OCALA, Fla. — The road to get to the PGA Tour is a long one. It can take years for a golfer to earn a tour card or qualify for one.
The Advocates Professional Golf Association was created in 2010 to help inspire inclusivity in the game and get golfers to the next level. Willy Pumarol is an Orlando resident. He’s been playing professional golf since 2011.
“Very grateful to have the opportunity to be playing on the APGA Tour this year, which is a great tour, and it’s a great opportunity to test your level and to play well,” Pumarol said.
Pumarol won an APGA event earlier this year that gave him the opportunity to play in a PGA Tour Americas qualifier, which is the next step to ultimately getting on the PGA Tour.
“Whenever you can play well, good things are going to happen and good things are going to follow that,” Pumarol said.
John Baptiste is also a Florida resident who’s been on the APGA tour for the last four years. He said it’s always been a dream of his to play on the tour.
“I have never looked back as I went. The first three tournaments I played in, I thought I was going to do like a good job, but I found that the other players there — everybody is good,” Baptiste said.
After winning an APGA event last year, Baptiste is also looking to take the next step in his career to get status on the PGA Tour Americas.
“Every day I try to get better and better, and I will take every single opportunity I can to move to the next level,” Baptiste said.
All for the goal one day to be playing on some of golf’s biggest stages.