Winning teams to receive two-day development camp at TPC Sawgrass
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR and Bridgestone Americas today unveiled the field for the inaugural Bridgestone HBCU Invitational, a 54-hole team and individual stroke play event at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth, Georgia. The tournament is an element of the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program, part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression, which aims to achieve greater diversity in golf through increased focus on developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups.
The Bridgestone HBCU Invitational, set to be contested November 1 and 2, will feature nine HBCU men’s golf teams and five HBCU women’s golf teams, with the winning schools earning a two-day development camp at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, home of THE PLAYERS Championship. On top of the competition, the tournament, benefiting the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA), will provide players with custom Bridgestone Golf ball fittings and will also include a career pathway panel featuring business leaders from throughout the sports world.
Schools competing in this year’s event include Alabama State, the University of Arkansas Pine Bluff, Chicago State, North Carolina Central, Tennessee State, Florida A&M, Morehouse College, Miles College, Southern University and Prairie View A&M.
“We are excited to welcome these outstanding programs and their players to the Bridgestone HBCU Invitational, where we hope to motivate and inspire the next generation of golfers from diverse backgrounds,” said Kenyatta Ramsey, PGA TOUR Vice President, Player Development. “The PGA TOUR appreciates the support of Bridgestone as we aim to provide these players with an elevated platform to showcase their skills and we look forward to seeing an incredible week of competition.”
In addition to the development camp at TPC Sawgrass for both winners, the men’s champion will earn an invitation to the Bridgestone Collegiate Invitational, set for March 24-26, 2024 at Silverado Country Club in Napa, California. The tournament will feature top-level NCAA Division 1 men’s golf programs and HBCU schools along with high-ranking individual golfers from underrepresented communities in golf. Korn Ferry will award the winner with an exemption into a 2024 Korn Ferry Tour event to be announced at a later date.
“Bridgestone is committed to making a positive and lasting impact in communities across America, today and for generations to come,” said Caitlyn Ranson, head of partnerships, Bridgestone Americas. “Together with the PGA TOUR, we believe what really matters is bridging the gap to build a stronger, more inclusive golf community both on and off the course. We want to make professional golf more accessible, and the Bridgestone Collegiate Development Program elevates our efforts across the HBCU golf community by continuing to expand equitable access to the game for players, while also introducing the game to new and diverse audiences.”
Teams will begin their week at the Bridgestone HBCU Invitational on Monday, October 30, with custom Bridgestone Golf ball fittings before reconvening the following morning for the Pathway to My Career panel, featuring Bridgestone’s Caitlyn Ranson, Vincent Pierson of Black Sports Business Academy, Creative Artists Agency’s Annette Parker, Michael McClendon of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, Devon Fox from the PGA TOUR, Ardelia Austin from Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Stewart Cornelius from Multiplier. The panel will include discussion about internships, gaining experience, translating golf skills to life and work, and best practices for building a network.
Schools will then head to the course to prepare for the ensuing competition on the championship-course layout used for the PGA TOUR Champions Mitsubishi Electric Championship.
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About PGA TOUR
By showcasing golf’s greatest players, the PGA TOUR engages, inspires and positively impacts our fans, partners and communities worldwide.
The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, co-sanctions tournaments on the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, PGA TOUR Canada and administers PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry and PGA TOUR University. TOUR members represent the world’s best players, hailing from 24 countries and territories. Showcasing the biggest moments in the sport with history and legacy on the line, the PGA TOUR has long-term domestic distribution partnerships for broadcast coverage on CBS, NBC and Golf Channel and video streaming service on ESPN+. Internationally, PGA TOUR coverage is available across 200+ countries and territories in 26 languages via 44 broadcast and digital partners. Virtually all tournaments are organized as non-profit organizations to maximize charitable giving, and to date, tournaments across all Tours have generated more than $3.64 billion.
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About Bridgestone Americas, Inc.
Bridgestone Americas, Inc. is the U.S.-based subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber, building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Bridgestone Americas employs more than 45,000 people across its worldwide operations. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
About Bridgestone Golf
Based in Covington, GA, Bridgestone Golf, Inc. manufactures premium golf balls under the Bridgestone and Precept brands. Beginning in 2006, Bridgestone revolutionized golf ball selection with its custom ball-fitting program, identifying a golfer’s ideal golf ball based on personal swing characteristics. Today, as the #1 Ball-Fitter in Golf, Bridgestone has conducted over four million fittings via a combination of live-fitting, online selection, OTTOAutonomous Ball Fitting, and its V-FIT video ball fitting. The consumer data gathered from ball-fitting continues to inspire Bridgestone’s innovative new golf ball designs, yielding industry-leading performance products for the entire range of players, from recreational golfers to the best in the world. Bridgestone Golf is proudly represented on professional tours by Tiger Woods, Fred Couples, Matt Kuchar, Jason Day, Chris Gotterup, and Lexi Thompson. Bridgestone Golf, Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Sports Co. Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo. More information: bridgestonegolf.com.
