The U.S. Women’s Open Presented by Ally will serve as the kickoff for the inaugural Pathways Launch internship class, an industry-wide initiative designed to expand the pipeline of golf’s next generation of leaders and professionals. Managed and supported by the USGA, the program offers 24 students three-month summer internships at ten organizations across the golf industry: Callaway Golf Company, Dick’s Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy, Golf Pride, LPGA, Pebble Beach Company, Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, PGA TOUR Superstore and the USGA.
Announced last September, Pathways Launch is a paid internship for undergraduate and graduate students who demonstrate an aptitude for growth and leadership and have a desire to work in golf or sports. In addition to their summer placements across industry organizations, all interns will be on-site at the U.S. Women’s Open from Thursday, June 4 to Sunday, June 7, participating in a variety of career development programming events.
“At the USGA, we are committed to creating opportunities for students who demonstrate leadership potential and a desire to grow, but who may not have had exposure to golf through their education or life experiences,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan. “By expanding our Pathways Programs to include an internship experience across leading organizations in the industry, we are giving students the opportunity to gain meaningful, hands-on experience while building relationships that can support and shape long-term careers.”
During the U.S. Women’s Open, interns will engage in professional development workshops with a leadership development and consulting firm, a breakfast with USGA executives, a Women of the USGA panel, an industry panel at MNML Golf and allotted time with a variety of USGA departments such as Merchandise, GHIN, Tournament Operations and more.
Among the inaugural class are four collegiate golfers, three First Tee alumni and two USGA P.J. Boatwright Jr. Internship alumni.
The full list of Pathways Launch participants is below, click here for full bios.
| Pathways Launch Intern | Organization | Hometown |
| Anna La | Callaway Golf Company | Dalton, Ga. |
| Jamel Wright | Callaway Golf Company | Harlem, N.Y. |
| Michael Superville | Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy | Queens, N.Y. |
| Stella Abodeely | Dick's Sporting Goods/Golf Galaxy | Los Altos, Calif. |
| Abigale Morris | Golf Pride | Buckeye, Ariz. |
| Leah Rafii | Golf Pride | Burke, Va. |
| Leland Sanders | LPGA | Atlanta, Ga. |
| Tiesha Scott | LPGA | Miami, Fla. |
| Sophia Bardunias | Pebble Beach Company | San Ramon, Calif. |
| Victoria Malinowski | Pebble Beach Company | Auburn, Ala. |
| Esther Etherington | Pinehurst Resort | Richmond, Ind. |
| Lariel Green | Pinehurst Resort | Jacksonville, Fla. |
| Maya Renteria | Pinehurst Resort | Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Caroline Adkins | PGA of America | Wilson, N.C. |
| Lathika Krishna | PGA of America | Daytona Beach, Fla. |
| Henry Oelhafen | PGA TOUR | Raleigh, N.C. |
| Kennedi Lee | PGA TOUR | Mansfield, Texas |
| Jordan Hill | PGA TOUR Superstore | Joppa, Md. |
| Madison Martin | PGA TOUR Superstore | Lakeview, N.Y. |
| Azola Martin | USGA - Liberty Corner, NJ | Detroit, Mich. |
| Jake Cammarata | USGA - Liberty Corner, NJ | Long Beach, Calif. |
| Jaxen Trinidad | USGA - Liberty Corner, NJ | San Diego, Calif. |
| Tannor McColly | USGA - Pinehurst, NC | Elkhorn, Neb. |
| Vincent Pennachio | USGA - Pinehurst, NC | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
Pathways Launch was created as an expansion of the existing USGA Pathways Program, a 10-day immersive experience at the U.S. Open that is now known as Pathways Discover.
Additional career development initiatives supported by the USGA include the P.J. Boatwright, Jr. Internship Program, founded in 1991 to build a stronger pipeline for golf administrators through the USGA’s Allied Golf Association national network; the Greenkeeper Apprenticeship Program, providing one year of classroom and on-the-job training for golf course maintenance workers; and annual USGA internships that offer in-depth experience across the organization, from championship operations to merchandising, agronomy to accounting, communications and marketing to ticketing and content development.
For more information on internship opportunities available through the USGA, visit sites.teamworkonline.com/usga/.