Advocates Professional Golf Affiliation (APGA) Tour participant, Willie Mack III, will change Kamaiu Johnson within the discipline as a sponsor’s exemption for the PGA Tour’s Farmers Insurance coverage Open at Torrey Pines in California.
By Ali Stafford
Final Up to date: 27/01/21 7:54pm
Willie Mack III will makes his PGA Tour debut on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open
When Willie Mack III began life in skilled golf, the American was struggling to make ends meet and sleeping in his automobile to economize. Now, he has been given the chance to fulfil each golfer’s dream and tee it up on the PGA Tour.
After years of enjoying mini-tour golf throughout the USA and being restricted to solely a handful of begins on the PGA Tour Latinoamerica and Korn Ferry Tour, the 32-year-old will get the prospect to make his PGA Tour debut on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open.
The African American was already scheduled to seem subsequent month on the Genesis Invitational – hosted by Tiger Woods – after receiving the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption, an accolade aiming to extend range in golf, however has now seen his PGA Tour breakthrough introduced ahead.
Mack was solely given a last-minute sponsor’s invite for Torrey Pines on Tuesday after the unique recipient, fellow Advocates Skilled Golf Affiliation Tour (APGA) golfer Kamaiu Johnson, was compelled to withdraw after testing optimistic for coronavirus.
“I do know it is a dream come true for each of us to get our first two begins the subsequent 4 weeks and it is simply an unlucky scenario,” Mack mentioned. “I am pals with Kamaiu [Johnson], so I discuss to him on a regular basis.
Mack will play alongside Tyler McCumber and Ryan Brehm over the primary two rounds
“I do know he was so excited to play this week and I used to be cheering him on. I am simply going to go on the market this week and never solely play for me, but additionally play for him.”
Mack, an envoy of event sponsors Farmer Insurance coverage, was the 2019 Participant of the 12 months on the APGA Tour – a non-profit organisation with the mission to convey higher range to the sport of golf – and at the moment leads the Florida Skilled Golf Tour.
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Talking about his journey to the PGA Tour, Mack added: “I began enjoying golf round six and simply began enjoying with my dad due to Tiger Woods. Went to varsity, performed at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Seashore and transferred over to my skilled profession.
“It type of began out somewhat shaky for the primary couple years, dwelling in my automobile for a couple of yr and a half, simply struggling, touring round, making an attempt to make ends meet, and now we’re right here as we speak.
“It is all the time a battle type of beginning out, having no sponsors. I feel it was 2011 was the final yr you possibly can go proper to the PGA Tour. It began out fairly good that first yr, I received the Cash Record on the Florida Professional Tour, I made the second stage and I feel I missed Finals by two strokes.
This week we introduced Willie Mack III because the 2021 recipient of the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption. Have a look again on the historical past of the exemption and its previous recipients
— The Genesis Invitational (@thegenesisinv) January 21, 2021
“I type of bought into somewhat groove of possibly that is straightforward. Then the subsequent two or three years after that, it was a battle. I left house that summer season and I advised my dad I used to be going to go to Florida. I had no cash it simply became a trouble and a battle, however I simply saved preventing and I am right here as we speak.
“My mother and father all the time taught me, if you happen to begin one thing, you end it. I simply all the time had that mindset and that mindset will all the time persist with me.”
Watch the Farmers Insurance coverage Open all through the week reside on Sky Sports activities. Dwell protection begins with Featured Teams on Thursday from 5pm on Sky Sports activities Golf, forward of full protection from 8pm.
