February 20, 2021
Black History Month Classic at PGA of America venue salutes five of golf’s diversity difference-makers
PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida – Feb. 20, 2021 — Rafa Guerrero Lauria of Pompano Beach, Florida, carded an ace on the 200-yard 13th hole enroute to a three-under-par 69 to take the first-round lead in the APGA Tour Black History Month Classic at PGA Golf Club Saturday. Lauria, a native of Venezuela and veteran of the PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, leads Stephen Grant of Plantation, Florida, and Jarrad Garcia of Jacksonville by one stroke in the 49-player, diversity-laden field.
The APGA Tour Black History Month Classic is the third tournament of the landmark 2021 season, featuring a record 13 events and seven exemptions for APGA Tour players into PGA TOUR events. The tournament culminates Sunday with the final round of the 36-hole, $28.500 competition.
Patrick Newcomb of Jacksonville and Trey Valentine of Melbourne are another stroke back at -1 with no one else under par on the prestigious, par-72, Pete Dye layout. Lauria’s roller coaster round included four birdies, three bogies and the hole-in-one, which moved him to three-under. Landon Lyons of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, who won the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Open Invitational in January, is one of three players at even par.
On Friday, APGA Tour Executive Director Cole Smith and PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh honored PGA Professionals Tom Woodard, Wyatt Worthington II, Kennie Sims, Clay Myers and Doug Smith for their contributions to golf diversity initiatives. All activities are being conducted under social-distancing and health/safety guidelines in conjunction with regional authorities.
The field includes Kamaiu Johnson and Kevin Hall, standout APGA Tour regulars who teed off earlier this month with PGA TOUR players in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Johnson is preparing to play in the PGA TOUR’s Arnold Palmer Invitational and Honda Classic in the coming weeks. APGA Tour star Willie Mack is absent from the field because he played in the Genesis Invitational earlier this week, missing the cut.
