Jackson State University: "Talent Has No Color"

It was a frustrating afternoon for Jackson State golfer Tim O'Neal. He was having one of his best days striking the ball from tee to green. Just one thing was missing.

"I couldn't putt it in the ocean," the 37-year-old former PGA and Nationwide Tour golfer says of his frustrating performance at a tournament at SMU roughly 15 year walked over to Coach Payton and said, `Coach I cannot make a putt.' He thought a moment the offered: `Hit it closer to the pin.'"

The instance illustrates Eddie Payton's practical blend of coaching skill, task mastering and sense of humor. Since 1986, the former NFL punt and kick returner has been forging men's and women's championship golf teams at Jackson State University, the Historically Black College in Jackson, Miss.



Outside the Lines: Eddie Payton

His younger brother, Walter, was perhaps the greatest running back ever, but Eddie Payton has devoted his life to a sport in which the only thing that gets hit is a dimpled ball.

For the past quarter century, Payton has been the head golf coach at Jackson State University in Jackson, Miss., where he has led the historically black school to 24 conference titles in 25 years. He's the Eddie Robinson of college golf.

Yet Payton says he feels like a failure. Every time he turns on the television, he sees only one African-American representative on the PGA Tour.

["I've been coaching 25 years," he says, "and I have not turned out one."

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Former JSU's Shasta Averyhardt ties for 22nd at Qualifying School to earn conditional status on LPGA Tour in 2011

Follow Averyhardt career at http://www.shastagolf.us

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Two measly strokes in 90 holes were all that kept Flint's Shasta Averyhardt from having full playing privileges on the LPGA Tour next season.

Averyhardt shot 7-over-par 77 Sunday in the final round of Qualifying School on LPGA International's Champions course to fall from a tie for eighth into a tie for 22nd. Averyhardt finished at 4-over-par 364. She would have tied for 20th with a score of 362.

The top 20 players are fully exempt next season while those in Averyhardt's category are exempt into the Monday qualifying tournaments and ...

Bramlett not the only African-American to earn Tour Card for 2011

On Sunday 24-year-old Shasta Averyhardt became the only African-American player to earn status on the LPGA Tour. Averyhardt will be just the fourth African-American woman in the 60 year history of the LPGA Tour to play as a member.

The rookie professional out of Flint, Mich., was on pace to finish inside the fully-exempt top-20 after a round of 67 on Saturday tied her for eighth. Averyhardt struggled through Sunday’s final round conditions but her 79 was good enough to keep her inside the top-30 (T22) and earn her LPGA Tour card through the Priority List Category 16.

Flint's Shasta Averyhardt trying to see bright side after making history at LPGA Tour Q-School

DAYTONA BEACH, Florida — Flint's Shasta Averyhardt made LPGA Tour history Sunday despite failing to earn full playing privileges for the 2011 season.

Averyhardt, 24, shot 7-over-par 79 in the fifth and final round of Qualifying School at LPGA International to fall from a tie for eighth into a tie for 22nd with a total of 4-over 364.
The top 20 finishers are fully exempt for 2011 and Averyhardt missed a playoff for the 20th and final spot by two shots.

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Golf successes continue at Jackson State

Now in this 26th season guiding the Jackson State University Golf programs, Eddie Payton is, without question, one of the nation's most successful collegiate golf coach. Payton also coaches his daughter Erica, a JSU junior golfer.

Jackson State golf coach Eddie Payton won his 22nd men's SWAC championship and 14th women's title last week. The women will play in the NCAA regionals May 6-8. The location has not been announced. The men will play in the national minority tournament before heading to the NCAA regionals. The date and location of the minority tournament have not been set. "That means we've done a real good job of recruiting great student-athletes and trying to get them to understand the tradition we're trying to establish," Payton said. "There's certain traits that you look for in people who want to be competitive golfers.

"You have to have a desire to be the best that you can be, then you have to be self-motivated to work on your weaknesses." Payton said his ultimate goal is to play in the NCAA national championship and be the first historically black university to do so. "That's what keeps me at Jackson State," Payton said. "That was my dream and it still is. ... That drives me every year."

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