• Lee Elder, 74, brings more African-Americans to the game — and hopefully, one day, to the PGA Tour
"It's been 33 years since I broke the color barrier at the Masters and 11 years since Tiger won the green jacket. But today Tiger's the only African-American on Tour. That's a shame, and I want to change that. I still teach about 20 clinics a year for minority kids, but I have a new mission: We need to give college-age kids with real talent and desire a place to play to see how good they can be. Tiger's foundation and The First Tee help younger kids, but not the 18- to 24-year-olds who don't have access to country clubs and financial backers the way Caucasians do. It's night and day. So I'm lobbying agencies and CEOs to help me open a large facility that will let young men and women of color with real talent develop their games — a 36-hole layout with video equipment, a great range, teachers. It's affirmative action for golf. It's funny, I meet CEOs who give me their cards and say, 'Let me know what I can do.' Then I call, and they're too busy to talk. But that's OK. I'm used to obstacles. We've already opened a clinic in Bermuda, and I know we'll open one here. It will take time, but can you imagine Tiger at Augusta, in his forties, slipping a green jacket onto the shoulders of a young African-American? That would be a thrill! That would be going to the mountaintop."
Credit: Tim Mantoani
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