Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest Announces First Wave of Golfers Playing the Tournament

The Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest is ready to take flight here in Dallas come November 13-15, 2023. This inaugural golf tournament will be nationally televised on the GOLF Channel and is an amateur invitational spotlighting the talents of top amateur golfers from diverse and historically underrepresented groups. The 54-hole stroke play event will feature concurrent championships for exceptional fields of 21 men and 21 women.

The Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest is an unprecedented event coming to the heart of Dallas. Cedar Crest Golf Course, a historic A.W. Tillinghast design that challenges the best of golfers, has been a catalyst for change in the southern Dallas community. 

The 42 player field represents over 33 colleges and universities and 21 states. In addition, four contestants are nationally-ranked high school golfers including Shyla Brown, a 15-year-old high school sophomore from McKinney, TX who is currently 79^th in the Rolex AJGA rankings.

“The player field is shaping up to be even stronger than we originally hoped for,” Chuck Walker, foundation executive director and the lead tournament ambassador with players, coaches and families, said. “With so many top players having committed to play, the competition for the men’s and women’s crowns should be intense and fun to watch.”

Hosting the Southwest Airlines Showcase at Cedar Crest in a community that is representative of these players provides opportunities to highlight diverse and underrepresented student athletes on a national stage. Some of the confirmed players include:

Men’s Group

Gregory Odom Jr., Memphis, TN, Howard

Everett Whiten Jr., Chesapeake, VA, Howard

Kristopher Stiles, San Jose, CA, San Jose State

Marcus Smith, Jr., Rockford, IL, Howard

Trey Rusthoven, St. Peters, MO, Central Michigan University

Women’s Group

Amari Smith, McKinney, TX, University of North Georgia

Morgan Horrell, Carrollton, TX, Howard

Shyla Brown, McKinney, TX, High School (homeschooled)

Kendall Jackson, Pearland, TX, Howard

Allyn Stephens, Houston, TX,  University of Tulsa

Leading the Men’s Field is Greg Odom Jr. who is working to obtain his graduate degree from Howard University in Washington, D.C. where he captains the Steph Curry-funded men’s golf team.  Greg’s career highlights include winning the PGA Works Collegiate Championship in 2021 and 2022, the NEC Championship, the USF-Howard Intercollegiate, and competing in the PGA TOUR’s Wells Fargo Championship as well as four Korn Ferry starts.

Leading the Women’s Field is McKinney native Amari Smith who recently transferred from Dallas Baptist University and is now pursuing graduate studies at the University of North Georgia. Locally, Amari has followed up a stellar high school career at McKinnney Boyd with multiple high finishes in collegiate events as well as Golfer of the Week and All-Conference recognitions within the Peach Belt Conference.

The tournament is open to the public free of charge with public parking. Tournament merchandise, food and beverages will be available, and once play is finished at 4:30 p.m. each day, there will be music in Legends Plaza for all to enjoy.

“It may not hit them until they are on-site and playing the golf course, but these young amateurs will be walking on the same grounds and in the same footsteps of some of the most famous and trailblazing golfers of all time,” said Dave Ridley, co-founder and chairman of the I AM a Golfer Foundation.  “Many of these players will become trailblazers themselves both on and off the golf course later in life. We view this event as a springboard for them.”

Historic Cedar Crest was chartered in 1919 and designed by famed golf course architect A.W. Tillinghast. Among other significant national tournaments, Cedar Crest hosted the 1927 PGA Championship won by Walter Hagen and the 1954 UGA Negro National Open won by Dr. Charlie Sifford. Tillinghast, Hagen, and Sifford are all members of the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The Title Sponsor for the event is Southwest Airlines. Other sponsors include Louis L. Borick Foundation (Cornerstone Sponsor), Chase Bank, UT Southwestern, CBRE (Proud Partners), Omni Hotels & Resorts, Topgolf, Callaway, Summit Brands (Official Sponsors), SMU Cox School of Business, Nike, Charles Schwab, Mr. Cooper, and Bob’s Steak & Chop House (Supporting Sponsors).

Management Partners include Dallas Park & Recreation, Northern Texas PGA Section, and the Salesmanship Club of Dallas, organizers for the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.