Shasta Averyhardt, a Flint, Michigan native has become the first African American to make it through the LPGA’s Q-School—albeit as a provisional member.
Averyhardt was in eighth place heading into the final round, but fell to 22nd after she bogeyed three of the four par 5s and also doubled the par-3 third.
Her finish makes her 28th on the exempt list for Q School.
She played on the Futures Tour last year. While she is the first to make it through Q-School, three other African American women have held cards in the LPGA. They are LaRee Sugg, Renee Powell and Althea Gibson. Gibson, also a tennis great, played in 171 tournaments between 1963 and 1971. Renee Powell played from 1967 – 1980. LaRee Sugg played in 1995-1996; and 2000-2001.
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OK, so what’s a provisional member and what does she have to do to get out of that situation?
It means that she can get into a tournament after everyone else who qualifies is in ahead of her. Like the PGA Tour, they have a priority system … full members get into a tournament first, then past winners of that tournament, sponsors exemptions etc. She gets in if there are any spots left after that. It sucks for her because she’ll need to try to get sponsors exemptions and otherwise show up on Monday, hoping there’s a spot.
AFAIK, she’s stuck there for this year unless she wins.