The FedEx St. Jude Championship is scheduled to tee off August 15 at TPC Southwind in Memphis.
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JamesDukes–perhapsbetterknownbyhisprofessionalmoniker,IMAKEMADBEATS–hasneverbeentotheFedExSt.JudeChampionship.
“Therealestanswer,Ididn’tevenknowitexisted,”saidDukes,arecordproducerandfounderofUnapologetic,anartistcollectiveinMemphis.
Hedoesnow,andhewillbetherenextweekwhen70oftheworld’sbestgolferswillconvergeontheBluffCity.That’sbecausetournamentofficialshavespentthebetterpartofthepastyearmakingconcertedeffortstobroadenitsappeal.Toattractamorediverseaudience.Toshow,whileitisagolftournament,it’snotnecessarilyjustforgolffans.Andtobecomemoreinclusive,morereflectiveofthecitythathashostedthePGATourstopeveryyearsince1958.
JoeTomek,whowasnamedtheevent’sexecutivedirectorinSeptember2021,spearheadedtheoutreach.HepartneredwithDCA,adowntownMemphis-basedcommunicationsconsultingfirm,andgotinfrontofelectedofficials,communityleadersandprominentvoices–likeDukes.
A“listeningtour,”hecalledit,andthe
