LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational at Firestone Country Club to feature PGA TOUR Pathway to Progression, inspire local youth and strengthen community impact in Akron
Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida and Akron, Ohio – The PGA TOUR and the LeBron James Family Foundation today announced a new partnership, centered on a shared belief in the power of sports to create opportunity and transform lives. Through the inaugural LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational at Firestone Country Club, July 6-7, 2027, a series of integrated initiatives will combine professional golf with youth engagement and fundraising to create community impact in LeBron James’ hometown of Akron.
The two-day event will include off-course mentorship programs that connect students in the LeBron James Family Foundation’s I PROMISE program with professional golfers who advanced through the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression Pro-Bound Five program. Additionally, competitions featuring amateurs as well as professionals from the Pro-Bound Five program will take place on Firestone Country Club’s South Course, adding another chapter to the PGA TOUR’s decades-long presence in Akron.
The LeBron James Family Foundation I PROMISE program serves Akron-area students and their families by providing them with the programs, support and resources they need to succeed in school and beyond. In partnership with the PGA TOUR, the Invitational will introduce young people to the game through meaningful community programming while also creating opportunities for aspiring professional golfers.
Through his recently launched YouTube golf channel and now through this partnership with the PGA TOUR, James is helping bring more people along on his personal golf journey while supporting opportunities for those who may not have traditionally had access to the game.
“Golf has become a passion of mine, and I’ve seen firsthand how the game can open doors, build relationships and create opportunities that many kids don’t even know exist,” said LeBron James. “This partnership with the PGA TOUR gives my Foundation a chance to introduce my I Promise students and more people to the game at a young age, support talented athletes chasing their dreams, and continue investing in the city of Akron that means everything to me.”
The shared vision of this partnership aligns with the recently announced evolution of the PGA TOUR’s philanthropic strategy, which will launch national priority campaigns around charitable themes – including well-being, service, youth, access and opportunity – that attract new resources, elevate visibility and drive locally relevant impact.
“The PGA TOUR believes golf can create opportunity, change lives and bring communities together,” said PGA TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp. “LeBron and the LeBron James Family Foundation have shown what is possible when that commitment is backed by action, and this partnership brings that shared vision to life. By connecting young people in Akron with our sport and supporting talented, up-and-coming athletes pursuing their dreams through our Pathway to Progression program, we are creating an event that honors Firestone’s history and legacy while helping shape golf’s future.”
A centerpiece of the inaugural event next July will be the LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational Professional Competition, featuring alumni of the Pathway to Progression Pro-Bound Five program on Firestone Country Club’s South Course. First unveiled in 2023, Pathway to Progression is the PGA TOUR’s strategic investment in broadening the representation in golf by investing in the development of historically underrepresented communities.
One of the Pathway to Progression programs offering competitive opportunities is Pro-Bound Five, where the top five players in the final APGA Collegiate Ranking each season gain membership access to the APGA Tour – creating a direct link to competitive professional golf.
Additionally, Pathway to Progression helps facilitate players’ transition to the professional ranks, as Pro-Bound Five players receive a player development stipend and supplemental resources to support travel to professional tournaments.
The shared missions of the LeBron James Family Foundation and the PGA TOUR make the LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational an ideal opportunity to celebrate the possibilities that exist when opportunity and access intersect in the game of golf.
“For many years, PGA TOUR events at Firestone have been a staple of our community, benefitting our hometown and bringing people together. The LeBron James Family Foundation is very proud to be part of preserving the PGA TOUR’s presence in our community,” said Michele Campbell, Executive Director of the LeBron James Family Foundation. “With this event, we’re excited to not only support more diverse golfers getting into the game, but to also expose our I Promise students and more youth in Akron to the world of possibilities that golf opens up. With the intentional programming we’re building, we’re looking forward to the opportunities this event will bring for young people and the entire community.”
Additional details regarding professional and celebrity participants and event programming will be announced at a later date.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR’s mission is to deliver the world’s most compelling professional golf competition, featuring the sport’s greatest players, for fans, partners and communities. The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, operates the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and PGA TOUR University. To date, events across all Tours have generated more than $4 billion in charitable giving.
About LeBron James Family Foundation
With a commitment to redefining community and building stronger families, The LeBron James Family Foundation invests its time, resources and passion into creating generational change for kids and families through a focus on education and co-curricular educational initiatives. With its foundational I PROMISE Program, LJFF serves Akron-area students and their entire families by providing them with the fundamental resources, wraparound supports and family programming they need for success in school and beyond. In 2018, the Foundation built all of its family-first programming and academic interventions into the groundbreaking I PROMISE School that has created a new model for urban, public education. The Foundation has layered in additional resources including higher education and family supports at the I PROMISE Institute, transitional housing at the I PROMISE Village, long-term affordable housing at I PROMISE Housing, job training and financial health programming at House Three Thirty, and medical and behavioral health services at I PROMISE HealthQuarters. These life-changing resources, combined with the Foundation’s “We Are Family” philosophy, are re-defining what a family and community looks like.
To learn more about our story, visit lebronjamesfamilyfoundation.org.
About the Pathway to Progression
Formerly announced in March 2023, the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression player development program is an initiative designed to identify and support underrepresented golf talent across the junior, collegiate and professional levels. The program provides access, resources, and competitive opportunities to help players advance through the amateur ranks. Through strategic alignments and partnerships, Pathway to Progression aims to build a stronger, more diverse pipeline of future TOUR professionals.
