LeBron James’ newfound love affair with the game of golf continues with the announcement that he and the PGA Tour will partner to create an event for aspiring professional golfers in Akron, Ohio.
The LeBron James Family Foundation Invitational will take place on July 6-7, 2027 at Firestone Country Club — once a longtime stop on the PGA Tour. The event will include a competition featuring professionals, amateurs and celebrities, as well as providing off-course mentorship programs between local students at James’ I Promise school and professional golfers from the PGA Tour’s Pathway to Progression Pro-Bound Five program.
The 41-year-old James picked up golf last year while in Los Angeles and has gone all-in. James recently launched a golf YouTube channel to document his journey as a new golfer, and hopes to encourage and provide pathways for more kids to get into golf and take advantage of all it can provide.
“Golf has become a passion of mine, and I’ve seen firsthand how the game can open doors, build relationships and create opportunities that many kids don’t even know exist,” James said. “This partnership with the PGA Tour gives my Foundation a chance to introduce my I Promise students and more people to the game at a young age, support talented athletes chasing their dreams and continue investing in the city of Akron that means everything to me.”
The event will provide another playing opportunity for aspiring professionals from the Pro-Bound Five program, which the PGA Tour created in 2023 to provide APGA Tour membership to the top five players in the APGA Collegiate rankings at the end of each year.
James is far from alone in getting into golf in recent years, as we’ve seen a number of celebrities and star athletes from across professional sports catch the golf bug. What makes James unique is how fully committed he seems to be to the game, not just as a hobby that he plays when he can, but investing serious time and energy to pursue his new passion.
This initiative at Firestone furthers that investment into the sport, and the fact that he’s partnering with the PGA Tour for his first golf event exemplifies the power and influence he can wield, even as a newcomer to the game.
After signing with the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason on a two-year deal, the exact end point for James’ legendary basketball career is still unknown. His agent Rich Paul teased this summer he could play one or two more seasons, or possibly even four more years.
For years, fans have been curious what life will look like for James after he finishes playing. Early on in his Lakers tenure, many wondered if he might give acting an earnest shot after a few well-received cameo appearances. His interest in being part of an NBA ownership group in Las Vegas is well-known, and he will have tons of other business opportunities at his fingertips whenever he’s done playing basketball.
While James remains cryptic about how much longer he’ll stay in the NBA, one thing that is becoming clear over the past year is that golf will be a major part of his life after basketball whenever he does call it a career.