June Benefit to honor Renee Powell, the second African American woman on the LPGA Tour, and the legacy started by her father, Bill Powell
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., May 4, 2022 – The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced today the second annual Renee Powell Clearview Legacy Benefit with founding partners including KPMG, the LPGA and Mariah Stackhouse. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Clearview Legacy Foundation, honoring Renee Powell and her father’s legacy through Clearview Golf Club. Celebrating over 75 years, the Clearview Legacy Foundation embarked on a campaign to endow Clearview and
preserve its important role in history.
Set to take place after the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship on Monday, June 27, at the historic East Potomac Golf Links in Washington, D.C., the Renee Powell Clearview Legacy Benefit will continue to showcase LPGA legend Renee Powell’s impact on the past, present and future of the game.
“In 1959, I played in my second UGA National Tournament and one of the 18-hole rounds was played at East Potomac Golf Course,” said Renee Powell. “It was thrilling for me as a youngster to visit our nation’s capital. To be back at East Potomac is a pleasant reminder of my junior golf experience.”
The golf outing will include activities to raise awareness of the event’s overall mission, with LPGA Tour players and LPGA*USGA Girls Golf members stationed on various holes across the course. This year’s attendees will have the opportunity to play a nine-hole challenge, meet with LPGA pros and attend a celebratory luncheon. The event will conclude with an engaging panel discussion featuring LPGA legend Renee Powell, LPGA Tour player Mariah Stackhouse and other notable speakers sharing their perspectives on building the diversity pipeline and discussing how people can continue to change the face of golf. Additionally, new recipients of the LPGA Renee Powell Grant will be honored.
“At the core of the LPGA is a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” said LPGA Commissioner, Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “Renee Powell and her family’s remarkable life-long commitment to changing the face of golf cannot be overstated. Renee is a global ambassador and trailblazer within the game and has provided a model for how to use golf as a means of inclusion. We were thrilled that the inaugural benefit raised over $200,000 for the Clearview Legacy Foundation and are proud to continue supporting Renee and her family in their efforts to preserve Clearview Golf Club and its mission of providing a place where all people can enjoy the game.”
The LPGA and its industry partners are committed to changing the face of golf. A free youth clinic will take place around the Benefit, open to Washington, D.C. area youth ages 7-17 regardless of golf experience. Participants will have the opportunity to learn the game of golf from certified instructors in a fun and engaging environment, as well as interact with Powell and Stackhouse. Youth participants receive a complimentary invitation to attend, and equipment will be provided on-site for those who do not have golf clubs.
“Renee Powell’s pioneering journey in golf and in life has been a true inspiration to me,” said Mariah Stackhouse. “I’m thrilled to be able to provide my support to amplify her story and to ensure that her legacy and that of Clearview Golf Club are forever preserved. I also want to thank both KPMG and the LPGA for their incredible support and commitment to Renee and Clearview. Without them, this benefit would not have been possible.”
“To me, it is critically important that a diverse population realize that the sport of golf is open to all,” added Powell. “We are making a huge difference through the Clearview Legacy Foundation’s relationship with the LPGA, KPMG and Mariah Stackhouse with the Clearview Legacy Foundation. Without these entities being proactive to make a difference this event would not be taking place. With the continuation of this year's event, so many more young people of color can know they are not alone in this sport because someone has come before them.”
Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio, is the only course designed, built, owned, and operated by an African American. When Renee’s father, Bill Powell, encountered racial discrimination on the golf course after returning home from World War II, he decided to build his own course where everyone would be welcome. Without access to traditional golf maintenance equipment, Bill began building his course by hand and the original nine holes opened in 1948.
To learn more about the Renee Powell Clearview Legacy Benefit and find out how you can support the mission of the Clearview Legacy Foundation, visit www.clearviewlegacybenefit.com
)
)
)
)
