© 2010 Advocates USA, a non-profit 501(c)3 organization

The Advocates USA present the ADVOCATE'S PROFESSIONAL TOUR

Charles Boyd and Ken Bentley reported in a battle reminiscent of Pac 10 football wars, former USC star Joshua Wooding beat former Oregon State Beaver Vincent Johnson in a playoff to win the third leg of the Advocates Invitational Pro Tour at Chester Washington Golf Course in Los Angeles.  Wooding of Riverside, California won the $4,000 first prize when he birdied the first playoff hole.  Both Wooding and Johnson finished at (11) under par.  Johnson and Wooding were the first two recipients of the Northern Trust Open’s Charlie Sifford exemption. 

Among the 32 competitors in Los Angeles were sports legends Jerry Rice, Marshall Faulk, Marcus Allen and Vince Coleman.  Rice, who was recently named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, closed with a second round 67 to finish at 2 under par good enough for 6th place.  Former PGA tour member and Advocates Tour Director Adrian Stills won the senior division and the $1,000 first prize.

The playoff in Los Angeles was a fitting end to the first year of the Advocates Tour.  The initial two events on the tour were also won in a playoff.  In March at Rogers Park in Tampa, Florida Maryland’s George Bradford chipped in for eagle to win the first event while in June at Denver, Brett Dean rolled in a 15 foot eagle putt to defeat Johnson and Bradford.

At the awards ceremony following the tournament the Advocates Tour Committee presented Vincent Johnson with the Adrian Stills Award.  With the award comes $5,000 to pay for entry into the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament.  The award is named after Stills who was an All-American at South Carolina State and in 1986 got his PGA Tour card.  Stills is the last African American to make it to the PGA Tour from the Tour Qualifying Tournament.  Johnson was a unanimous selection for the Adrian Stills Award by Advocates Tour Committee who considered performance in Advocates Tour events, play outside of the tour, participation in Advocate Tour events and potential to reach the PGA Tour as the main criteria in their selection process.  Johnson, a Portland, Oregon native turned pro in 2008 after a stellar career at Oregon State.  He was a participant on the Golf Channel’s hit show “The Big Break” and recently won the $29,000 first prize in the Long Beach Open.  His 66.5 stroke average tied for the lowest stroke average on the Advocates Tour.

The mission of the Advocates Pro Tour is to provide a vehicle that will propel more African Americans to the PGA Tour.  Three tournaments were held in 2010 with more planned in the future.  “We are very excited about the first year of the Advocates Pro Tour,” says Tour Director Adrian Stills.  “The quality of play was outstanding.  Three playoffs in three tournaments.  You can’t get better than that.  It was also great to bring golf back into the inner city to places like Rogers Park and Chester Washington, all have played such an important role in the history of African American golf.  Our goal in the future is to grow the Advocates Tour and to one day have a number of our members teeing it up on the PGA Tour.”

The Advocates Pro Tour is only one of the many programs undertaken by the members of Advocates USA.  A six year-old  non-profit  organization comprised of African American men from across the country, Advocates USA sponsors mentoring programs for young people, has a college scholarship program, provides computers and other supplies for schools, conducts health screenings and has donated more than $200,000 to community based programs.

JOIN THE TOUR

RESULTS FROM ADVOCATES INVITATIONAL GOLF TOUR

August 21-22, 2010

Chester Washington Golf Course

Los Angeles, CA (Par 70)

1. Joshua Wooding, 129, ($4,000)       2. Vincent Johnson, 129, ($2,000)

3. Nick Jones, 131, ($1,500)

4. Josh Bain, 135 (Amateur)

5. Tye Alexander, 137, ($850)

6. Jerry Rice, 138, ($600)

7. Tony Smith,  139 ($450)

8. Andy Walker, 140, ($400)

9. Kevin Lyles, 142 ($325)

   Karen Ham, 142 ($325)

11. Chris Kim, 146, ($300)

SENIOR DIVISION

1. Adrian Stills, 151, ($1,000)

2. Lennie Green, 157, ($500)

3. Alan Mizumoto, 160, ($125)

  Jeff Morgan, 160 ($125)

Pro Tour Invitational

Advocates Pro Golf Tour (3 Events)

1.

2.

T3

5.

T6

8.

9.

10.

Prize Monies:

$ 5,500

$4,000

$3,500

$3,500

$2,700

$1,500

$1,500

$1,025

$1,000

$900

Name:

George Bradford

Joshua Wooding

Vincent Johnson

Brett Dean

Don Wright

Tim O’Neal

Nick Jones

Kevin Lyles

Geoff Wood

Tommy Schaff

Events:

2

1

2

1

1

1

1

2

1

1

Wins:

1

1

1

Stroke Average:

68.5

66.5

66.5

68.5

68.5

69.0

65.5

70.0

71.5

73.0