Amateur golfer Ashley Shaw, 15, earned a spot in last week’s LPGA Cognizant Founders Cup, held at the Upper Montclair Country Club in Clifton, New Jersey, after claiming victory at The John Shippen Cognizant Cup event. Named for the country’s first Black golf professional, The John Shippen National Invitational is a series of competitions created to provide playing opportunities on the LPGA and PGA tours for the nation’s top Black golfers.
“On the tournament day, as soon as I showed up, I could tell I liked the golf course,” said Shaw, the youngest golfer in the Shippen field. “Of course, I wanted to come away with a win, but even if I hadn’t won, I know I still would have had the best time.”
Shaw, who is from Arizona, first picked up a golf club at age seven. Following her Shippen win, she said she was undaunted to play against seasoned players in the LPGA, explaining she was just going to go out, enjoy and soak in the experience. She was particularly interested in the putting greens, which grabbed her attention when watching pro golf on television. Her mother, Sylvia Shaw, will be by her side throughout as her caddie.
“My mom is my coach, so we spend every day together,” said Shaw. “The only difference is we’re playing an LPGA event, which makes it even more special. I’m extremely grateful to have her on the bag.”
Shaw did not accept the prize money available at The John Shippen, choosing to retain her amateur status so she can play collegiate golf.
“I definitely want to play DI golf and after that I want to play on the LPGA tour,” Shaw. She is homeschooled and does her schoolwork online. Her education currently involves a dual enrollment program—high school and community college. She plans to graduate in 2027 with both a high school diploma and an associate degree so she’ll only need two years of college to complete her bachelor’s degree, after which she’ll go professional.
Shaw played the first two rounds in the Cognizant Founders Cup. She will play at another Shippen event in June, with the winner also earning an exemption into an LPGA tour event.
She is grateful for the opportunities that Shippen events provide. “It brings more diversity to the game of golf, and that’s something we definitely need,” Shaw said.
“One of my goals for the game of golf is in the next 10 to 15 years having more people that look like myself out here playing this amazing game of golf.”