Grand Slam: African-American Milestones in Golf

See how Blacks have shaped the golf world.

1896 - A look at how African-Americans have shaped the golf world. — Britt Middleton  At age 17, John Shippen, who was of African-American and Shinnecock Indian descent, played in the second U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Shippen ties for sixth place, winning $10, and goes on to compete in five more U.S. Opens. (Photo: Public Domain)

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1896 - A look at how African-Americans have shaped the golf world. — Britt Middleton At age 17, John Shippen, who was of African-American and Shinnecock Indian descent, played in the second U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. Shippen ties for sixth place, winning $10, and goes on to compete in five more U.S. Opens. (Photo: Public Domain)

1899 - George Grant, a dentist from Boston and also the first African-American professor at Harvard, invented the wooden golf tee. (Photo: Public Domain)

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1899 - George Grant, a dentist from Boston and also the first African-American professor at Harvard, invented the wooden golf tee. (Photo: Public Domain)

1946 - U.S. Air Force veteran William Powell builds Clearview Golf Club, which opened in 1948. Because he was denied a G.I. loan, he secured funding from family and friends and built the course on his own, becoming the first African-American to build, own and operate a golf course. (Photo: Matt Sullivan/Getty Images for PGA of America)

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1946 - U.S. Air Force veteran William Powell builds Clearview Golf Club, which opened in 1948. Because he was denied a G.I. loan, he secured funding from family and friends and built the course on his own, becoming the first African-American to build, own and operate a golf course. (Photo: Matt Sullivan/Getty Images for PGA of America)

1956 - Ann Gregory became the first African-American player to enter the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images)

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1956 - Ann Gregory became the first African-American player to enter the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship. (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images)

Charlie Sifford - Golfer Charlie Sifford became the first Black PGA Tour member in 1962, paving the way for other Black golfing greats such Peter Brown, the first African-American to win a PGA tournament, and Tiger Woods, the first person of color to win the Masters.(Photo: PGA TOUR Archive/WireImage)

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1961 - Golfer Charlie Sifford became the first African-American player to earn a PGA Tour card. His other wins included the 1967 Greater Hartford Open Invitational, the 1969 Los Angeles Open, the 1975 PGA Seniors' Championship and the 1980 Suntree Classic, presently known as the Champions Tour. (Photo: PGA TOUR Archive/WireImage)

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1961 - The PGA of America allows for participants of all races in its tournaments by ending its "Caucasian-only clause." (Photo: Courtesy of The Professional Golfers' Association)

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1961 - The PGA of America allows for participants of all races in its tournaments by ending its "Caucasian-only clause." (Photo: Courtesy of The Professional Golfers' Association)

1963 - Tennis legend Althea Gibson conquered the women's golf circuit, becoming the first African-American to compete on the LPGA Tour. (Photo: J. Wilds/Keystone/Getty Images)

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1963 - Tennis legend Althea Gibson conquered the women's golf circuit, becoming the first African-American to compete on the LPGA Tour. (Photo: J. Wilds/Keystone/Getty Images)

1975 - Golfing great Lee Elder blazes a path for African-American golfers by becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters.  He went on to win four championships on the PGA Tour and eight more on the Champion's Tour.  He was also the first Black player to compete in the Ryder Cup in 1979. (Photo: Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard/Getty Images)

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1975 - Golfing great Lee Elder blazes a path for African-American golfers by becoming the first African-American to play in the Masters.  He went on to win four championships on the PGA Tour and eight more on the Champion's Tour.  He was also the first Black player to compete in the Ryder Cup in 1979. (Photo: Frank Tewkesbury/Evening Standard/Getty Images)

1986 - The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship was created to support golf programs at historically Black colleges and universities. (Photo: Courtesy of The Professional Golfers' Association)

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1986 - The PGA Minority Collegiate Golf Championship was created to support golf programs at historically Black colleges and universities. (Photo: Courtesy of The Professional Golfers' Association)

1990 - The prestigious Augusta National Golf Club admits its first African-American member, businessman Ron Townsend. (Photo: REUTERS/Pool /Landov)

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1990 - The prestigious Augusta National Golf Club admits its first African-American member, businessman Ron Townsend. (Photo: REUTERS/Pool /Landov)

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1997 - At 21, Tiger Woods became the first African-American player, as well as the youngest golfer ever, to win the Masters, with his 12-stroke victory setting a new record. That same year, he captured his first PGA Player of the Year and PGA Tour Player of the Year titles and attained the no. 1 world ranking. (Photo:TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images)

Photo By TIMOTHY A. CLARY/AFP/Getty Images

2001 - Woods wins the Masters for the second time and hits what was known as the "Tiger Slam," in which he won all of golf's major championships in the same calendar year. He goes on to win the Masters again in 2002 and 2005. (Photo: REUTERS/Gary Hershorn /Landov)

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2001 - Woods wins the Masters for the second time and hits what was known as the "Tiger Slam," in which he won all of golf's major championships in the same calendar year. He goes on to win the Masters again in 2002 and 2005. (Photo: REUTERS/Gary Hershorn /Landov)

2003 - Renee Powell, daughter of golfing legend William Powell, was named the PGA's First Lady of Golf. She was the second African-American to play on the LPGA Tour and currently runs her family's Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. (Photo: The Plain Dealer /Landov)

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2003 - Renee Powell, daughter of golfing legend William Powell, was named the PGA's First Lady of Golf. She was the second African-American to play on the LPGA Tour and currently runs her family's Clearview Golf Club in East Canton, Ohio. (Photo: The Plain Dealer /Landov)

2009 - The PGA of America awards posthumous membership to African-American golfers Bill Spiller, John Shippen and Ted Rhodes. Honorary membership was granted to boxing great Joe Louis, pictured above, credited for breaking the color barrier in golf by appearing in a PGA event under a sponsor's exemption in 1952. (Photo: Weegee(Arthur Fellig)/International Center of Photography/Getty Images)

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2009 - The PGA of America awards posthumous membership to African-American golfers Bill Spiller, John Shippen and Ted Rhodes. Honorary membership was granted to boxing great Joe Louis, pictured above, credited for breaking the color barrier in golf by appearing in a PGA event under a sponsor's exemption in 1952. (Photo: Weegee(Arthur Fellig)/International Center of Photography/Getty Images)

2012 - In 2012, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice became Augusta National Golf Club's first African-American female member. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images for Golfweek)

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2012 - In 2012, former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice became Augusta National Golf Club's first African-American female member. (Photo: Jamie Squire/Getty Images for Golfweek)

Photo By Jamie Squire/Getty Images for Golfweek

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2013 - After winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time, Woods regained his no. 1 ranking. It was the first time he held the honor since October 2010. (Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images)