Harold Varner Opens His Tour Card-Carrying Days With A 65

Harold Varner III is the first black player to earn a PGA Tour card on the Web.com Tour and the most prominent of African American descent since Tiger Woods. While Varner has played PGA Tour events, opening with a 65 and T3 start at the Frys.com Open is still noteworthy.

Adam Schupak profiled Varner in this week's Golfweek.

To those who say the PGA Tour lacks color, meet rookie Harold Varner III, the first black player to earn a Tour card on the Web.com Tour. By virtue of finishing 25th on the regular-season money list, he joins Tiger Woods and doubles the number of blacks on Tour. But Varner, 25, said he was raised color blind and his stock response to such inquiries about golf and race is to declare that he doesn’t want to be the best black golfer; he just wants to be the best golfer.

“He doesn’t want to carry a torch,” said Bruce Sudderth, Varner’s teacher and golf pro emeritus at Gaston Country Club in Gastonia, N.C. “He just wants to be known as Harold.”

Bob Harig profiled Varner at the start of the season-opening week and included this:

Varner has never met Woods, who was committed to play the Frys.com Open until back surgery last month forced him to cancel all of his golf tournament plans for the rest of the year.

Varner expects to meet him at some point during his rookie year on tour, when his immediate  goals will be more about securing his playing privileges for another year than tackling golf's social issues. When the subject has come up in the past, Woods typically cited a lack of caddie programs and, of course, funding.

The Lowdown On Golfing Vintners

With the PGA Tour returning to Silverado and Napa Valley this week, John Strege talked to vintner Mitch Cosentino about leaders in the golf winemaking clubhouse.

Cosentino says David Frost stands alone, with Ernie Els, Cristie Kerr and Luke Donald producing some drinkable wines. The PGA Tour and Jack Nicklaus labels weren't mentioned and Cosentino didn't want to get near another.

Cosentino, who for a time was making wine for Fred Couples' label, ranks Frost and Els wines at the top. “They’ve got money invested,” Cosentino said. “Frost has had that going back a long time. They’re in and active. Luke Donald wants to be, because he’s a real wine buff.”

What about Norman? “I’d rather answer another question,” he said. “Those are Treasury Wines [Treasury Wine Estates], a big company. A very big production deal.”

South Africa Balks At $29 Million Presidents Cup Price?

In his Golf World I Think, I Saw, I Heard notes, Tim Rosaforte says the PGA Tour blew a chance to return the Presidents Cup to South Africa in 2019 where Ernie Els would be perfectly aligned to captain.

You'll be shocked...shocked..to learn that it was all about the money for the Finchem administration.

Rosaforte says the PGA Tour asking price was $29 million to hold the cup, South Africa balked, and Australia will be ponying up $25 million to host the Cup as well as next year's World Cup.

Forward Press: Next Wave Of New Media Golf Content?

With music mogul Irving Azoff capping off an impressive first season of Callaway Live Tuesday at 9 pm ET, I explore the ambitious first season as well as the possibility of other manufacturers getting into the content business.

Taylor Made is rumored to be looking at doing a similar show, while Titleist, PING and Cobra are already doing quality video content for their websites. Considering how much of Golf Channel's inventory is now devoted to live tournament action and with Back9 network long gone, viewers may have their appetite for talk, equipment design insights and lifestyle entertainment fed by the people who sell them clubs.

Also this week: Golf Channel's Jordan Spieth special and woohoo, opening day for the PGA Tour.