Field Announced for 2021 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship
TPC Sawgrass, Site of PGA TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship, To Host the Most Culturally Significant Championship in Collegiate Golf for the First Time; Howard University to Make PWCC Debut
PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. (April 27, 2021) 一 PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, today announced the field for the 2021 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship (PWCC). The PWCC will be played at famed TPC Sawgrass, site of the PGA TOUR’s flagship event, THE PLAYERS Championship, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., and will take place May 1-5, 2021.
The PWCC, considered the most culturally significant championship in collegiate golf, will feature some familiar schools along with some new teams and faces. There are 23 teams in this year’s Championship representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) and other Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) from all over the country. The teams participating include:
DIVISION I (MEN’S)
Alabama State University
University of Arkansas – Pine Bluff
Chicago State University
Florida A&M University
Howard University
North Carolina A&T State University
North Carolina Central University
Prairie View A&M University
Tennessee State University
DIVISION II (MEN’S)
Bluefield State
Kentucky State University
Lincoln University
Livingstone College
Miles College
Savannah State University
WOMEN’S DIVISION
Alabama State University
Delaware State University
Lincoln University
North Carolina A&T
Prairie View A&M
Savannah State University
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
Texas A&M University – Kingsville
Linda Wang, the two-time defending champion in the Women’s Individual Division (2018, 2019) from St. John’s University (N.Y.), will look to continue her success as she pursues a three-peat in the PWCC. The individual divisions will see 52 competitors representing 28 programs.Adding excitement to the field, less than two years after NBA Star Steph Curry made a six-year commitment to fund its golf program Howard University will be making its PWCC debut. The men’s team will play in the Men’s Division I Team Division, while the women will compete in the Women’s Individual Division. Florida A&M University is the highest ranked team in this year’s field and has the longest standing history competing in the PWCC. CSU Dominguez Hills will return to defend its title in the Division II Team Division.
The field announcement comes on the heels of a recent multi-year collaboration to promote diversity and foster inclusion within golf through PGA WORKS. With financial and programmatic support from Comcast NBCUniversal, PGA WORKS will enhance key initiatives centered around the PWCC ー to expand access and create opportunities for diverse student-athletes across the country.
As part of enhanced television coverage of the PWCC, The Golf Channel will broadcast a series of inspiring features leading up to the event. The storylines will chronicle the incredible journey of former US Navy Veteran, PGA Member and Alabama State head coach Quincy Heard, who is taking his team to the PWCC for the first time. Also highlighted are Kendall and Jeff Dunovant, whose family roots run deep in the game of golf and in the history of the PWCC. In addition, viewers will see numerous segments promoting inclusion and diversity in golf.
“While it was disappointing to cancel the event in 2020 due to the pandemic, we are thrilled to return this year, providing our teams and players the opportunity to compete at a world class venue ー TPC Sawgrass ー just a few weeks after the best players in the world competed on the very same course,” said Lortiz “Scooter” Clark, Director, PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship. “Inclusion is the centerpiece of PGA WORKS and we believe that no event captures the essence of inclusion more than the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship.”
The PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship is a 54-hole, stroke-play event contested across five divisions: NCAA Men’s Division I, Men’s Division II, an overall Women’s Division (team), Men’s Individual and Women’s Individual.
Clark adds, “The PGA of America is committed to enhancing the experience of our underserved and underrepresented programs and students. The PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship allows us to connect with hundreds of student-athletes from diverse backgrounds, most of whom will continue to play golf throughout their lives.”
For more information on the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship, visit www.PGAWORKSCollegiate.org.
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About PGA WORKS PGA WORKS is a strategic initiative designed to diversify the golf industry’s workforce. Funded by PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, PGA WORKS leverages fellowships, scholarships, career exploration events and the PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship to inspire and engage talent from diverse backgrounds to pursue key employment positions across the golf industry. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org. About PGA REACH PGA Foundation, Inc. d/b/a PGA REACH, is the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America. The mission of PGA REACH is to positively impact the lives of youth, military and diverse populations by enabling access to PGA Professionals, PGA Sections and the game of golf. For more information, visit PGAREACH.org and follow @PGAREACH on Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook. MEDIA CONTACTS: John Dever, PGA of America, 561-624-7693, jdever@pgahq.com Jared Minski, Mastro Communications, Inc., 732-469-5700, jared@mastrocomm.com Related content
