Ascension and the Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Tour, in association with the Ascension Charity Classic presented by Emerson, have formed a three-year agreement to host a new professional golf tournament in St. Louis. The APGA Tour St. Louis – Ascension Classic presented by Daugherty Business Solutions will debut Sept. 8-9, 2022, at Glen Echo Country Club in North St. Louis County.
“The APGA Tour’s mission is to bring greater diversity and inclusion to the game by helping African American and other underrepresented golfers to prepare for highly competitive careers in golf,” said Nick Ragone, executive VP, chief marketing and communications officer, Ascension. “We couldn’t be more supportive of that mission and are thrilled this event will complement the action taking place at the second Ascension Charity Classic presented by Emerson at Norwood Hills Country Club the same week.”
The region’s newest sporting event will include practice rounds on Tuesday, Sept. 6, and Wednesday, Sept. 7, at Glen Echo, as well as a pro-am on Wednesday at the East Course at nearby Norwood Hills. General admission for the 36-hole stroke-play competition (Sept. 8-9) of this stand-alone APGA Tour event is free to the public and will provide area golf fans with another opportunity to enjoy thrilling tee-to-green action in St. Louis.
Established in 2010, the APGA Tour is a non-profit organization with the mission to prepare African American and other underrepresented golfers to compete and win at the highest level of professional golf, both on tour and in the golf industry. This is accomplished through professional tournaments, career development and mentoring sessions.
Helping to remove the financial burden associated with golf is a top priority for the APGA. Support from Ascension and Daugherty will help ensure that players have access to the tools and support they need to better focus on their career path and development in the game.
The Ascension Classic presented by Daugherty Business Solutions will be the first tournament in the APGA Tour’s Fall Series, a string of four events in St. Louis, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Los Angeles, that are part of the Tour’s 2022 schedule of 17 events offering over $700,000 in prize money.
Daugherty Business Solutions and its President & CEO Ron Daugherty are dedicated to increasing diversity and inclusion in the IT industry. They are achieving this today, by significantly increasing opportunities for youth of color, specifically from North St. Louis County through their Access Point initiative. Access Point provides access to high quality, career starting, entry level IT jobs by providing education, mentorship, financial support and long-term career development to youth who are underrepresented in our community.
“This is the kind of event that will bring positive visibility to our city, and support to North County,” noted Ron Daugherty. “We are proud to be the Presenting Sponsor of this inaugural APGA event in St. Louis. It complements many things Daugherty is doing to support diversity and equity across our region.”
World Wide Technology (WWT), whose global headquarters is based in St. Louis, is the title sponsor of the APGA Tour’s Player Development Program and a founding partner of the Ascension Charity Classic.
