Written by Robert Todor
AKRON, Ohio - When Troy Taylor II was 12 years old he was able to play the famed South Course at Firestone Country Club, including the 640-yard par-5 No. 16 hole, dubbed The Monster.
“He insisted he was going to play from the tips,” his father recalled. “I think he used driver, driver, 3 wood, but he got it there.”
Fast forward 12 years, and the now 24-year-old Taylor II, a standout at Michigan State, was back at Firestone South on Monday, playing for something more meaningful, both financially and for the good of the game.
Competing in the inaugural Advocates Professional Golf Association (APGA) Bridgestone Collegiate Ranking Invitational, Taylor II stands in fourth place after the first day after firing a 3-over-par 73 - including a bogey-6 on The Monster. Everett Whiten, a Howard University star, and Cameron Riley of the Bahamas share the lead with 69s. Cole Stevens, an amateur from South Africa, is third with a 70.
The tournament concludes Tuesday.
For Taylor – a native of Westerville, Ohio – and the other 15 golfers in the field, the Collegiate Ranking Invitational represents another step in their collective goal to compete at the highest level of professional golf. The PGA TOUR’s Pathway to Progression player development program is dedicated to enhancing competitive and mentorship opportunities for golfers from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and underrepresented communities.
Together, with the APGA - which conducts 18 tournaments nationwide - the Bridgestone APGA Collegiate Ranking, now in its fourth year, aims to create a developmental pathway for eligible Black golfers.
“It gives a lot of us a chance to get out on the APGA Tour and get exposure to playing hard golf courses like Firestone,” said Taylor II. “It’s been really, really big for my personal developmental growth and I’m super appreciative.”
The Collegiate Ranking Invitational takes the top five players in each year’s ranking from 2021-24 for a 36-hole event. The total purse is $25,000. Three players withdrew prior to the start of Monday’s play and a fourth had to withdraw with an injury after nine holes.
Kenyatta Ramsey, the PGA TOUR’s vice president for player development, is understandably pleased to see the tournament come to fruition. The TOUR began to support the APGA Tour 11 years ago. Current PGA TOUR players Willie Mack and Marcus Byrd (the APGA Tour Player of the Year in 2023) have roots in the APGA Tour.
“I went to a couple of events and, in getting to meet the players, you understand fully when it comes to the talent that is there but also the lack of resources that are necessary for advancement,” said Ramsey. “Ultimately, we want our tours, we want our sport, we want our product to look like America. That’s when we thrive, that’s when we have the greatest success, the greatest popularity. When everyone understands that golf can be in their future.”
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