PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida and ATLANTA – The PGA TOUR and The Coca-Cola Company announced today the proud continuation of the HBCU Golf Impact Grant program.
Returning for a second year, the HBCU Golf Impact Grant program provides critical funding and support to both men’s and women’s golf teams at Historically Black Colleges and Universities that are partnered with Coca-Cola and aligned with its “The World is My Yard” platform. Coca-Cola has again pledged $250,000 for the initiative.
The partnership between the PGA TOUR and Coca-Cola further demonstrates their shared commitment to supporting HBCU golf programs and to growing playing opportunities and inclusion within the game of golf.
“The World is My Yard is rooted in the shared belief that talent and potential should not be limited by access or opportunity,” said Stephanie Eaddy, Senior Director of Cultural Marketing, Coca-Cola North America. “We’re proud to continue investing in HBCU golf programs that help create pathways for the next generation of student-athletes to thrive. Together with the PGA TOUR, we’re expanding opportunities both on and off the course while celebrating the excellence, leadership and impact these programs bring to their campuses and communities.”
The collaboration is part of the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression initiative, designed to support the identification and development of junior and collegiate golfers from historically underrepresented communities.
“We are grateful for Coca-Cola’s continued support and contribution to such an invaluable cause,” said Kenyatta Ramsey, PGA TOUR Vice President, Player Development. “The funds will make an immediate impact in further growing our game across underrepresented communities nationwide. Coca-Cola and the PGA TOUR are dedicated to creating pathways for success and inspiring student-athletes to achieve their full potential.”
This year’s eligible Coca-Cola HBCU partner institutions included 10 schools and 16 golf programs, an increase from last year. Each program received a grant of $11,250.
The funding is designed to support a range of program needs, bolstering improvements that will have a lasting impact on current and future student athletes. Grants may be used for facility enhancements, golf course or practice area renovations, tournament entry fees, travel expenses and equipment purchases including clubs, balls and apparel.
Through Coca-Cola’s “The World is My Yard” Golf Award program, HBCUs had the opportunity to receive added funding through a competitive application process evaluated by a selection committee consisting of PGA TOUR and Coca-Cola representatives. The award celebrates excellence both on and off the course, honoring programs that demonstrate outstanding athletic achievement while making a meaningful impact on their campuses and in their communities.
An additional $70,000 was distributed among this year’s winning programs, Clark Atlanta University, Alabama State University and Texas Southern University.
Clark Atlanta University – the first-place grant winner – celebrated its win by attending the TOUR Championship on Monday, where student athletes and school administrators were given a behind-the-scenes tour of East Lake Golf Club and experienced firsthand what it takes to build out a tournament.
The funds will be especially impactful to Clark Atlanta, as their golf team enters its inaugural season this fall, becoming just the third HBCU women’s golf program in the state of Georgia.
About PGA TOUR
The PGA TOUR’s mission is to deliver the world’s most compelling professional golf competition, featuring the sport’s greatest players, for fans, partners and communities. The PGA TOUR, headquartered in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, operates the PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Champions, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas and PGA TOUR University. To date, events across all Tours have generated more than $4.4 billion in charitable giving.
About Coca-Cola
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a total beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. Our company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell multiple billion-dollar brands across several beverage categories worldwide. Our portfolio of sparkling soft drink brands includes Coca-Cola, Sprite and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Fuze Tea, Gold Peak and Ayataka. Our juice, value-added dairy and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife and AdeS. We’re constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our drinks to bringing innovative new products to market. We seek to positively impact people’s lives, communities and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices and carbon emissions reductions across our value chain. Together with our bottling partners, we employ more than 700,000 people, helping bring economic opportunity to local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.
About the Pathway to Progression
Formally announced in March 2023, the PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression player development program is an initiative designed to identify and support underrepresented golf talent across the junior, collegiate and professional levels. The program provides access, resources, and competitive opportunities helping players advance through the amateur ranks. Through strategic alignments and partnerships, Pathway to Progression aims to build a stronger, more diverse pipeline of future TOUR professionals.
About The World is My Yard Program
The World Is My Yard expands the longstanding legacy of support the Coca-Cola Company and its local bottling partners have provided to Historically Black Colleges and University (HBCU) students and communities through sustaining programs that empower students and celebrate the nuances defining each school’s unique spirit and source of pride. Students from all 107 HBCUs across the United States can register using their college email addresses and gain access to tools, content and resources to thrive on campus, in the classroom and in the post-graduate workplace through a holistic digital platform. Sign up at https://www.coca-cola.com/us/en/offerings/twimyopt.
CONTACT: Justin Johns, PGA TOUR, justinjohns@pgatourhq.com