdie)
Skins Friday
#4 Gerald Price (Birdie)
#6 Jesse Garner (Birdie)
#9 Jesse Garner (Birdie)
#10 Doc Reaves (Birdie)
#11 Ashley Berry (Birdie)
#15 Joe Pearson (Birdie)
#17 Zollie Gill (Birdie)
Skins Saturday
#5 James Smith (Birdie)
#12 Sean Bowers (Birdie)
#14 Julian Bowers (Birdie)
#18 James Smith (Birdie)
The Comus Club, a prestigious organization founded 95-years ago, held a successful 16th annual tournament on May 17, 2017 at Harbor Links Golf Course in Port Washington, NY. Over 145 affluent men and women of color competed in the Wednesday afternoon outing that was expertly coordinated by Howard Dabney, Sr.
Comus members are African American men who do not fundraise; they hold exquisite invitation-only events where guests network with the exclusive Comus brothers while enjoying delicious catered cuisine and top-shelf beverages. Over the last nine decades, less than 250 men have been invited to be members of the exclusive club. Two distinctive Comus members include Charles Atwell, a real estate mogul and pillar of the Stuyvesant Heights community in Brooklyn, NY., and Thomas Watkins, the publisher of The New York Daily Challenge.
“I’ve been blessed to be a member of this group of incredible brothers for the past three years,” stated William Bowman, Esq., who has his own law practice, is a member of Phi Beta Sigma, a real estate broker, and an advisor at Nyack College. “It’s a brotherhood, a union, with unique opportunities. Comus members are not all over the state or all over the country. We have different backgrounds and live in various parts of the world, but our organization is in Brooklyn, and we are the only one.”
In addition to Bowman others in attendance included Bedford-Stuyvesant YMCA Executive Director Dordy Jourdain, Author Corey Pegues, Virginia State Professor & RFLCB Director Dr. Louis Dabney; Comus Member Damon Kinebrew, and Antonio Desamours of Merrill Lynch & Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Lenny Singletary of BNY Mellon, and Colvin Grannum, President of the Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation in Brooklyn. The long list of accomplished professionals goes on to include judges, doctors, and other notables.
Dr. Charles Grannum, owner of Charles Grannum, DMD in Brooklyn, NY was the sponsor of the Open Bar and sponsor of the 19th hole.
One of the elegant awards of the evening went to a guest who is not a member of the Comus Club-Juan Perez, of Highbrid Media, who won a 4th place, closest to the pin award. Perez also won several of the raffle prizes.
Raffles and prizes included trips to the Dominic Republic, golf clubs and gear for both men and women, bluetooth speakers, bottles of wine and Range Rover vehicles.
Chris Lee. Profession: Air Traffic Controller. Comus Member since 2009.
Colvin Grannum, President, Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, Brooklyn, NY.
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”26″ gal_title=”Comus 16th Annual Tournament”]
Article, videos and photos
By Valon L. Beasley, YNTSPR
= SPECIAL INVITATION =
THE DARBY FOUNDATION HOSTS SUPPLIER DIVERSITY PROGRAM
TO GROW OPPORTUNITIES FOR MINORITY AND WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES
HIGHLIGHTED MEET & GREET NETWORKING RECEPTION
SEEKS TO GENERATE BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP BUILDING
FREEPORT, NEW YORK (May 18, 2017) —The Darby Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization focusing on youth development through sports with an emphasis on golf and a healthy lifestyle, will host its 2017 Supplier Diversity and Inclusion program on Wednesday, May 24 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at the PGA Tour Superstore, 1254 Corporate Dr., Westbury, NY 11590. The event will focus on opportunities for Minority and Women-Owned businesses and representatives from the American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABA) will provide specialized industry insight. A “Meet & Greet” network reception will follow from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
The Networking Reception will give attendees an opportunity to meet with peers, industry experts, professional service providers and suppliers. Most importantly, attendees will have an ability to meet with the Governor’s Office of Storm Recover (GOSR) contractors to learn of current and upcoming contract opportunities. “Golf is a wonderful networking platform. For years golf associations, organizations and programs like ours have played a significant role in introducing individuals to the game of golf. On behalf of the golf industry, the Darby Foundation is pleased to continue our contribution to making golf more accessible and engaging for our constituents,” says Darby Foundation Founder Chris Arceneaux, whose experience as a community leader, entrepreneur, educator, and professional athlete forms the blueprint and shapes the efforts for the Freeport, New York-based Foundation.
“We hope all industry professionals will join us at this free program to make new connections and build relationships which we hope will open the door for greater business opportunities.” Also attending will be The Energy Business Network, a composition of entrepreneurs and companies within the AABE membership who are doing business in the energy industry. According to the International Trade Administration, there was a total investment of $280 billion in the United States energy sector in 2015, and that number is on the rise.
A full line-up is planned for the diversity program, with a particular focus on building stronger business networks. “We are also in the process of planning a special session at the program that will focus on enhancing the success of community-based golf organizations, minority and women-owned business (MWMWBE/SECTION 3/SDVOB) and the New York Metro Area Chapter of the American Association of Blacks in Energy,” states Arceneaux.
Special invited program guests include:
- Tim Williams, Senior Banking Executive, Santander Bank, N.A.
- Stephen Drummond, Esq., Drummond & Squillace, PLLC
- Earnie Ellison Jr., Managing Partner, Ellison Consulting Group, LLC (former PGA of America Director of Business and Community Relations)
- Debert Cook, Publisher, African American Golfer’s Digest
- Shelley Brazley, Interim Executive Director, Nassau Country Office of Minority Affairs
- Robertha Callander, Analyst – Supplier Diversity and Sustainability, US Strategy, Systems and Operations, National Grid & AABE
- Bill Suggs, President, American Association of Blacks in Energy (AABE) New York Metro Area Chapter
- Dean E. Bennett, President/CEO, J.K. Bennett & Associates, NYS Certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise
- Donovan Gordon, Director of Renewable Heating & Cooling, New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)
Facilitators for the program are Stephen Drummond, Earnie Ellison Jr.
The event is free and open to the public, NYS certified M/WBE and Section 3 businesses. Registration is encouraged and should be completed by Monday, April 24th, 2017.
For more information or to register, contact Mr. Chris Arceneaux, Pro-Golfer, Darby Foundation at [email protected] or call (516) 880-2196.
Si Woo Kim Wins 2017 Players Championship
Talk about underdog or long shot, Korean’s 21-year-old Si-Woo Kim became the youngest player to win the prestigious event. The youngest Championship winner prior to Kim had been Australia’s Adam Scott. None of the experts (or golf gurus) saw that one coming.
The 44th Players Championship was held May 11–14 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florid. Winner S. W. Kim follows in the footsteps of fellow countrymen K. J. Choi and Y. A. Yang. Choi won The Players in 2011, while Y. A. Yang won the 2009 PGA Championship by taking Tiger down for the first time after leading after 54 holes. Kim won by 3 strokes and securing that victory certainly put him on top of the golfing world for the moment at least.
This was Kim’s 2nd victory on the PGA tour. His first came last year during the Windham Championship of 2016. England’s Ian Poulter and South Africa’s Louis Oosthsien finished tied for 2nd. Spain’s Cabrera Bello finished with a flash of brilliance on the last 3 holes to nail down a tie for 4th place. Si-Woo Kim earned a lot of respect and admiration from his peers and the golfing public in general.
Golf writer John Perry takes in the view at The Players Championship.
With his win Si Woo Kim takes home a cool $1.89 million in prize money. That winning share is nearly $2 million out of a $10.5 million total purse. For The Players Championship to be the sport’s unofficial fifth major, that’s a relatively massive load of cabbage (money) to walk away with.
For this year, the $10.5 million Players purse remained unchanged from a year ago, when it was $500,000 above the four majors. The Masters soared to $11 million this year, and the U.S. Open is on its way up to a record $12 million in June. So The Players Championship has gone from its perch at the very top of the sport.
Even so, this tournament his very much secured itself as the No. 5 tournament on the schedule. It’s a popular and huge event, not just because of the money up for grabs but because of its tradition and location at TPC Sawgrass, a famous course with a famous hole that every golf fan knows.
The winner also gets 600 points toward the FedExCup and a five-year PGA TOUR exemption. So, winning has great perks here, too.
Three players have won THE PLAYERS while ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf Ranking: Greg Norman (1994), Tiger Woods (2001 and 2013) and Jason Day (2016).
Golf is a great test of true champions. The game ain’t rigged and it shows no favorites–unlike so many other sports. In golf, you can be the youngest in the field, the oldest, the tallest, the shortest, White, Black, Latino, Asian, or Other. Golf has no favorites. If you don’t play or perform well that week you don’t get paid. No free ride. Golf don’t pay to be mediocre. No sitting on the bench, or sidelines, collecting millions of dollars for being a spectator during competition. In golf, you earn your keep, plain and simple. That’s what makes this sport so competitive and attractive. This week at The Players Si-Woo Kim was the best of the best. Hats off to him and mucho congratulations.
John-Perry_150—John Perry, reporting for AAGD.
John Perry is a freelance writer, poet and active golfer with a passion for calling shots like he sees them and, then, telling it like it is. He resides in Orlando, FL