Former A&M Golfers Receive Scholarships Toward PGA Professional Golf Management Accelerated Program

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- Three former Alabama A&M golfers, Nigel Hoover, Larry Benson, Jr., and Roderick Jackson, received scholarships from Troon Golf, TaylorMade Golf and Callaway Golf to attend The PGA Professional Golf Management (PGM) Accelerated Program at PGA Education Center in Port St. Lucie, Fla. The PGA PGM Accelerated Program is an educational program structure for a student to finish Level 1 Checkpoint and Level 2 seminars within six weeks.

Developed and administered by The PGA of America with the financial support of PGA Partners, the program offers an opportunity for eligible minority college graduates who competed in the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship a chance to pursue a career as a PGA Professional.

Hoover, Benson and Jackson, all avid golfers and recent graduates of Alabama A&M University, have successfully completed Level 1 of The PGA PGM Accelerated Program and have received Internship positions to satisfy their work experience to become a PGA Apprentice.

The trio was introduced to the golf industry and the opportunities it provides by attending the annual Business of Golf Career Expo during the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship.

"The PGA of America's mission has always been to elevate the profession and to grow participation in the game of golf," said PGA of America President Jim Remy. "That mission continues for us by supporting aspiring young men and women such as participants in the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship that wish to become a PGA Professional. The PGA PGM Accelerated Program certainly is a great first step toward PGA Membership. We are excited about the talent and the enthusiasm that these outstanding students bring to our industry."

TaylorMade Golf, Troon Golf and Callaway Golf have provided Hoover, Benson and Jackson with a tuition scholarship that supports their respective completion of The PGA PGM Accelerated Program toward PGA membership.

"Callaway Golf is very happy to assist these young gentlemen with their careers," said Joe Urzetta, Callaway Golf senior vice president of U.S. Sales. "The PGA Professional Golf Management Program is a very important program that provides a great training ground for future golf professionals."

In addition to the scholarship, TaylorMade Golf and Troon Golf have employed Hoover and Jackson in an internship position to help them prepare for an outstanding career in the golf industry.

Benson said that his receiving one of three scholarships this year has left him with an increased appreciation of the transfer from competing to the business of golf. He learned the game through The First Tee of Memphis and after advancing in training served from 2002 to 2004 as a peer counselor instructor.

"The favorite part of the training for me was the life skills education of 'honesty, integrity and sportsmanship,' "said Benson, who began his professional training as a golf shop assistant last July at The Links at Galloway in Memphis and will return to Links at Galloway to continue his work toward PGA Membership.

"I received great training in what it takes to promote a club and what it is to market for a club," said Benson, who began playing golf at age 7 and graduated from Alabama A&M in 2008. "Without The First Tee, I would not be where I am today."

Hoover, a native of Chicago, began playing golf at age 8, graduated in business management, and has served as a receiving supervisor for Golfsmith International in Duluth, Ga.

"This PGA PGM Accelerated Program has given me a more direct way for networking to find out all the opportunities in the golf industry and decide what I want to do," said Hoover. "I can see myself some day as a coach or teaching professional. My passion is now for teaching the game."

For Atlanta native Jackson, who began playing golf at age 13, he is a club supervisor-manager for Golfsmith Inc.

"The PGM Program has been an incredible personal experience," said Jackson, a 2007 graduate in agricultural business management. "I have found that through the training I'm receiving, I will have even stronger credentials in pursuing marketing opportunities. In this economy, The PGA serves as a strong certification and still offers many good career opportunities."

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