Ginger Howard

Ginger Howard (born March 15, 1994)^[1] is an American professional golfer. At the age of 17, she was the youngest African American golfer to turn professional.^[2] In 2010, she was the first-ever Black golfer to play on a Junior Ryder Cup team, helping Team USA to win the title in Scotland.^[2] She later became one of four African American golfers playing in the 2016 LPGA Tour.^[3]

Ginger Howard
Personal information
Full name	Ginger Howard
Born	(1994-03-15) March 15, 1994 (age 31)
Sporting nationality	United States
Career
Turned professional	2012

Early life and education

Howard grew up in West Philadelphia,^[4] and was introduced to golf at the age of 6 by her father, Robert, who worked as a retail manager; her mother, Gianna, worked as a nurse. In 2003, the family moved from Maryland to Florida to be closer to better golf courses.^[2]

In Florida, Howard was home-schooled in the mornings with her younger sister Robbi,^[4] and then coached at the IMG Academy in the afternoons.^[2] She later turned down offers from Duke University and Florida State University to focus on her professional golf career.^[5][6]

Amateur career

In May 2007, at the age of 13, Howard advanced through the first stage of qualifying for the U.S. Women's Open, shooting 75 in a USGA local event at Imperial Golf Club in Naples, Florida.^[7] She qualified for a total of four U.S. Girls' Juniors.^[5] In 2010, Howard was the runner-up at the Junior PGA Championship, losing in a three-hole play-off,^[8][9] to earn her a spot on Team USA's Junior Ryder Cup squad.^[10][11] She was the first African American junior golfer named to a Ryder Cup team.^[2] In September 2010, Team USA retained the Junior Ryder Cup title by beating Europe at Gleneagles, Scotland,^[12] the first time the U.S. team had won on foreign soil.^[13]

Professional career

Howard turned professional in 2012.^[14] During her rookie year, Howard won five Suncoast Series Pro titles,^[15] and finished first on the money list at the end of the season.^[5] She also played on the LPGA's development circuit, the Symetra Tour,^[16] where she was one of the youngest players on the circuit.^[6]

In December 2015, Howard earned conditional status on the LPGA Tour through qualifying school,^[17][18] becoming one of four African American women on the tour in 2016,^[19] and one of eight black members of the LPGA since 1964.^[3]

At the end of 2018, Howard's seventh year on the Symetra Tour,^[20] she stopped playing competitive golf to focus on rehabilitation from chronic shoulder and knee injuries.^[21]

Having returned to competitive golf, in April 2021, Howard won the Mackie Construction Ladies Professional Championship on the Women’s All Pro Tour.^[22]