FRISCO, Texas – (April 27, 2022) – Folds of Honor and the PGA of America announced today that they will be joined by the USGA, PGA Tour and LPGA in providing assistance and awareness for Patriot Golf Days this Memorial Day Weekend. Patriot Golf Days provides funding in support of Veterans and military families through Folds of Honor and PGA HOPE, the flagship military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America.

Patriot Golf Days began as a grassroots fundraising celebration in 2007, and over the last 15 years, it has grown to encompass a variety of fundraising efforts led by PGA Professionals and golfers in all 50 states.

These efforts have accounted for over $60 million and funded more than 12,000 scholarships to help Veterans, their spouses and children, but there remains a significant unmet need in the country. Over 6,000 U.S. troops were killed and approximately 52,000 were wounded in the 20 years the United States was at war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Among military dependents, only a fraction receive educational assistance. Funds donated over the holiday weekend are used in the local community where the money is raised.

Since inception, PGA HOPE has served over 10,000 Veterans in 46 states. Led by more than 200 PGA Professionals, PGA HOPE will serve more than 7,500 Veterans in 2022.

“For the golf community to join the PGA of America and Folds of Honor is a powerful force multiplier,” said Lt Col Dan Rooney, PGA, founder and CEO of Folds of Honor. “This new coalition understands that freedom is not free and is united in our commitment to serve our Veterans and their families. The PGA Tour,  LPGA and longtime supporter USGA make significant impacts in the communities that they serve, and joining us on Patriot Golf Days on Memorial Day Weekend will further expand that effort.”

Folds of Honor is a nonprofit organization that provides educational scholarships to the spouses and children of military members who have fallen or been disabled while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The educational scholarships support private school tuition or tutoring in grades K-12, tuition for college, technical or trade school and post-graduate work, including a master’s degree, doctorate or professional program. Funds for a second bachelor’s degree or trade/technical program certification are also available. Since its inception in 2007, Folds of Honor has awarded over 35,000 scholarships totaling over $160 million in all 50 states. Among the students served, 41 percent are minorities. It is rated a four-star charity by Charity Navigator and Platinum on GuideStar.

“We’re especially proud that our 28,000 PGA Professionals have raised millions of charitable dollars through Patriot Golf Days for our nation’s heroes and their families since we first announced our commitment at the 2007 PGA Championship at Southern Hills,” said PGA President Jim Richerson. “Having these influential organizations join in to back this critically important effort points to how closely aligned the golf community is in our support of our Veterans and their families. With the PGA of America leading the way, we are able to further the impact of both PGA HOPE and Folds of Honor, as we raise additional funds through the game of golf in support of those who stand to defend our country.”

PGA HOPE (Helping Our Patriots Everywhere) is the flagship military program of PGA REACH, the charitable foundation of the PGA of America. PGA HOPE introduces golf to Veterans to enhance their physical, mental, social and emotional well-being. The program introduces the game of golf through a developmental 6-8 week curriculum taught by PGA Professionals trained in adaptive golf and military cultural competency. All programs are funded by PGA REACH and supplemented by PGA Section Foundations, so the cost of programming is free to all Veterans.

PGA HOPE has a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), which enables Recreational Therapists to refer Veterans to the PGA HOPE program as a form of therapy. Through a robust program strategy, PGA HOPE aspires to create a physically and emotionally healthier Veteran community by shaping lives, changing lives, and possibly saving lives through the game of golf.

For more information on PGA REACH, visit www.PGAREACH.org, follow @PGAREACH on Twitter, and find us on Facebook.

For more information about Patriot Golf Days visit www.patriotgolfdays.com

For more information about Folds of Honor, visit www.foldsofhonor.org. 

Follow Folds of Honor on:

• www.Facebook.com/foldsofhonor

• www.Twitter.com/foldsofhonor

• www.Instagram.com/foldsofhonor 

Media Contacts:

PGA of America Michael Abramowitz mabramowitz@pgahq.com 561-389-4647

Folds of Honor Glenn Greenspan ggreenspan@foldsofhonor.org

FRISCO, Texas (April 26, 2022) 一 PGA REACH, the 501(c)(3) charitable foundation of the PGA of America, today announced the field for the 2022 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship (PWCC). The PWCC will be hosted by The Union League of Philadelphia, which donated two of its courses for the 54-hole stroke-play Championship – Union League Liberty Hill and The Union League Golf Club of Torresdale – from May 2-4.

The PWCC, considered the most culturally significant championship in collegiate golf, will feature a competitive lineup of 30 teams representing Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic-serving institutions and other minority-serving institutions from all over the country.

DIVISION I (MEN’S)
Alabama A&M University
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
Texas Southern University

DIVISION II (MEN’S)
Bluefield State College
California State University, Dominguez Hills
Fayetteville State University
Johnson C. Smith University
Kentucky State University
Lincoln University
Miles College
Savannah State University
Virginia State University
Virginia Union University

WOMEN’S DIVISION
Alabama State University
Chicago State University
Delaware State University
Howard University
Lincoln University
North Carolina A&T State University
Prairie View A&M University
Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi
Texas A&M University – Kingsville
Texas Southern University

The individual divisions will see 56 competitors representing 40 programs. Howard University, thanks in part to NBA Star Steph Curry making a six-year commitment to fund its golf program, will return to the PWCC for the second consecutive year. The men’s team will play in the Men’s Division I Team Division and is the highest ranked team in the field, while the Bison will also compete in the Women’s Team Division.

Prairie View A&M (Men’s DI), Miles College (Men’s DII) and Texas A&M – Corpus Christi (Women’s) will all return this year, looking to defend their respective titles.

For the second year, exemptions from the Epson Tour and Korn Ferry Tour can be earned.

The top three finishers and ties in the Women’s Team or Individual Divisions will be eligible to apply for an “MVP Invite” exemption into the Epson Tour’s Guardian Championship, Sept. 16-18 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill – Senator Course in Prattville, Alabama. The Guardian Championship Tournament Committee will review applications and award the exemption.

Korn Ferry extended its sponsor exemption applications to the top three finishers in the Men’s Division I, Men’s Division II and Men’s Individual Divisions. Those individuals can apply for the exemption into the 2022 Price Cutter Charity Championship, July 21-24, at Highland Springs Country Club in Springfield, Missouri.

“We are extremely excited to partner with the Union League in Philadelphia to provide this deep field the opportunity to compete at two phenomenal and historic courses,” said Scooter Clark, Director, PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship. “There is so much significance to this partnership and venue, as the Union League celebrates its 160th anniversary, and it will truly benefit the student-athletes competing.”

Clark adds, “The Union League has carried out this mission through the lens of inclusion and community engagement which strongly aligns with the PGA of America’s commitment through PGA WORKS to enhancing the experience of our underserved and underrepresented programs and students. The PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship allows us a great opportunity 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.

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 Impact Lives Through Golf. For more information, visit www.pgareach.org, follow @PGAREACH on Twitter, and find us on Facebook.

Media Contacts
John Dever, PGA of America, 561-624-7693, jdever@pgahq.com
Jared Minski, Mastro Communications, Inc., 732-546-4325, jared@mastrocomm.com

• Nominee must be a PGA Member with a minimum of 25 years of PGA Membership;
• Nominee must have been a Philadelphia PGA Member for a minimum of 10 consecutive years;
• Nominee must identify as one or more of:
  • Philadelphia PGA Past President;
  • Philadelphia PGA officer with a minimum of 10 years of service;
  • PGA of America national award winner;
  • Philadelphia PGA award winner;
  • PGA Tour, LPGA Tour or PGA Tour Champions winner;
  • Ryder Cup team member;
  • PGA Professional Championship winner; and / or
  • Senior PGA Professional Championship winner