The 23rd annual SAS Championship has come to a close, and it proved to be another year of remarkable events. Employees, executives, customers and members of the community were able to join in on the fun in a variety of settings throughout the week.
The events kicked off with the Pro-Am Pairings Party and a SAS Innovate: On Tour stop, where customers were able to learn about SAS while also building meaningful connections. But the fun didn’t stop there! Women’s Day, the Pro-Am, Hospitality Events, HBCU Career Day, the 5K and the PGA Champions Tour all helped to make the week one for the books.
This year marked the second annual HBCU Invitational, where 14 teams from HBCUs around the country traveled to Cary, North Carolina, to play alongside PGA Champions at Prestonwood Country Club, as well as spend some time at Cary world headquarters for SAS Career Day. These exceptional student athletes were able to learn about career opportunities in the technology sector. They also heard advice from SAS employees and HBCU alumni to help navigate a career after college beyond the golf course.
This career day allows for students to understand who we are as a company. This is the moment where we get the chance to help them understand that beyond school and the golf game, there will be opportunities for the rest of their lives. We want to make sure they are prepared for the world that is to come.
—Christal Graves, Sr. Talent Acquisition Specialist
HBCU Invitational winner
Team (score)
- D1 Men’s: Florida A&M (-7).
- D2 Men’s: Livingstone College (+19).
- Women’s: Howard University (+14).
Individual (score)
- D1 Men’s: Patrick Jean-Pierre – Florida A&M (-4).
- D2 Men’s: Ibrahim Aliga – Livingstone College (E).
- Women’s: Kendall Jackson – Howard University (-1).
YMCA and SAS: Partners for reading and data literacy
SAS and Prestonwood Country Club welcomed members of the YMCA Lightner Achievers to the SAS Championship. There, teens learned from Championship Director Jeff Kleiber about how a professional golf tournament is run. Kristi Boyd, Trustworthy AI Specialist, presented to the group about the importance of responsible innovation.
The YMCA partners with the SAS Championship regularly for reading literacy, data literacy, advanced analytics and AI initiatives.
And your champion is …
Through three days of play, hours of rain delay and battling through 33 holes on Sunday, Rod Pampling took home the 2023 SAS Championship title, logging a score of 15-under par.
