Begay back in action to learn more about APGA
Notah Begay III is competing in a tournament for the first time in nearly 10 years, and the score isn’t what matters to him.
His appearance on the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour in Arizona has been a mixture of inspiration and appreciation.
Begay, a four-time PGA Tour winner and now an on-course reporter for NBC Sports, was on the broadcast crew for the APGA Tour event on the Sunday after the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
“I was impressed by the caliber of play out there. I wanted to get to know more about the tour, the players, and what their objectives are going forward,” Begay said. “There’s no better way than to be a part of it.”
Back injuries cut short his career. Begay’s last tour event was in August 2012 at the Reno-Tahoe Open. He wasn’t sure what to expect on the Champions course at the TPC Scottsdale, though he acquitted himself nicely with a 1-over 72 on Monday and was tied for 16th in the 51-man field. The final round was Tuesday. Begay has always been about access, which includes his NB3 Junior Golf Tour, in which kids compete in tournaments throughout New Mexico and surrounding states, culminating with regional and national championships. Financial assistance is available.
“We didn’t say ‘no’ to one player,” Begay said. “This game has been saying ‘no’ for a long time.”
The APGA Tour began in 2010, established to prepare Black golfers and other minorities to compete and build careers on tour or in the golf industry. It has gained momentum in recent years with sponsor exemptions at PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events, and with a schedule that is starting to include TPC courses for its 36-hole events.
The one at Torrey Pines on Sunday – the PGA Tour event ended on Saturday this year to avoid conflicts with NFL conference championships – was the first one to be televised live.
Begay was working and watching. “I’ve been doing some research, just seeing the records they’ve had and where they come from,” he said Sunday evening. “I’m just trying to be more informed.”
Plus, the competition might serve
him well. He turns 50 in September and will be eligible for the PGA Tour Champions.
Presidents Cup
The leadership for the International team in the Presidents Cup now represents every continent that make up the team facing the United States.
International captain Trevor Immelman (South Africa) announced Tuesday his four assistant captains will be K.J. Choi (South Korea), Geoff Ogilvy (Australia), Mike Weir (Canada) and Camilo Villegas (Colombia).
The matches are Sept. 22-25 at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, N.C.
Choi, Ogilvy and Weir are serving as assistants for the third time. The newcomer is Villegas, whose lone appearance in the Presidents Cup was in 2009 at Harding Park.
“Although it has been over 10 years since I played the event, I still have fond memories that are unforgettable, so joining on the other side as a captain’s assistant will be a highlight of my career,” Villegas said.
U.S. captain Davis Love III last week said Zach Johnson – the next Ryder Cup captain – and Fred Couples would be his assistants. He hasn’t announced the other two, though Love said Tiger Woods could have any role he wanted. Woods was captain at the last Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in 2019 and chose not to return.
The International team has only one victory, in 1998 at Royal Melbourne, since the matches began in 1994. The 2003 event ended in a tie.