The Ladies Professional Golf Association is proud to announce that LPGA Class A Member, Oneda Castillo has become the latest LPGA Professional to attain the prestigious Master Professional Status. She is one of just two Black Master Professionals who have earned the distinction thanks to her more than 20 years as an LPGA Professional.
Master Professional is one of the highest designations an LPGA Professional can receive, and it represents a culmination of years of hard work, commitment, and expertise in the field of golf. Castillo’s Masters thesis included interviews with approximately 37 individuals across various professional levels in the golf industry, most notably an emphasis on members of the Black golfing community.
“When I took a look in the mirror and I thought about my own journey, I turned on the television to watch a golf tournament and I didn’t see ladies that looked like me,” said Castillo when reflecting on choosing her Master Professional topic. “ It wasn’t easy for me to decide my thesis, but I think it was pretty straight forward that I was the one that needed to talk about the African American involvement in golf at the highest levels.”
Oneda Castillo is raising awareness for the need for increased representation for African Americans in the game. She joined the LPGA in 1998 and has since devoted her career to serving as a visible role model for generations who follow in her path. Her mission, like that of the LPGA, is focused on Changing the Face of Golf. Her thesis addresses the issue of why there are still so few African Americans in golf, and she hopes that her extensive research will help those at the highest levels think differently about what is needed to evolve the game. She also strives to position the LPGA as the leaders in golf to help us continue to grow.
"Oneda Castillo's achievement of earning Master Professional status in the LPGA is a testament to her dedication, skill, and perseverance in the sport of golf,” states Nancy Henderson, President of the LPGA Foundation. “As a black professional in golf, her journey underscores the importance of accessibility and representation in the sport, sparking vital conversations around diversity and inclusion."
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