Celebrating Our Mentees
Meet Ginger Howard
The aspiring professional golfer was introduced to the game of golf at the age of six by her father, Robert Howard and became a golf prodigy at the tender age of nine. Now, the 5 foot, 5 and 1/2 inch tall teen can drive the ball an average of 240-260 yards and has under her belt eight years of competing on the National Junior Golf Circuit.
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Ginger was the first ever African American junior golfer to compete at Junior Ryder Cup -- represented the United States at the Junior Ryder Cup held at Gleneagles Resort in Scotland.
Ginger surprised many in the golf world, when she politely spurned two college scholarship offers, one from Duke, the other from the University of Florida and turned professional June 7, 2011 after receiving permission from LPGA to compete in 2011 Q-School which usually bars players under 18.
Perhaps they were even more surprised when Howard claimed first prize in her professional debut in the SunCoast Ladies Series at Forest Lake Golf Club, minutes from Orlando, Fla. But Howard would soon startle her skeptics once more.
In short order, she reeled off another four victories in just six appearances and stamped the Howard name on one of them by setting the Series' all-time, 54-hole record. She shot an eye-popping 16 under par for the three rounds. Her young age notwithstanding, no other Series contestant was able to match her season's total of five victories.
In recognition of her talent and limitless potential, IMG -- which bills itself as the world's premier sports, fashion and media company -- signed Howard to a marketing and management contract. She is the first African-American woman golfer IMG has taken under its wing. (as written by The Root)
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PROFESSIONAL
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LPGA
2016 LPGA Tour member Multiple
4/27/2012 Riviera Classic Mexico T2 72-72-69 213 (-6)
3/25/2012 Florida's Natural Charity Classic T23 71-77-70 218 (+2)
Sun Coast Ladies Series Pro Tour:
Won 6 Times on Mini Tour
2/23/2012 Sanctuary Ridge GC 1st 66-66-73 205 (-8)
10/27/2011 Metro West Golf Club 3rd 76-69-68 213 (-3)
9/8/2011 Reunion Golf Club 1st 72-73-67 212 (-4)
8/16/2011 Falcon's Fire Golf Club 1st 68-74-71 213 (-4)
8/9/2011 Orange National CC 4th 72-74-69 215 (-1)
7/18/2011 Harmony Golf Preserve Golf Club 1st 67-67-66 200 (-16) (Set Tour Low tournament Record)
7/12/2011 LPGA International Champions 1st 66-70-72 208 (-6)
6/8/2011 Sun Coast Ladies Series Pro Event 1st 72-70-64 206 (-10)
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AMATEUR
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Qualified for four Junior Girls Championships
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Runner up at 2010 Junior Girl's PGA Championship
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Runner up at 2010 FWSGA Stroke Play and 2011 FSWGA Match Play
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Named to the 2010 Leadbetter All American First Team
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Named 2010 FCWT First Team All American
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Selected to the 2010 AJGA All American Second Team
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Elected to Junior Ryder Cup Team and Canan Cup East Team
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Meet Amira Alexander
Excerpt credited and written by/from African American Golf Digest
Amira Alexander, a young golf starlet from Kent State University, was born in Bayamon, Puerto Rico and raised in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Today she calls Alpharetta, Ga her home. Her parents, John and Tracy Alexander welcomed her into the world on January 20, 1994. The 23-year old has two siblings, Damari and John Jr. Growing up, Amira spent a great portion of her formative years in Georgia, where she attended summer golf camps, as well as junior golf tournaments, sponsored by the Women In Golf Foundation (WIF), an Atlanta-based organization founded by LaJean Gould who also serves as its President..
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Amira received a full golf scholarship from the University of Georgia in Athens. There she majored in Education with a minor in Psychology. While there, she was also the lone minority on the women’s golf team for three years. And being on the team has afforded Amira the opportunity to compete in World University Golf Championships with collegiate golfers from all over the world.
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She’s played in Switzerland, France, United Kingdom, and other destinations. Courses she has teed up on include the Port Stewart Golf Club in Northern Ireland and the famous Augusta National Golf Club (during her Sophomore year in 2014). One of her most cherished highlights to date is when she saw Tiger Woods’ locker in the Champion’s Locker Room of Augusta National.
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After three years at the college, Amira transferred from the University of Georgia, Georgia Bulldogs, to Kent State University in Northeast Ohio, again earning a golf scholarship to complete during her senior year.
Adding celebrity notches to her golf belt, Amira met former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice while attending the Stanford University Alums golf event at Stanford University. “It was the annual Intercollegiate Golf Outing that Ms. Rice hosts each year,” says Amira, who is an admirer of several legendary women golfing pioneers, including Renee Powell, whom she hopes to meet someday soon.
Being on course is a staple for Amira and she has a long list of competitions. She’s competed in several Bill Dickey Junior Golf Outings—in her own backyard of Alpharetta, Ga., where they were first held, as well as the Disney course in Orlando, Fl. She’s played a lot of golf in the American Junior Golf Association events with Mariah Stackhouse and Ginger Howard. Have also played and hung out with Sadena Parks Cheyenne Woods and Shasta Averyhardt, some other very notable women of color in the game of golf.
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Amira says her goals and aspirations are to play on the LPGA Tour starting in 2018. She hopes to start the Symetra Tour in March or April of 2017.