"We're incredibly honored to be part of THE JOHN SHIPPEN Shoot-Out at its inauguration," said Shameka Young, Global Head, Diversity and Inclusion at Cognizant. "This influential event promises to raise recognition for Black female golfers and provide an additional on-ramp to qualifying for a LPGA Tour tournament. Cognizant is committed to furthering inclusivity and building on our sponsorship of the Cognizant Founders Cup. This partnership marks another milestone in our journey. We can't wait for June 28th!"
Announced in March 2021, THE JOHN SHIPPEN Invitational is a new national golf event launched to identify historical barriers and expand Black representation in golf, plus address the lack of Black representation in business and leadership roles in golf and across professional sports. Named after John Shippen, Jr., the first American-born golf professional and the country's first Black golf professional, THE JOHN SHIPPEN Invitational and Shoot-Out events will bring together top Black men and women collegiate and professional golfers in the US to compete at the Detroit Golf Club on June 26–28. The winner of the invitational will receive an exemption into the PGA TOUR's Rocket Mortgage Classic and the LPGA Tour's Dow Great Lakes Bay Invitational.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Shoot-Out is a three-hole winner-take-all event immediately following the invitational.
How the Shoot-Out Works:
- The second- and third-place teams from THE JOHN SHIPPEN Invitational women's team event will face off as individuals. The four competitors will play head-to-head for a spot in the Cognizant Founders Cup, taking place October 4–10 in West Caldwell, NJ.
- The high-stakes Shoot-Out will be held at Detroit Golf Club's South Course on the par-4 11th hole, par-3 12th hole and par-4 13th hole, with the lowest individual score among the four competitors earning the exemption.
- If there is a tie, participants will replay the par-3 12th hole until a champion is crowned.
"We are excited that a talented player from THE JOHN SHIPPEN Shoot-Out will earn a berth in the 2021 Cognizant Founders Cup and compete against the best professional golfers in the world from the LPGA," said Scott Wood, Tournament Director, Cognizant Founders Cup. "This historic tournament is a celebration of LPGA's founders who paved the way for girls and women to succeed in the game of golf, while also serving as an important platform to change the face of golf by making the sport more accessible and inclusive."
"We at Intersport are thrilled that our friends at Cognizant have committed a sponsor exemption to their LPGA Tour Cognizant Founders Cup through THE JOHN SHIPPEN Shoot-Out," said Jason Langwell, Executive Vice President of Intersport and Executive Director of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. "This new addition represents the fourth Tour exemption we are able to offer through THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Invitational, which furthers our efforts to bolster access and opportunities for talented Black golfers."
Earlier this year, Cognizant was named a title partner of the LPGA Tour's Founders Cup. Cognizant's goal is to help showcase the female players of today and their efforts to build a stronger platform for the next generation of golfers. The Cognizant Founders Cup is the largest LPGA Tour event outside of the majors and the CME Group Tour Championship.
About Cognizant:
Cognizant (Nasdaq-100: CTSH) is one of the world's leading professional services companies, transforming clients' business, operating and technology models for the digital era. Our unique industry-based, consultative approach helps clients envision, build and run more innovative and efficient businesses. Headquartered in the US, Cognizant is ranked 185 on the Fortune 500 and is consistently listed among the most admired companies in the world. Cognizant works to advance diversity and inclusion in its business and beyond, including its partnership with the LPGA Tour, which aims to make sports more inclusive at all levels around the globe. Learn how Cognizant helps clients lead with digital at www.cognizant.com or follow us @Cognizant.
About THE JOHN SHIPPEN:
THE JOHN SHIPPEN National Golf Invitational was created by Intersport, in partnership with Rocket Mortgage and in collaboration with Woods and Watts Effect, to identify historical barriers and expand Black representation in the sport of golf. The event will invite the nation's top amateur and professional Black golfers to provide a platform for heightened opportunities and recognition within the sport. The inaugural National Invitational will be held at Detroit Golf Club June 27-28, with a one-hour TV special about THE JOHN SHIPPEN airing on CBS leading into final-round coverage of the Rocket Mortgage Classic on Sunday, July 4.
THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit was established by Intersport to create awareness of opportunities within the sports industry for high school and college students of color. On June 29 and 30, students from across the country will be able to hear from and engage with sports and business executives, athletes and influencers using a state-of-the-art virtual platform. Invited speakers will share their experiences and advice about how to pursue and secure a career within the multi-faceted sports industry. THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit will cover a wide variety of topics ranging from "How to Land Your First Sports Internship" and "The Business of Sneakers" to "Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Within Sports" and "The World of Global Sponsorship."
Registration for THE JOHN SHIPPEN Sports Business Summit is FREE, and available now at www.thejohnshippen.com.
Students can apply for paid internships and scholarships from partners, organizations and foundations within and beyond the sports industry. Scholarship applications are currently being accepted at www.thejohnshippen.com.
SOURCE Cognizant
Related Links
http://www.cognizant.com
Share this article