The LPGA and LET announced today that Velocity Global, the Official Global Work Platform of both Tours, will sponsor the Velocity Global Impact Award. This honor will celebrate players who have helped to grow the sport of golf and to inspire the next generation of athletes to have a positive impact on the world.
Throughout each season, the LPGA and LET will celebrate players and their efforts in giving back to the world and their local communities off the golf course. Toward the end of each season, the LPGA will produce a list of nominees, and the Velocity Global Impact Award Committee will name three players as finalists for the Velocity Global Impact Award. Each finalist will be featured in a docuseries-style content piece sharing their personal story and impact on the game. The winner will be determined through a combination of a fan vote and voting by the committee. The winner will be announced annually on International Women’s Day, March 8.
“The Velocity Global Impact Award provides a new avenue to not only recognize the overwhelming contributions made by female golfers in advancing the game but also offers us the opportunity to celebrate the significant positive impacts they make in their communities at home and around the world,” said Sarah Fern, Chief People Officer at Velocity Global. “We are thrilled to partner with LPGA and LET to highlight the many amazing women in professional golf who truly personify greatness in sport.”
The award criteria are based on the five values that drive the work of Velocity Global. Nominees will be judged by how well they demonstrate:
- Velocity – Swiftly assisting in the growth of the game at the youth or amateur level
- Integrity – Personifying honesty and transparency, serving as a role model to others
- BE BOLD – Willing to forge new paths to create a better future
- Empowerment – Empowering others through words and actions to have an impact in their own communities
- Service – Contributing to their communities through their actions
“The LPGA Tour and LET feature the world’s best female golfers from more than 60 countries. Through their unique platform and talent, players have the opportunity to impact and inspire people in various communities around the globe,” said LPGA Commissioner Mollie Marcoux Samaan. “We are grateful to Velocity Global for recognizing the impact our players have and for creating this award to highlight and celebrate their commitment to giving back. We are very fortunate to have so many players who value service and to have partners who share our vision to change the world through golf.”
The Velocity Global Impact Award Committee comprises seven women of diverse backgrounds, all of whom are dedicated to advancing opportunities for women both professionally and athletically:
- Sarah Fern, Chief People Officer at Velocity Global
- Erin Hamrick, Partner at Sterling James and board member of the LPGA Foundation
- Nancy Lopez, 48-time LPGA Tour winner and member of the World Golf Hall of Fame
- Nzinga Shaw, President of TurnkeyZRG
- Lisa Stevens, Chief People Officer and Head of Global Human Capital Solutions at Aon
- Reiko Takekawa, journalist for Kyodo News
- Ali Whitaker, broadcaster for the LPGA Tour, LET and DP World Tour
LPGA Tour and LET Members are eligible to receive the Velocity Global Impact Award. The winner will receive $100,000 as well as a $100,000 donation to her charity/cause of choice. The other two finalists will each receive $25,000.
In January, Velocity Global became the Official Global Work Platform of the LPGA and Ladies European Tour (LET) in a multi-year agreement. Velocity Global will work with the LPGA Tour and LET to highlight the global impact of their players, representing more than 60 countries, through enhanced storytelling opportunities and player recognition. As an Official Partner of the LPGA’s Women’s Network, Velocity Global will utilize the LPGA platform to highlight these initiatives focused on women’s leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion through additional programming.
Velocity Global furthered its support of the women’s game with the announcement that LPGA Tour players Lexi Thompson and Albane Valenzuela joined six-time PGA TOUR champion Billy Horschel and four-time APGA Tour champion Kevin Hall as its global golf brand ambassadors.
