CastleOak Securities Named Presenting Sponsor for PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. -- The PGA of America announced today that CastleOak Securities L.P., of New York City, has been named a presenting sponsor for the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship and its accompanying one-hour highlight program on Golf Channel. 

The 30th PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship will take place May 6-8, on the Ryder and Wanamaker Courses at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida.

“We are pleased to have joined forces with our friends at CastleOak Securities on the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship,” said PGA of America CEO Pete Bevacqua. “This event has always had great importance to the PGA, as it aligns itself with the ideal of diversity and allows us to connect with hundreds of student-athletes, most of whom will continue to play golf throughout their lifetime.”

Founded in 2006 and celebrating its 10th anniversary, CastleOak is a boutique investment bank focused on the capital markets serving a broad array of corporate, governmental and institutional investor clients. CastleOak specializes in primary and secondary sales and trading of fixed income, equity and money market securities. 

“We are proud to support the PGA of America and their important efforts to promote greater diversity in the sport through events such as the PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship,” said CastleOak Co-Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer David R. Jones. “Providing minority students of all backgrounds greater opportunities to pursue their academic, athletic and career aspirations is a large priority for CastleOak Securities. We believe meaningful initiatives such as this Championship demonstrate how we can help these students reach their fullest potential.”

The PGA Minority Collegiate Championship is a 54-hole, stroke-play Championship contested in four-team divisions: NCAA Men’s Division I, Men’s Division II, Men’s NAIA and an overall Women’s division. In addition, there is an Individual Invitational competition for minority men and women players who are listed on the roster of their college team or are part of the PGA of America’s PGA Golf Management University programs.

The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship originated at a meeting in November 1986 following the Jackson State University Golf Tournament. The gathering produced a group of founders: the late Dr. Herschel Cochrane; Dr. Joe D. Saunders of the National Negro Golf Association; Eddie Payton, Jackson State University Golf Coach; Rose Harper-Elder of the Sports Management Institute; and William (Bill) Dickey, founder of the Bill Dickey Scholarship Association and recipient of the 1999 PGA Distinguished Service Award.

The founders' goal was to elevate the game of golf at minority colleges and universities by giving them a chance to compete in a championship after being denied opportunities to compete in NCAA Collegiate golf events. The inaugural Championship was conducted in the spring of 1987 at Highland Park Golf Course in Cleveland. 

Since 1998, PGA Golf Club has hosted the Championship, and, in 2006, the PGA of America was granted complete ownership and management of the Championship by the National Minority College Golf Scholarship Fund.

CastleOak Securities, L.P.
CastleOak Securities L.P. is a boutique investment bank focused on the capital markets and serving a broad array of corporate, governmental and institutional investor clients. Headquartered in New York City, and with six regional offices, CastleOak specializes in financial advisory, equities, fixed income sales and trading, and capital markets. For more information, visit www.castleoaklp.com.

About the PGA of America
Celebrating its Centennial, the PGA of America represents the very best in golf. For more information about the PGA of America, visit PGA.org, follow @PGAofAmerica on Twitter and find us on Facebook.