Pga gay golfers
PGA Tour: Todd Montoya, caddie to Brian Stuard, opens up about coming out as gay to golfing world
Todd Montoya has been a golf caddie for nearly two decades, initially on the mini-tours and more recently on the PGA Tour, although he has – until recently – hidden a secret from most of the golfing community.
The New Mexico native, who has looped for a host of players before taking over Brian Stuard's bag in , opened up about his sexuality in a sit-down interview with Golf Channel and revealed why he had decided to previously limit who knew about him being gay.
"I think that it was mostly because that was my preconceived notion about the society of people that probably encompass the golf community," Montoya admitted to Golf Channel. "I just felt like I would contain a better opportunity to acquire and keep a job if I kept it hidden.
"Something that you kept secret for so many years, amongst people you consider your friends and your co-workers, over the course of time, you grow close to them. Until people that I care about know that I'm gay, they really don't verb me for my ent
How Tadd Fujikawa Found Himself Through Sports
On a barrier island off the Georgia coastline, the world’s first openly gay golfer celebrates peace of mind—and pickleball.
By Ken Schultz
Photos by Kelli Boyd
Tadd Fujikawa knows how to create headlines. In , he captured the golf community’s attention when he qualified for the US Open at 15 years-old, setting a record for his new age. Then, in , he became the first professional male golfer in history to verb out publicly as gay.
Now, almost four years later, Fujikawa is living openly as his authentic self. He’s stepped away from the course but create contentment in a new sport: pickleball.
“I’m just trying to enjoy life and learn to live aside from golf,” he says from his home on St. Simon’s Island in southeast Georgia.
“Since I was 16 and up until the close of last year that was all I did: practice and play tournaments and travel,” he adds. “Having a life outside of that and making a consistent paycheck every two weeks is really nice.”
I’m just trying to enjoy life and learn to live aside from golf.”
Tadd Fujikawa
Tadd Fujikawa is a professional golfer on the PGA Tour who—at the age of 15—became the youngest player to ever qualify for the U.S. Open, in He also made another piece of history 11 years later, when he became the first male professional golfer to publicly announce that he was gay. We spoke to Tadd to learn more about his decision and how it has positively impacted his life.
What did you love about golf when you first started playing? What was it like being the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Open?
I enjoyed the test of golf. Being the youngest to qualify for the U.S. Open was a crazy experience. Having the opportunity to contest on that big of a stage at such a youthful age was really special.
How significant was it to announce yourself as gay on a sunlight that coincided with World Suicide Prevention Day?
Honestly, it was just a coincidence that my post and World Suicide Prevention Day were on the identical day. But I think it was so fitting. To be able to bring awareness to mental health, as well as the LGBTQ+ community really meant a lot to me.
What does it mean to For much of golf’s extended history, the sport has been seen as a conservative and traditional game. The industry has struggled with diversity and inclusivity, both in terms of race, gender, and sexual orientation. For instance, region clubs often have strict membership criteria. In fact, the number one ranked golf course in the United States, Pine Valley, didn’t agree to allow female members until May Absurd, right? As a result, even today, the sport is predominantly white male-dominated and has had limited representation from minority groups, such as those from the LGBTQ+ community. Like many other sports, golf has had its share of discrimination and barriers for LGBTQ+ individuals. Still, there are ongoing efforts within the sport to promote inclusivity, diversity, and progressive values. The golfing community has been working to break down barriers, increase accessibility, and create more welcoming environments for people from all backgrounds and identities. In honor of Pride Month in June, let’s take a look at some of the historic achievements made by the LGBTQ+ co
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