Byrd’s third APGA Tour win comes with $30,000 winner’s prize and PGA TOUR exemption into The Honda Classic
LA JOLLA, CA – On a cold day in difficult conditions at the South Course at Torrey Pines Golf Course, Marcus Byrd birdied the last two holes to shoot the low round of the day with a 3-over-par for a four-stroke win, securing his third career APGA Tour victory at the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational. Coming off a stellar end to the 2022 season which saw Byrd win the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Fall Series bonus, Byrd took home the $30,000 winner’s check and a PGA TOUR exemption into The Honda Classic.
“The conditions today were extremely difficult, but that’s really what we want as players. We want to be tested and measure ourselves against the best. To be able to birdie the final two holes and win this event is extremely gratifying and a great way to start my season,” Byrd said. “First and foremost, I have to thank Farmers and Century Club of San Diego as well as the APGA Tour for what they’ve done for me and everyone here for bringing us here. We wouldn’t have this opportunity and be here at Torrey Pines without them.”
One week ago, Byrd was still determining his golf schedule. Now, he has two starts coming on the PGA TOUR in the next four weeks. On Monday, Byrd was named the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption at The Genesis Invitational in what will be his second career start on the PGA TOUR, and he will now also tee it up in The Honda Classic the following week.
“A goal of mine is just to be a sponge. I’m going to be around the best players in the world so I want to learn as much as I can, pick their brains, see how I can keep improving, make the most of these opportunities,” Byrd said. “I feel like I have the game to be there. Most importantly, I just have to learn. A lot of those guys, they’ve been out there for years. I’m going to take advantage of these two opportunities and learn as much as I can. And hopefully the game is in a good spot to where I can play well and perform well those weeks.”
He won the APGA Tour Valley Forge for his first win of the 2022 season and followed with a runner-up finish at the APGA Charlie Sifford Centennial. With the victory, Byrd picks up right where he left off at the end of 2023. On the year, Byrd played in 14 APGA Tour events and had 11 top-10 finishes including 8 top-3s and five runner-up finishes to go along with his victory in August. In his last eight starts on the APGA Tour, he has finishes that included T2, T2, T5, 1st, T2, 2nd and 1st.
“I feel relieved first, just seeing all the hard work pay off, to start the new year off with a win and just being able to play the game that I love,” Byrd said. “It’s always good to finish off with a win, but more importantly, it’s great being around this group of people, this group of guys that we play against. Just really excited for what’s to come over these next couple months.”
Joey Stills finished alone in second with a birdie on the 18th hole. His best finish on the APGA Tour in 2022 came at the Billy Horschel APGA Tour Invitational presented by Cisco, where he finished 3rd at TPC Sawgrass. He also won the 2022 Jim Thorpe Invitational and recorded two wins on the OGA Tour. The son of PGA TOUR player Adrian Stills, Joey played at the University of West Florida and was a participant, and later a coach, at First Tee Gulf Coast.
FARMERS SUPPORT OF THE APGA TOUR
In 2022, Farmers announced a five-year extension of its relationship with the Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour and the renewal of sponsorships for APGA Tour players Kamaiu Johnson and Willie Mack III. In addition to its sponsorship of the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational, Farmers annually sponsors the four-event APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Fall Series, which included a $30,000 bonus pool in 2022.
For the past three years, Farmers has also awarded an APGA Tour player with a sponsor exemption into its PGA TOUR event, the Farmers Insurance Open, which takes place at Torrey Pines Golf Course in conjunction with the APGA Tour Farmers Insurance Invitational. Michael Herrera has earned this exemption in 2023.
Farmers executives have taken time to listen to APGA Tour players, APGA Tour leadership, industry leaders and many others throughout the golf industry, and learned of the need for additional support on the collegiate level, resulting in Farmers recent sponsorship of the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) and their HBC events. Recognizing the importance of growing golf and increasing access at every level, Farmers has also expanded their relationship with the APGA Tour and the APGA Foundation to help provide assistance for players at all stages of their journey.
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ABOUT THE APGA TOUR
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 as a non-profit organization with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf. The APGA Tour Board of Directors works to accomplish this by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs and by introducing the game to inner city young people. In addition to conducting an expected 18 tournaments awarding close to $1 million in prize and bonus money in 2023, the APGA has organized a Player Development Program to aid young minority golfers as they work to chase their goals in professional golf.
