After delivering an eight-birdie, bogey-free opening round performance, veteran Advocates Pro Golf Association (APGA) Tour standout and former Louisiana State University star Landon Lyons was victorious at the APGA Tour at Tournament Players Club (TPC) Deere Run in Silvis, Illinois, in July.
Competing on the same course where J.T. Poston won the PGA TOUR’s John Deere Classic at 21-under over four rounds, Lyons carded 12 birdies in his first 24 holes to build an insurmountable lead over the 46-man field.
“It’s nice to see the work this year pay off,” offered Lyons, who started 12 events on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica this past winter and spring after finishing second at the tour’s qualifying competition in Argentina.
“It’s what we’ve been working on with my swing. I’m hitting it a lot closer and I was able to sink the handful of 10-15-footers.”
Lyons has started one Korn Ferry Tour event but otherwise knows a series of near misses in both Q School and Monday qualifying. “I’ve been getting the low numbers that are needed these past few weeks. Have to keep elevating my game.”
The win was Lyons’ fifth APGA Tour title since 2020 and second this year as he pursues his dream of playing on the PGA TOUR. Lyons also won the APGA Tour at the 2020 TPC Deere Run.
Despite a bumpy second round, Lyons’ final tally was a five-stroke victory over Toks Pedro, winner of last week’s APGA Tour at TPC Sugarloaf, with a nine-under par 63-70-133. At one point, his lead reached nine strokes. Lyons pocketed the first place prize money of $7,500 from the total purse of $25,000.
The APGA Tour was established in 2010 with the mission to bring greater diversity to the game of golf by hosting and operating professional golf tournaments, player development programs, mentoring programs, and introducing the game to inner-city young people.
The APGA Promotes HBCU Golfers:
In addition to Lyons’ victory in July, the APGA also supported HBCU golfers.
Marcus Smith, Jr., from the Howard University Golf Team finished fifth on the tour. He, along with teammate Joshua Siplin, was exempted into the field as part of the APGA’s efforts to provide next-level opportunities to HBCU golfers.
The Howard University Golf Team is funded in part by Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
The APGA Tour now moves to Louisville, Kentucky, for the APGA Tour at Valhalla, July 19-20. The regular season then culminates August 8-9, when the Mastercard APGA Tour Championship is contested at TPC San Antonio, where the Lexus Cup Point Standings Champion will be crowned.
According to the APGA, the tour has grown from seven events with $200,000 in prize money in 2020 and 14 events with over $400,000 in prize money in 2021, to 18 events with over $800,000 in prize and bonus money in 2022.
Joseph Phillips is the Sports Editor for the Chicago Crusader Newspaper. He is a Chicago native, who has been a sports writer for over 17 years. He also hosts the SC Media News and Sports Network Q&A radio show on WHPK 88.5 FM Chicago.
