Joe Potvin

Joe Potvin — Mon, 25 Mar 2024 15:30:37 +0000

Swing Into Success: Make Golf Your Thing Kickstarts 2024 HBCU Partnership Tour

Industry representatives travel to several HBCUs to build awareness, relationships and expand access to careers in golf with students and administrationPonte Vedra Beach, FL – Make Golf Your Thing, a collaborative industry movement, is continuing to build relationships and foster greater access and inclusivity in the sport through events at historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Under the banner “Make Golf Your Career,” several golf industry talent recruiting representatives will be on site at HBCUs in the coming weeks to directly engage students in discussions about working in the $102B golf industry.

Industry representatives visited Bethune-Cookman University in Daytona Beach, Fla. last week and are visiting Texas Southern University in Houston on March 26 and Paul Quinn College in Dallas on April 9. Additional HBCUs will be identified for events later this Spring and during the Fall 2024 Semester. The events include meetings between golf industry representatives and university leaders, as well as an activation for students, inviting them to come and learn more about internships and careers in the golf industry.

Make Golf Your Thing industry movement works to accelerate golf’s evolution in welcoming more people from historically underrepresented backgrounds to the industry, shedding light on the extensive opportunities the industry provides across the U.S. In 2023, Make Golf Your Thing supported a career day at Alabama State University in Montgomery, Ala., and partnered with four additional universities to install golf simulators on campus as a way to stimulate interest in golf. The effort is part of the White House Initiative on HBCUs.

“We are grateful that the HBCU leaders are welcoming the golf industry to their campuses and inviting us to meet the students as we aim to strengthen our industry through greater diversity,” said Dr. Michael Cooper, the USGA’s Senior HBCU Initiative Advisor and a co-chair of Make Golf Your Career’s HBCU effort. “We hope the relationships and inroads we are forging to the very capable talent that exists at HBCUs will create opportunities for students as well as the golf industry.”

Make Golf Your Thing is a collaborative industry movement working to accelerate golf’s evolution by making it more diverse and inclusive. To learn more or get involved in Make Golf Your Thing, visit https://www.makegolfyourthing.org/.###About Make Golf Your Thing
Make Golf Your Thing is a collaborative movement that reflects the industry’s commitment to making the sport more diverse, equitable and inclusive by welcoming more people to golf from all backgrounds, identities and abilities to play the game, build a career, and do business in the industry. Since 2020, the following organizations and companies have financially supported the Make Golf Your Thing movement:OrganizationsGolf Companies/Brands AJGA
ASGCA
CMAA
IAGA
GCBAA
GCSAA
LPGA
National Club Association
National Golf Foundation
NGCOA
PGA TOUR
PGA of America
USGA
U.S. Golf Manufacturer’s Council
Acushnet
adidas
Arcis Golf
Blue One Resort
Bridgestone Golf
CAA Sports
Century Golf
Club Car
Envu
Golf Pride
GolfTEC
Harrell’s
John Deere Golf
Marriott Golf
KemperSports

Martini Golf Tees

Joe Potvin — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 19:47:00 +0000

I must admit that when I first saw the Martini Golf Tee I thought that it was just a novelty and brushed it off. I mean, how can something that looks like a martini glass for a woodland fairy be of any real use? And what about the price, around six bucks or so for a pack of five? Seemed ridiculous! Well, now I’m here to tell you how wrong I was. I think that these tees are one of the best ones out there, especially for aging golfers or those with physical challenges. ‘Why?’, you ask. I reply.

As we get older not only does our speed and reflexes slow down, but also our steadiness, Sad, but true. Towards the end of a round it sometimes seems that the consistency that is oh so important is harder to maintain. Even something as minor as teeing up the ball can be a struggle. You either don’t maintain the same tee height or even worse, you don’t place the tee upright enough and the ball starts falling off the tee. Face it, it happens.

This is where the Martini Tee shines. Not only does the tee come in different lengths, but you can also get tees with a stop feature. This will guarantee that each and every time that you tee up, the ball will be at the same height. Need to tee up a little lower due to wind conditions? Try the 2 ¾”. Short par three and using an iron? Use the 2” tee and press it in until the cup rests on the ground. Like to ‘tee it high and watch it fly’’, or going long with a driver that has a head the size of a horse? Use the 3 ¼” tee with a stop and tee it up the exact height each and every time. No more teeing the ball too low and wondering what happened to your loft that you had six holes ago.

Another handy trait of the cup shape is that it will hold the ball. According to Martini Tees, the ball will stay in the cup up to a 20 degree angle of the tee. That’s one less time that I have to bend over to reset the ball on the tee. Also, this gives you the flexibility to tilt the tee towards the hole allowing for better alignment and possibly even more roll. Try that with a standard tee.

Add to that the durability of a tee made of a proprietary polymer resin and you have a tool that lasts for multiple rounds without snapping or bending out of shape. This I can attest to after smacking the tee instead of the ball on more than one occasion! Plus you have a choice of colors to choose from and sometimes, with aging eyes, certain colors make it easier to focus and to see the contrast against the turf.

In case you’re wondering, they also conform to USGA and R&A Rules of Golf and are made in the USA! So, keep those old wooden tees for cleaning your grooves or for practice and try Martini Golf Tees by the pack or by the shaker full. Chances are you’ll get used to them real quick!

You can reach out to them at www.Martinigolftees.com and don’t forget to let them know that you found them at SeniorGolfDigest.com.

Stay safe and play well,

Joe

Zerofit North America Selects Jamison Golf Group As Agency Of Record

Joe Potvin — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 15:00:56 +0000

Zerofit North America Selects Jamison Golf Group As Agency Of Record

LAKE MARY, FL (April 4, 2023) – Zerofit North America, the exclusive authorized distributor of Zerofit baselayer apparel in the U.S. and Canada, has selected Jamison Golf Group as its agency of record. Zerofit is a Japanese performance apparel brand and manufacturer of the best baselayer products for outdoor activities.

As agency of record Jamison Golf Group will help elevate Zerofit’s presence in the golf industry by successfully developing a Public Relations Program for its variety of baselayer products that will keep golfers comfortable regardless of the temperatures.

“We selected Jamison as our launch partner in the U.S. because of the company’s extensive golf industry expertise and experience,” said Doug Zirbel, CEO of Zerofit North America LLC. “Our baselayers offer the best-in-class innovations and technologies to keep you active outside throughout the year, and are designed primarily to address colder weather conditions, but we also offer apparel to keep you comfortable whatever the weather. Our tops, hoodies, leggings and sleeves have proven to be extremely popular in outdoor activities like skiing, sailing and motorcycling. We know golfers will find that our products enhance their enjoyment of the game as well.”

Zerofit was founded by Koji Higashi in his native Japan in 2005 and the brand was launched in the UK and Europe in 2018 before further expansion into North America in 2020 and Australasia in 2021.

A passionate golfer and fitness enthusiast, Mr. Higashi was unable to continue to do the sports he loved when the weather turned extremely cold, because he felt there was a significant lack of suitable clothing options to keep participants warm and their body temperature regulated.

The award-winning Heatrub Ultimate baselayer was unveiled to the Japanese public in 2011 and since then hundreds of thousands of outdoor enthusiasts have discovered the benefits of that best-in-class product. Many products have been added to the extensive Zerofit collection over the years, including Heatrub Ultimate Leggings and the Heatrub Move baselayer, as well as products that are designed to cool users down in hot summer weather.

Zerofit’s “Ultimate” is its warmest line of products and allows for total mobility and comfort for a variety of activities and sports with amazing warmth. The Boken Institute in Osaka, Japan, tested the heat retention of the Zerofit Ultimate baselayer and it was proven to be five times warmer than leading competitors. Zerofit is trademarked as “The World’s Warmest Baselayer.”

The technology in the threads is activated by movement, generating heat instantly. The “double-loop” barrel fabric provides both heat insulation and “friction heating” via extra-long bristles. These bristles ensure that a layer of warm air is retained around the body, and even a little movement of the bristles causes friction which creates heat and actually warms you up.

If you need a garment for cool weather but not freezing temperatures, Zerofit’s “Move” line of products are still twice as warm as a traditional baselayer and allow for unrestricted mobility and maximum comfort.

“We’re thrilled to have the pleasure of working with Zerofit North America to promote the Zerofit brand,” said Mike Jamison, president of Jamison Golf Group. “Their baselayer products are so technologically advanced that golfers can now play in cold weather without having their swings restricted from wearing multiple layers of clothing. Just the Zerofit top and a jacket will keep them comfortable.”

Zerofit North America is looking to partner with pro shops, sales representatives and distributors to grow the line. Interested parties should call Doug Zirbel at 760-310-9840, email at info@zerofitusa.com, or visit www.zerofitusa.com for more information.

ABOUT ZEROFIT

Designed in Japan, made for the outdoor world, Zerofit baselayers offer best-in-class innovations and technologies to keep you active outside throughout the year, designed primarily to address colder weather conditions, but also offering apparel to keep you comfortable whatever the weather. From the award winning Heatrub Ultimate and Heatrub Move baselayers for the colder winter months, through to the Ice Weave and Cold Skin baselayers in the heat of the summer, our products are changing the game for hikers, runners, anglers, bikers, golfers, sailors and more.

ABOUT JAMISON GOLF GROUP

Since 1990, Jamison Golf Group has been a respected leader in the golf industry’s media and public relations field. Golf is a relationship business, and no firm has better relationships in the golf business than Jamison Golf Group. Jamison’s team consists of experts specializing in publishing, public relations, advertising, social media, event management, broadcasting, video production and graphic design. By focusing entirely on the golf business, Jamison’s diverse team has forged solid lifetime relationships, providing clients with a powerful advantage. For more information, please visit JamisonGolf.com.

COMPANY CONTACT:

Doug Zirbel

Zerofit North America LLC

info@zerofitusa.com

760-310-9840

LIV GOLF ORLANDO FINAL ROUND RECAP AND NOTES

Joe Potvin — Sun, 02 Apr 2023 20:02:00 +0000

BROOKS KOEPKA CLAIMS 2ND LIV WIN; TORQUE WINS 1ST TEAM TITLE

Smash GC captain Brooks Koepka reacts to winning the individual championship of LIV Golf Orlando (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)

BY LIV GOLF STAFF

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – The battle for two trophies came down to the final group on Sunday at LIV Golf Orlando, and the outcome was a split decision, with Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka winning the individual trophy while Torque GC claimed its first team title at Orange County National.

Koepka’s win, by one stroke over Torque’s Sebastián Muñoz, makes him the first two-time winner in LIV Golf. The four-time major champion won the regular-season finale last year in the Invitational Series in Jeddah. It’s also his first elite pro victory in his home state of Florida.

“I’ve been playing good for a few weeks,” Koepka said after his final-round 3-under 68 left him at 15 under. “It just hasn’t really shown on the scorecard, making dumb mistakes. It was nice to come out this week and play mistake-free pretty much.”

Torque GC Captain Joaquin Niemann, who overhauled his roster during the offseason to add new LIV players Muñoz and Mito Pereira while bringing in LIV free agent David Puig, was happy to get the team title in just their third start with the new lineup. Torque’s Spanish-speaking four-man roster is the youngest in the LIV Golf League.

“It’s pretty awesome,” Niemann said. “… The chemistry between the four of us is pretty good since day one. All the practice rounds, the games we do, it’s pretty easy for the four of us to hang out together. I think we knew we could win since the first week. It just came a little bit later than we thought, actually.”

Torque GC celebrate winning the team title at LIV Golf Orlando (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf)

Both the individual and team competitions developed into potential playoffs during a tightly contested final round.

Koepka started the day with a three-shot lead but Muñoz – who opened with a record-tying 62 on Friday – provided constant pressure. He holed out from behind the green at the 16th hole to move within a stroke of the lead. At that point, Torque also tied Smash on the team leaderboard. Pereira then birdied the 17th hole to give Torque the lead.

It ultimately came down to the final hole and the final group. Both Koepka and Muñoz found the green with their approach shots but faced long birdie putts. Both attempts came up well short, giving each player nervy 4-footers to maintain their positions. They both made their par putts, allowing Koepka to celebrate an individual win and Torque to celebrate the team win at the same time.

“I knew it was back-and forth between Torque and us, and then Sebastián, I knew where he was the entire time. It helps playing with him, obviously,” Koepka said. “He battled really hard. .. The fact he just wouldn’t go away was props to him because that’s just competing right there.”

Muñoz shot a final-round 66 to lead the Torque counting scores, with Puig shooting 67 and Pereira shooting 68.

“I just knew that I had Brooks against me, and I couldn’t let him beat me [in counting scores] because I wanted Torque to stay on top,” Muñoz said.

Asked how he balanced the success of the team against coming so close to the individual win, Muñoz replied, “Yeah, I had a moment right now when we were taking pictures. I had a trophy in my hand but finished second. It threw me off. But I’m really proud of what we achieved as a team, and I feel like it’s even tougher to win as a team.”

Brooks Koepka of Smash GC is the first player in LIV Golf history to win multiple individual titles (Photo by Doug DeFelice/LIV Golf)

Meanwhile, Koepka had the same balancing act with Smash coming so close to its second team title. But he doesn’t have time to dwell on the outcome. He and 17 other LIV Golf members will be competing in the season’s first major at the Masters next week.

“I’m very happy to get the win,” Koepka said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the team win, which kind of is a little bittersweet. But look, I’m happy the way I’m playing going into Augusta.”

TEAM COUNTING SCORES

Here are the standings and counting scores for Sunday’s final round of the team competition at LIV Golf Orlando. The three best scores from each team count in every round for their total team score. The team with the lowest cumulative score after three rounds wins the team title.

1. TORQUE GC (-36): Sebastián Muñoz 66, David Puig 67, Mito Pereira 68 (Rd. 3 score: -12)

2. SMASH GC (-35): Matthew Wolff 67, Brooks Koepka 68, Jason Kokrak 69 (Rd. 3 score: -9)

3. 4ACES GC (-34): Peter Uihlein 65, Dustin Johnson 66, Patrick Reed 67 (Rd. 3 score: -15)

4. STINGER GC (-26): Dean Burmester 64, Branden Grace 70, Charl Schwartzel 70 (Rd. 3 score: -9)

5. CLEEKS GC (-25): Bernd Wiesberger 68, Richard Bland 70, Graeme McDowell 71 (Rd. 3 score: -4)

6. MAJESTICKS GC (-25): Henrik Stenson 66, Sam Horsfield 68, Lee Westwood 69 (Rd. 3 score: -4)

7. FIREBALLS GC (-23): Carlos Ortiz 65, Eugenio Chacarra 66, Sergio Garcia 68 (Rd. 3 score: -14)

8. RANGEGOATS GC (-21): Thomas Pieters 67, Talor Gooch 68, Harold Varner III 68 (Rd. 3 score: -10)

9. HYFLYERS GC (-21): Phil Mickelson 67, Brendan Steele 67, Cameron Tringale 69 (Rd. 3 score: -10)

10. CRUSHERS GC (-19): Bryson DeChambeau 67, Charles Howell III 67, Paul Casey 71 (Rd. 3 score: -8)

11. IRON HEADS GC (-16): Kevin Na 69, Scott Vincent 70, Danny Lee 74 (Rd. 3 score: E)

12. RIPPER GC (-15): Jediah Morgan 67, Marc Leishman 68, Cameron Smith 71 (Rd. 3 score: -7)

LIV Golf Orlando team champion Torque GC featuring Mito Pereira, David Puig, Sebastián Muñoz and Joaquín Niemann secured a win in just their third tournament playing together (Photo by Jon Ferrey/LIV Golf)

NOTES

4ACES WITH THIRD STRAIGHT PODIUM RESULT: Captain Dustin Johnson and his 4Aces GC team continue to set the pace in the season-long team standings despite not winning a tournament title. After consecutive runner-up finishes to start the season, the 4Aces once again were the best performers in the final round, posting a cumulative 15 under team score to finish solo third at 34 under. Peter Uihlein had the best round for the 4Aces with a 65, while Johnson shot 66 and Patrick Reed shot 67. Fourth man Pat Perez also had a good day with a 68. The 4Aces won five of eight tournaments during the inaugural 2022 LIV Golf Invitational Series, including the Team Championship. The team now leads the season-long standings with 64 points, 14 ahead of Torque GC.

STINGERS’ BURMESTER GOES LOW: First-year Stinger GC member Dean Burmester produced the lowest score in the final round, a 7-under 64 that gave him a solo third podium finish, his best result of his three starts since joining LIV Golf prior to this season. Burmester started his round with an eagle at the par-5 17th, his second eagle on that hole this week. He finished with four birdies in his last six holes.

EVERY TEAM NOW HAS POINTS: Smash GC, Cleeks GC and Majesticks GC entered LIV Golf Orlando without team points through the first two events, but all three teams finished inside the top eight to claim their best results of the season. Smash took second place, Cleeks took fifth place and Majesticks took sixth place. Meanwhile, Stinger GC finished in fourth place for the third consecutive week, while RangeGoats GC finished in eight place for the third consecutive week.

18 SET FOR MASTERS: LIV Golf Orlando champion Brooks Koepka and six former Masters champions are among the 18 LIV Golf members headed to Augusta National for next week’s tournament, the first major on the 2023 golf calendar. The six past winners include three-time champ Phil Mickelson, two-time winner Bubba Watson, along with Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Sergio Garcia and Charl Schwartzel. The other 11 participants include Abraham Ancer, Bryson DeChambeau, Talor Gooch, Jason Kokrak, Kevin Na, Joaquin Niemann, Louis Oosthuizen, Mito Pereira, Thomas Pieters, Cameron Smith and Harold Varner III.

RD. 3 STAT LEADERS

Driving distance – Bubba Watson, 359.7-yard average

Longest drive – Bubba Watson, 375 yards (10th hole)

Driving accuracy – Kevin Na, 92.86% (13 of 14)

Greens in regulation – Charles Howell III , 88.89% (16 of 18)

Scrambling – Patrick Reed (9 of 9), Sam Horsfield (5 of 5), Henrik Stenson (3 of 3), 100%

Fewest putts – Bryson DeChambeau, Lee Westwood, 24 putts

Most birdies – Peter Uihlein, 8

Bogey-free rounds – Henrik Stenson (66), Patrick Reed (67), Sam Horsfield (68)

LIV GOLF ORLANDO – ROUND TWO

Joe Potvin — Sat, 01 Apr 2023 20:34:00 +0000

Captain Brooks Koepka of Smash GC leads the individual competition through two rounds at LIV Golf Orlando (Photo by Steve Szurlej)

BY LIV GOLF STAFF

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Brooks Koepka has 16 professional wins in eight different countries, but he’s never won an elite event in his home state of Florida.

That could change Sunday at LIV Golf Orlando.

Koepka, the Smash GC captain, shot his second consecutive 6-under 65 to grab the 36-hole individual lead at 12 under at Orange County National. He’ll take a three-shot lead over Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz, the first-round leader who followed his record-tying 62 with an even-par 71. Three players – Laurie Canter (Cleeks GC), Mito Pereira (Torque GC) and Patrick Reed (4Aces GC) – are at 8 under.

Fueled by Koepka, Smash leads the team competition at 26 under, two shots ahead of Torque, with Cleeks another three shots back at 21 under.

Koepka, who grew up in the West Palm Beach area, played collegiately at Florida State, and currently lives in South Florida, wasn’t sure of the last time he won a golf tournament in the state.

“Probably a minor league golf event I remember playing in like 2012, 2013,” he said.

His family is attending LIV Golf Orlando this week, cheering for both Brooks and his younger brother Chase, who also plays for Smash. It could be a big celebration if Brooks and his team can claim both trophies on Sunday.

Smash GC featuring Koepka and his brother, Chase, enters Sunday atop the team leaderboard (Photo by Scott Taetsch/LIV Golf)

“They’ve got to be loving it, right?” Koepka said of his family. “I’ll speak for me, it’s pretty cool to have my brother, playing alongside him, being able to go do practice rounds, playing an event with him, seeing all the behind-the-scenes stuff that you guys might not see all the time and be able to spend more time with him, more QT. I think that’s been a big thing. It’s been pretty dope.”

Koepka will also be seeking his second LIV Golf individual title, having won last year in a playoff against then-teammate Peter Uihlein in the LIV Golf Invitational Jeddah. Including the 2022 Invitational Series, the first nine regular-season events in LIV Golf’s young history have been won by nine different players, so Koepka is in position to be the first individual to celebrate a second time atop the podium.

“It’s kind of tough to have multiple wins in nine events,” Koepka said. “If you do, you’re doing something right.”

Muñoz was one of 18 players in the 48-player field who did not break par Saturday. He realizes how difficult it is to back up a low round with another one, especially in the windy conditions offered by the Crooked Cat course. Despite the even-par score, he remains in contention in just his third LIV Golf start.

“I felt like my ball-striking was the same as yesterday,” Muñoz said. “I might have hit a few less fairways. Putts didn’t go in, and that’s a nine-shot difference. Pretty crazy.”

Canter is making his third start as a reserve player filling in for Cleeks GC Captain Martin Kaymer, who is close to returning from offseason wrist surgery.

“I kind of look at it like if this is the last LIV event I ever play, then it’s been awesome,” Canter said. “… I haven’t tried to put too much pressure on myself in terms of got to take the opportunity because golf doesn’t really work like that. Well, not for me anyway.”

TEAM COUNTING SCORES

Here are the standings and counting scores for Saturday’s second round of the team competition at LIV Golf Orlando. The three best scores from each team count in every round for their total team score. The team with the lowest cumulative score after three rounds wins the team title.

1. SMASH GC (-26): Brooks Koepka 65, Matthew Wolff 68, Jason Kokrak 68 (Rd. 2 score: -12)

2. TORQUE GC (-24): Mito Pereira 66, Joaquin Niemann 68, David Puig 68 (Rd. 2 score: -11)

3. CLEEKS GC (-21): Laurie Canter 66, Graeme McDowell 67, Bernd Wiesberger 69 (Rd. 2 score: -11)

4. 4ACES GC (-19): Patrick Reed 67, Peter Uihlein 67, Dustin Johnson 70 (Rd. 2 score: -9)

5. STINGER GC (-17): Charl Schwartzel 65, Branden Grace 70, Louis Oosthuizen 70 (Rd. 2 score: -8)

6. IRON HEADS GC (-16): Kevin Na 66, Scott Vincent 67, Danny Lee 70 (Rd. 2 score: -10)

7. MAJESTICKS GC (-15): Sam Horsfield 66, Lee Westwood 71, Henrik Stenson 72 (Rd. 2 score: -4)

T8. HYFLYERS GC (-11): Cameron Tringale 66, James Piot 66, Brendan Steele 72 (Rd. 2 score: -9)

T8. CRUSHERS GC (-11): Paul Casey 69, Bryson DeChambeau 69, Andy Ogletree 70 (Rd. 2 score: -5)

T8. RANGEGOATS GC (-11): Talor Gooch 69, Thomas Pieters 71, Bubba Watson 72 (Rd. 2 score: -1)

11. FIREBALLS GC (-9): Abraham Ancer 66, Carlos Ortiz 69, Eugenio Chacarra 71 (Rd. 2 score: -7)

12. RIPPER GC (-8): Cameron Smith 69, Jediah Morgan 70, Marc Leishman 72 (Rd. 2 score: -3)

NOTES

LESS MENTAL MISTAKES FOR KOEPKA: 36-hole leader Brooks Koepka finished outside the points in his first two LIV Golf starts of 2023 (31st in Mayakoba, 29th in Tucson). Now he’s on the verge of his second LIV win this week in Orlando. The difference? “Just got rid of the mental mistakes,” he said. “I look back, Mexico, I felt like I was playing pretty well, just made dumb mistakes. Then go to Tucson and I played the tough holes really well and played the easy holes probably the worst in the field.” As for this week? “Just making sure I miss on the correct side, giving myself chances, don’t take too much on,” he said. “And it’s worked.”

REED LURKING 4 SHOTS BEHIND: 4Aces GC star Patrick Reed enters Sunday within striking distance of the lead after posting consecutive 4-under 67s. Reed is looking for his first LIV Golf individual win. “Game is trending, just need to eliminate a little bit of mental mistakes,” he said. “I’ve had too many of those so far this week.” Two weeks ago in Tucson, Reed moved up the leaderboard with a 5-under 66 to finish T18. “I like Sundays,” Reed said.

Patrick Reed has shot back-to-back 67s and enters Sunday in a tie for third place (Photo by Mike Stobe/LIV Golf)

CANTER’S HEALTH AND NEW DRIVER: Cleeks GC’s Laurie Canter attributes two things to his improved play this week – a healthy back and a new driver. He said back issues hampered his performance to start 2023, but that he finally started feeling better in Tucson. He’s also put a new driver in play this week to battle the windy conditions. Through two rounds, Canter has hit nearly 65% of his fairways, ranking him in the top half of the field in driver accuracy. “My previous driver was good, straight, but a little bit spinny,” he said, “whereas this driver is a bit flatter and we’ve had two windy days and it’s got me in the fairway a little bit more.”

WILL SMASH SET TEAM RECORD: Brooks Koepka and his Smash GC team have recorded the low team counting scores in each of the first two days, shooting a cumulative 12 under on Saturday to go with Friday’s opening 14 under. That leaves Smash at 26 under through the two rounds. They’ll need to go even lower on Sunday to break the team scoring mark set last season in Bangkok by Fireballs GC, who won at 45 under.

FIRST-ROUND LEADERS BREAK EVEN: Sebastián Muñoz (Torque GC) and Richard Bland (Cleeks GC), the top two players on the leaderboard entering the second round, both shot even-par 71. The two were the only players in the top 13 through two rounds who failed to break par on Saturday. Neither of their scores counted for their respective teams. The field stroke average in the second round was 69.625, approximately a half-stroke higher than the opening round.

TORQUE TEAM HOUSE: Three members of Torque GC are staying in the same house this week – captain Joaquin Niemann, Muñoz and David Puig. The other member, Mito Pereira, is spending this week with his family. “The vibe is great,” Muñoz said. “… Everyone has kind of his role. Everyone knows how to be part of the community and not really be the center of it.” Muñoz said his role is as the group’s listener. “Some people like to vent out, and I’ll listen and try to help out a little bit.”

HV3’S COUNTING STREAK ENDS (ON A TECHNICALITY): RangeGoats GC’s Harold Varner III entered Saturday having provided a counting score for his team in each regular-season round since joining LIV Golf last season. The 19 consecutive counting scores – the longest active streak in LIV Golf – came to an end on Saturday as Varner shot a 1-over 72. At least technically, it came to end. Varner’s score was matched by captain Bubba Watson’s 72, but Watson’s score counted.

RD. 2 STAT LEADERS

Driving distance – Dean Burmester, 337.9-yard average

Longest drive – Dean Burmester, 387 yards (10th hole)

Driving accuracy – Brendan Steele, 100% (14 of 14)

Greens in regulation – Joaquin Niemann, 94.44% (17 of 18)

Scrambling – Cameron Tringale (6 of 6), Carlos Ortiz (5 of 5), Mito Pereira (4 of 4), Brooks Koepka (3 of 3), Laurie Canter (2 of 2), Scott Vincent (2 of 2), Joaquin Niemann (1 of 1), 100%

Fewest putts – Sam Horsfield, Kevin Na, 24 putts

Most birdies – Sam Horsfield, James Piot, 8

Bogey-free rounds – Brooks Koepka (65), Laurie Canter (66), Cameron Tringale (66), Scott Vincent (67), Carlos Ortiz (69)

LIV GOLF ORLANDO 2023 – ROUND ONE RECAP

Joe Potvin — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 18:38:00 +0000

MUÑOZ SHOOTS RECORD-TYING 62; SMASH GC TAKES TEAM LEAD

Sebastián Muñoz of Torque GC shoots a 62 in the first round of LIV Golf Orlando at Orange County National (Photo by Doug DeFelice/LIV Golf)

BY LIV GOLF STAFF

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. – Torque GC’s Sebastián Muñoz played his first 11 holes in Friday’s opening round of LIV Golf Orlando in 8 under. The thought of shooting 59 certainly was on his mind as he headed toward the tee box at the par-4 seventh hole.

“Last year I shot 60 two times, so it’s one of my goals, to get to 59 one day,” Muñoz said. “I thought I hit a good shot on 7. I gave myself a 45-footer and I three-putted that one. I knew that was going to kind of be the end of the 59 strategy.”

Even so, Muñoz finished his round with consecutive birdies to shoot a 9-under 62 at Orange County National. That ties for the lowest score in LIV Golf history and gives the Colombian star a two-shot advantage going into the weekend of the third event on the LIV Golf League schedule. Cleeks GC’s Richard Bland is in solo second at 64, while Smash GC Captain Brooks Koepka and Tucson winner Danny Lee of Iron Heads GC share third at 65.

“Great day,” said Muñoz, who began his round with an eagle at the par-5 14th. “Felt really in control of my driver, irons, putting. … Everything felt kind of easy today.”

Smash leads the team leaderboard with a cumulative 14 under, one stroke better than Torque. Chase Koepka and Matthew Wolff supported their captain with counting scores of 4-under 67.

Smash is one of three teams that have yet to finish inside the points (top eight) through the first two events. Majesticks GC (third place at 11 under) and Cleeks GC (tied for 4th at 10 under) are the other two.

“It’s nice to see the team finally playing well,” Brooks Koepka said. “Chase played well and then Matt has been doing what he’s been doing. Just nice to see us actually compete, and hopefully we’re there on Sunday.”

The Koepka brothers were both born and raised in Florida. Brooks Koepka said he played some junior events at Orange County National two decades ago, but it’s his younger brother Chase who has more experience on the Crooked Cat course.

“He’s had Q-school here so many times,” Brooks said. “He was telling us what to do in the practice rounds, so that doesn’t happen too often, just because we’ve played so many different golf courses of the years. … It definitely helps, so I’ll take his advice.”

Captain Brooks Koepka of Smash GC during the first round of LIV Golf Orlando at Orange County National (Photo by Mike Stobe/LIV Golf)

Bland began his round with a double-bogey but quickly bounced back with consecutive birdies and eventually finished with an eagle to climb into solo second.

“I kind of righted the ship pretty quick,” Bland said. “I played the front nine great. Whenever I kind of had a look, I made it.”

Despite winning two weeks ago in just his second LIV Golf start, Lee said he did not enter Orlando with high expectations. He started his round with a bogey but eventually found his groove, shooting a bogey-free six under on his last 14 holes.

“Monday through Thursday, my body wasn’t feeling well,” Lee said. “I was feeling weak, wasn’t sleeping well because of the time difference coming over from the West Coast. I didn’t know I was going to play this well.”

TEAM COUNTING SCORES

Here are the standings and counting scores for Friday’s opening round of the team competition at LIV Golf Orlando. The three best scores from each team count in every round for their total team score. The team with the lowest cumulative score after three rounds wins the team title.

1. SMASH GC (-14): Brooks Koepka 65, Chase Koepka 67, Matthew Wolff 67

2. TORQUE GC (-13): Sebastián Muñoz 62, Mito Pereira 68, Joaquin Niemann 70

3. MAJESTICKS GC (-11): Lee Westwood 66, Henrik Stenson 67, Ian Poulter 69

T4. 4ACES GC (-10): Dustin Johnson 67, Patrick Reed 67, Pat Perez 69

T4. RANGEGOATS GC (-10): Harold Varner III 66, Thomas Pieters 68, Talor Gooch 69

T4. CLEEKS GC (-10): Richard Bland 64, Laurie Canter 68, Graeme McDowell 71

7. STINGER GC (-9): Dean Burmester 67, Branden Grace 67, Louis Oosthuizen 70

T8. IRON HEADS GC (-6): Danny Lee 65, Scott Vincent 70, Kevin Na 72

T8. CRUSHERS GC (-6): Paul Casey 69, Charles Howell III 69, Andy Ogletree 69

10. RIPPER GC (-5): Marc Leishman 68, Cameron Smith 69, Jediah Morgan 71

T11. FIREBALLS GC (-2): Abraham Ancer 70, Carlos Ortiz 70, Sergio Garcia 71

T11. HYFLYERS GC (-2): Phil Mickelson 70, Cameron Tringale 70, Brendan Steele 71

Smash GC led by captain Brooks Koepka currently sit atop the team leaderboard of LIV Golf Orlando (Photo by Steve Szurlej)

NOTES

MUÑOZ TIES RECORD LOW: Sebastián Muñoz’s 62 is the lowest score of the 2023 LIV Golf League season and ties for the lowest score shot at a LIV Golf event. Last year during the Invitational Series, Lee Westwood shot a 62 in the third round at Boston and Brooks Koepka shot a 62 in the first round at Jeddah. Muñoz’s 9-under total also ties for the record low relative to par. Dustin Johnson shot a 9-under 63 in Rd. 1 in Chicago and Eugenio Chacarra shot a 9-under 63 in Rd. 2 in Bangkok

NON-LOCAL WESTWOOD LEADS MAJESTICKS: Of the four players on the Majesticks GC lineup, Westwood is the only member who doesn’t live in the Orlando area. But the 49-year-old co-captain came through with the team’s lowest score of the day, a 5-under 66. Fellow co-captains Henrik Stenson (67) and Ian Poulter (69) also contributed as the Majesticks seek their first team points of the season.

POINTS LEADER HOWELL RALLIES LATE: Mayakoba winner Charles Howell III, the current individual points leader, opened his round with a bogey, then followed with 11 consecutive pars before posting three late birdies to finish with a 2-under 69. The Crushers GC member is tied for 19th.

RESERVE OGLETREE CONTRIBUTES FOR CRUSHERS: Andy Ogletree, the current International Series Order of Merit leader, opened with a 2-under 69 and holed out for eagle at the par-4 second hole while providing one of the three contributing scores for Crushers GC. Ogletree is playing this week as the replacement for regular Crushers player Anirban Lahiri, out for personal reasons. It’s Ogletree’s first start in LIV Golf since the inaugural event for the Invitational Series last year in London. In the nine months since that start, Ogletree has won two International Series events. The International Series Order of Merit leader at the end of the 10-tournament 2023 season earns full playing privileges for the LIV Golf League in 2024.

FIREBALLS SLUGGISH AFTER WIN: Fireballs GC, winners of the team trophy two weeks ago in Tucson, are tied for last place with HyFlyers GC after the first round. Carlos Ortiz, part of the four-man playoff in Tucson, shot a 1-under 70 and was matched for the team’s best score by Abraham Ancer. The Fireballs and HyFlyers were the only two teams that did not have at least one player shoot in the 60s on Friday.

BROOKS LOW MAN AMONG MASTERS INVITEES: Brooks Koepka shot the lowest score (65) among the 18 LIV Golf members who will play in next week’s Masters, the first major of the 2023 golf season. Dustin Johnson (67) and Patrick Reed (67) had the lowest score among the six past Masters champs. Reigning Open champion Cameron Smith shot 69.

RD. 1 STAT LEADERS

Driving distance – Bryson DeChambeau, 339.3-yard average

Longest drive – Bryson DeChambeau, 361 yards (18th hole)

Driving accuracy – Richard Bland, 92.86% (13 of 14)

Greens in regulation – Mito Pereira, Laurie Canter, Louis Oosthuizen, 94.44% (17 of 18)

Scrambling – Sebastián Muñoz (4 of 4), Harold Varner III (4 of 4), Lee Westwood (4 of 4), Dustin Johnson (4 of 4), Talor Gooch (4 of 4), Mito Pereira (1 of 1), Laurie Canter (1 of 1), Louis Oosthuizen (1 of 1), 100%

Fewest putts – Sebastián Muñoz, Cameron Smith, 25 putts

Most birdies – Matthew Wolff, 9

Bogey-free rounds – Harold Varner III (66), Lee Westwood (66), Dustin Johnson (67), Laurie Canter (68)

Myrtle Beach Named Official “Buddies Trip” Destination Of Barstool Classic

Joe Potvin — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 11:24:00 +0000

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Myrtle Beach, golf’s most popular destination, has been named the official “Buddies Trip” of the Barstool Classic, the game’s leading tournament series.

The Barstool Classic began its 25-event schedule at True Blue Golf Club on March 6. The one-day tournaments are being played in 18 states and Toronto, Canada with courses such as The Greenbrier, TPC Boston and Grand Traverse Resort joining True Blue as high-profile hosts in 2023.

As the official “Buddies Trip” of the Barstool Classic, PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com, the Grand Strand’s leading golf trip planning resource, will have activation opportunities at every event. The winner of the closest to pin contest at each tournament will also receive free entry into 40th Annual World Amateur Handicap Championship, a 72-hole, net stroke play event that annually attracts more than 3,200 people from across the globe to Myrtle Beach.

Additionally, one lucky “Stoolie” will win a free trip to Myrtle Beach that includes:

– Two nights, three rounds for four golfers
– Two Double Occupancy Rooms
– Three rounds of golf on a Golf Tourism Solutions member course
– Visit www.ForePlayMyrtleBeach.com to learn more and enter.

The Myrtle Beach golf community’s partnership with the Barstool Classic extends a relationship that began in 2022 when the Fore Play podcast team brought its ever-popular travel series to the area, spotlighting Pine Lakes Country Club, Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, TPC Myrtle Beach and True Blue. The YouTube series included four videos that have all generated in excess of 125,000 views.

Barstool’s team – Trent, Riggs, Frankie and Dan – have enjoyed a meteoric rise based on the popularity of its Fore Play podcast, an engaging, irreverent look at the game through the eyes of regular golfers. Many of golf’s biggest names have appeared on Fore Play, reaching a younger, yet no less passionate, audience.

For more information on everything the Myrtle Beach golf scene has to offer, visit PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com.

About Golf Tourism Solutions
GTS provides a broad array of services, including email marketing, website design, social media and content production, targeting public and private clubs and real estate developments. With an email database that includes more than 700,000 addresses and an ever-growing social media presence, GTS has the assets of a large media company at its disposal.

GTS also has full responsibility for a thriving tournament division, headlined by the PlayGolfMyrtleBeach.com World Amateur Handicap Championship. The company runs eight events, including the Dustin Johnson World Junior Golf Championship, and brings more than 20,000 rounds of golf and room nights to Myrtle Beach.

For more information, go to www.GolfTourismSolutions.com.

LIV GOLF COMES TO ORLANDO!

Joe Potvin — Mon, 27 Mar 2023 13:33:29 +0000

MAJOR CHAMPIONS AND GLOBAL SUPERSTARS DESCEND ON FLORIDA
THIS WEEK FOR LIV GOLF ORLANDO

Orange County National Set to Host World-Class Golfers, Elite Competition and Entertainment for All Ages at LIV Golf’s Third Event of 2023

Free Admission for Youth 12 and Under, and Active-Duty Military and Veterans

Live Broadcast Begins Friday, March 31 at 1 p.m. ET on The CW App and LIV Golf Plus with Saturday and Sunday Broadcasts on The CW Network’s Linear and Digital Platforms and LIV Golf Plus

Orlando, FL (March 27, 2023) – Following a memorable league launch in Mayakoba, Mexico won by captain Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC and individual champion Charles Howell III, the LIV Golf League saw an exhilarating finish in Tucson, Arizona. Fireballs GC, featuring captain Sergio Garcia, Abraham Ancer, Eugenio Chacarra and Carlos Ortiz, captured the team win while Danny Lee of Iron Heads GC sank a thrilling birdie putt on the final round’s third playoff hole to claim the individual title.

Now, 48 of the world’s best golfers travel to Orange County National in Florida for the league’s third event of the season, LIV Golf Orlando, March 31-April 2.

Showcasing many of the sport’s biggest names, LIV Golf’s 12 teams include reigning Open Champion Cameron Smith, World Golf Hall of Famer Phil Mickelson, two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and four-time major winner Brooks Koepka. More than a quarter (13) of the league’s star-studded, international field are major champions, with 24 major victories amongst them. The field of 48 players represents 16 different nations, includes 18 Olympians, and has made 125 combined appearances in the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, with more than half of the league having competed in the biennial team events. In total, LIV Golf League players have amassed 530 worldwide wins across multiple tours, and four players have held the title of World No. 1.

This is the first official season of the LIV Golf League, with a 14-tournament schedule being hosted in seven different countries at some of the world’s top courses. Players are in pursuit of the 2023 LIV Golf Individual Championship and 2023 Team Championship, and after two events, Charles Howell III sits atop LIV Golf`s individual standings with 56 points. The team standings, which decide seeding for the season-ending Team Championship, are currently led by captain Dustin Johnson’s 4Aces GC (48 points).

Grounds passes for LIV Golf Orlando start from $39 per day and are all-inclusive of the live music, fan activities, and world-class golf competition. Youth 12 years and under receive complimentary admission to the tournament as do active-duty military and veterans, in addition to a guest. For tickets and more information, visit LIVGolf.com.

LIV Golf Orlando will air from 1:00-6:00 pm ET on Saturday and Sunday on The CW Network’s linear and digital platforms and LIV Golf Plus, with Friday’s round carried on The CW App and LIV Golf Plus. This season, all eight U.S.-based tournaments and six international events are being broadcasted across the U.S. and streamed live to The CW App, which has been downloaded over 92 million times and is available on all major platforms. In addition, LIV Golf tournaments are carried on more than a dozen international broadcast partners and counting, delivering league broadcasts in over 160 territories to more than 380 million homes worldwide. For more information on how to watch the 2023 LIV Golf League, visit LIVGolf.com/where-to-watch.

FAN ACTIVITIES AND INFORMATION Fan festivities for LIV Golf Orlando begin on Friday, March 31 at 11 a.m. local time when gates open to welcome guests of all ages to the variety of unique activations on site. Parking is free all three days in advance of the tournament’s 1:15 p.m. shotgun start on Friday and Saturday and 1:00 p.m. start Sunday.

Grounds passes allow fans to walk the course, get up close to the players and offer full access to the interactive Fan Village – an immersive area featuring varieties of food and beverages, league and team merchandise, “Choose Your Team” activities and a specially designed LIV Kids Zone for the youngest fans to relax and play. Golf-themed games and interactive experiences will engage fans of all ages throughout the day, while giant video screens will broadcast the tournament so fans don’t miss a minute of the action. In addition, LIV Golf’s Impact Zone will feature an opportunity for guests to enjoy the tournament in an eco-friendly setting, chip golf balls into a target to raise money for youth and communities in need of support, and add pledges to the “Futbol Mas Green Card” – an initiative of LIV Golf’s global NGO charitable partner – to contribute to building a positive community.

SPECIAL TICKET OFFERS Aligned with LIV Golf’s mission to grow the game and provide more fun and entertainment for all fans, special ticket offers are available for select groups, including:
Complimentary Youth Tickets: Offering complimentary access for the next generation of golf fans, youth 12-years-old and under will be granted free entrance at the gate when accompanied by an adult who occupies a ticket for the selected day.Complimentary Military and Veteran Tickets: Any active-duty military or veteran can secure complimentary grounds passes for themselves and a guest as a thank you to those who currently serve or who have served.25% off for College and University Students: Discounted grounds passes are available to College and University students. Students are eligible to receive 25% off single-day grounds passes.25% off for Teachers: As a special thank you to teachers, LIV Golf is proud to offer 25% off single-day grounds passes for all teachers.25% off for First Responders and Medical Professionals: LIV Golf is pleased to offer 25% off single-day grounds passes for first responders and licensed medical professionals who serve our communities.
To secure tickets and hospitality packages, visit LIVGolf.com.

The LIV Golf League is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission is centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.

About LIV Golf Investments LIV Golf Investments is a newly formed company, with group companies in the USA and UK, and with Asian offices to follow. Its purpose is to holistically supercharge professional golf on a global scale to help unlock the sports’ untapped potential. Greg Norman is the first and founding CEO of LIV Golf Investments. PIF, one of the world’s largest wealth funds, with a diverse international investment portfolio, is the majority shareholder in LIV Golf Investments.

True Blue Golf Club, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club Set To Host Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate

Joe Potvin — Fri, 24 Mar 2023 16:37:00 +0000

PAWLEYS ISLAND – True Blue Golf Club and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, two of America’s top 100 resort courses, are poised to host 36 teams from across the nation for the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate.

The 54-hole event will be played March 27-29 with 18 men’s and 18 women’s teams competing on the highly acclaimed Mike Strantz designs. The women will play Caledonia all three days while the men will tee it up at True Blue, with everyone hoping to build momentum as team’s look toward postseason play.

“We can’t wait to welcome teams for the Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate,” said Bart Romano, director of golf operations for True Blue and Caledonia. “We will have 36 teams from 15 states playing Caledonia and True Blue while enjoying the best the area has to offer on and off the course. Both layouts are in pristine condition and will provide an enjoyable test for the game’s next generation of stars.”

The men’s field will feature Valparaiso, University of Connecticut, High Point, Ohio, Evansville, Southern Illinois, Jacksonville State, Wichita State, Marshall, Central Arkansas, Xavier, Austin Peay, Winthrop, Troy, Delaware, Northern Colorado, Loyola-Chicago and Western Illinois.

The women’s field will include North Dakota State, Marshall, Akron, Gardner-Webb, Evansville, Winthrop, Morehead State, James Madison, Coastal Carolina, St. Thomas, Florida Gulf Coast, UNC Greensboro, East Carolina, UNC Asheville, Western Illinois, Ohio, Illinois-Chicago and Northern Colorado.

Caledonia and True Blue are two of the Myrtle Beach area’s most acclaimed courses. Strantz’ first solo design, Caledonia is a consensus top 100 course. The layout is equal parts art and architecture, rewarding precision as much as raw power.

Conversely, True Blue is a big course in every sense of the word. Players will enjoy the opportunities provided by some of the area’s widest fairways, but that doesn’t mean tee shots will be without challenge.

True Blue’s greens are equally large in scale and it is incumbent on golfers to find the proper spots off the tee if they hope to attack pins on a layout that rewards a creative approach to the game.

The Golfweek/Any Given Tuesday Intercollegiate is one of three college events the Caledonia and True Blue will host this year.

For more information or to book a tee time, visit CaledoniaGolfandFishClub.com or TrueBlueGolf.com.

APGA NEWS

Joe Potvin — Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:46:20 +0000

Howard’s Gregory Odom maintains lead in APGA 2022-2023 Collegiate Ranking

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – APGA Tour officials today announced the latest APGA Collegiate Ranking for the 2022-2023 season with Howard University’s Gregory Odom still holding the top spot. By leading the APGA Collegiate Ranking as of November 18, Odom earned an exemption to play as an amateur in the 2023 APGA Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines in January and finished 3^rd in difficult weather conditions.

The APGA Collegiate Ranking was announced in October 2020 through a partnership between the PGA TOUR and the APGA Tour. Eligible players are black golfers from NCAA Division I or II programs – including HBCUs – who exhaust a minimum of four years of college eligibility. The APGA Collegiate Ranking is based on players’ Golfstat adjusted scoring average, designed to evaluate the top players positioned to qualify for APGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament access.

Michigan State’s Troy Taylor III holds second place in the most recent standings while Odom’s Howard University teammate Everett Whiten Jr. sits in third place. The Class of 2023 Ranking includes Golfstat-ranked college tournaments played in Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Fall 2022 and Spring 2023.

In addition to the exemption into the APGA Farmers Insurance Invitational, the top five players in the final APGA Collegiate Ranking will receive:

Scholarship access to APGA TOUR events through the remainder of the 2023 APGA Tour season
Scholarship access into the Korn Ferry Qualifying School for the 2024 season
The final No. 1-ranked player will receive a sponsor exemption into the 2023 REX Hospital Open on the Korn Ferry Tour

On Tuesday, the PGA TOUR formally announced its Pathway to Progression player development program, a comprehensive effort to achieve greater diversity in golf through an increased focus on developing talent from diverse and historically underrepresented groups. Pathway to Progression, in alignment with the APGA Tour partnership and the Collegiate Ranking program, will provide a path for talented junior and collegiate golfers from diverse backgrounds to continue their development in professional golf. More information on the Pathway to Progression can be found here.

Rankings as of March 10, 2023:

V1	V2	Current	Player	University	Rounds	Adj. Avg. (in relation to par)
2	1	1	Gregory Odom	Howard	47	0.75
1	2	2	Troy Taylor III	Michigan State	58	0.81
3	3	3	Everett Whiten Jr	Howard	44	1.59
4	4	4	Joel Basakaine	Livingstone	30	3.94
5	5	5	Patrick Jean-Pierre	Florida A&M	47	4.43
6	6	6	Gary Bullard	Army	27	5.52
7	7	7	Troy Stribling	Florida A&M	35	6.79
		8	Jason Johnson	Alabama A&M	17	6.96
8	8	9	Thabang Moephuli	Maryland Eastern Shore	38.5	7.20
9	9	10	Edrine Okong	Howard	35	7.81
10	10	11	Adric Kimbrough	Alabama A&M	12	14.42
11	11	12	Cameron Speights	Johnson C. Smith	20	15.79

Any player who wants to be removed from the list because they have decided to come back and complete their last year of eligibility needs to inform the APGA no later than April 15
Players interested in opting into the program can register here: https://registrations.pgatourhq.com/forms/apga/
A player must complete a tournament in each of the last three semesters (Spring 2022, Fall 2022 and Spring 2023) to be eligible for the APGA Collegiate Rankings top five benefits

Full rankings will be updated monthly at https://www.apgatour.org/apga-collegiate-ranking. At the end of the 2022-23 season, APGA Tour officials will determine the minimum number of rounds to qualify.

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.