LeBron James, PGA Tour to Stage Youth Golf Event at Firestone
The two-day tournament next July will connect Akron students in James' 'I Promise' program with aspiring pro golfers.
LeBron James' growing passion for golf now includes a partnership with the PGA Tour, which announced Tuesday a two-day tournament at Firestone Country Club in James' hometown of Akron, Ohio, aimed at connecting youth with aspiring professionals.
The LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational will be played July 6-7 on Firestone's South Course, where the PGA Tour recently ended a 72-year run. The event will include mentorship connecting students from James' "I Promise" program with players who advanced through the tour's Pathway to Progression Pro-Bound Five, which creates spots for college players in the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) circuit.
"Golf has become a passion of mine, and I've seen firsthand how the game can open doors, build relationships and create opportunities that many kids don't even know exist," James said in a release. "This partnership with the PGA Tour gives my foundation a chance to introduce my 'I Promise' students and more people to the game at a young age, support talented athletes chasing their dreams, and continue investing in the city of Akron that means everything to me."
The "I Promise" program serves Akron-area students and families with resources to succeed in school and beyond. The tournament aims to introduce them to golf through community programs while creating pathways to the APGA Tour, which began in 2010 with a focus on minority players, particularly Black golfers.
PGA Tour CEO and Commissioner Brian Rolapp said the partnership gives the tour a continued presence at Firestone, a course with a golf history dating to the 1954 Rubber City Open. It later hosted two PGA Championships, the World Series of Golf and a World Golf Championship event won eight times by Tiger Woods. It had become a PGA Tour Champions major before announcing it was leaving this year for California.
"The LeBron James Family Foundation is very proud to be part of preserving the PGA Tour's presence in our community," said Michele Campbell, the foundation's executive director. "With this event, we're excited to not only support more diverse golfers getting into the game, but to also expose our 'I Promise' students and more youth in Akron to the world of possibilities that golf opens up."
James recently signed a two-year deal to play for the Philadelphia 76ers and launched his own YouTube golf channel.
This article was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI), in accordance with our editorial policy.
