The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Tribune Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

Cameron Riley had the top finish of his professional golf career thus far at his latest appearance on the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour.

Riley finished in sixth place at the APGA Tour Charlie Sifford Centennial Tournament, October 25-26 at the Clubs of Kingwood course in Houston, Texas. He shot a total of 146 (+2) for the event after consecutive rounds of 73.

Kamaiu Johnson was the winner at 141 (-3), Marcus Byrd finished second with an even score of 144 (E), while Christian Heavens, Michael Herrera and Wyatt Worthington II all tied for third at 145 (+1).

His next appearance on the tour will be the APGA Tour Fall Series Championship in Los Angeles, November 7-11.

The second year pro has competed in 12 events on the AGPA Tour thus far in 2022.

Houston was Riley’s third consecutive top 10 finish and best since a no.7 placing at the TPC Las Vegas on April 12.

At the Ascension APGA Classic, September 8-9 at Glen Echo Country Club in St Louis, Missouri, he finished tied for 10th with his best rounds of the year, rounds of 69 and 68 for a score of 137.

Later that month, he finished with a score of 144, tied for ninth, September 20-21 at the APGA Philly at the Bluestone Country Club.

At the aforementioned TPC Las Vegas in Nevada on April 12, Riley finished tied for seventh.

“In Las Vegas I was close to the lead for a while but had some bad breaks on the last three holes,” Riley said.

He also produced a ninth place finish at the TPC Sugarloaf, June 20-21 in Duluth, Georgia with identical rounds of 73 for a score of 146.

Riley made his APGA debut in August 2021 with a 35th place finish at the TPC Sugarloaf. He also competed at the Tour Valley Forge, White Oak GC and Wilshire CC.

Established in 2010, the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour is a non-profit organisation with the mission to prepare African Americans and other minority golfers to compete and win at the highest level of professional golf, both on tour and in the golf industry.

The APGA hosts professional tournaments, career development and mentoring sessions. “The tour provides opportunities that are unmatched by any other developmental tour in the world. It gives us a huge platform to thrive and pursue our dreams and is backed by the PGA Tour, so they also reward us with incentives for good play (like sponsors exemptions for PGA tour and Kornferry tour events),” Riley said. “The sense of camaraderie and acceptance that I feel playing on the tour has motivated me a lot when the times have been tough out there playing. It is a huge stepping stone for minority golfers chasing their dreams of making it to the PGA tour, through providing great tournaments with good prize money, resources needed to make it to the next level and exposure to potential sponsors and opportunities to propel you through. I am forever indebted to it.”

The organisation also aims to develop minority college and professional golfers in the APGA Tour Sifford Development Programme which includes free clinics, mentors, equipment and complimentary entry fees for young golfers. The APGA Tour also partnered with inner city youth organisations and offers diversity symposiums where leaders of the minority golf community gather to discuss ways to best diversify the sport.

In his history-making senior season with the Florida A and M Rattlers, Riley helped lead the programme to a season of milestones which included the programme’s first appearance at the NCAA Regionals. Riley won an individual title - the first of his NCAA career - and his Rattlers team took first place at the Black College Golf Coaches Association (BCGCA) Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Invitational for the second consecutive year.