Georgia Native Gets First Exposure to Golf Industry Through Pathways

Originally from Roswell, Ga., and now living in New Jersey, Cristian Tavarez graduated from William Paterson University in 2024. He was part of the National Society of Leadership and Success, a Louis Wolf Scholarship Recipient, and serves as a volunteer coach for the Police Academy League in Wayne, N.J.

What’s your background?

I’m from Georgia but was raised in Puerto Rico. Spanish was my first language, so when I moved back to Georgia, it was always tough make friends and communicate. With sports, I was able to find a place where I felt safe and could make friends and started becoming more social with other kids. I became passionate about sports from that point on.

When did you first become exposed to golf?

I moved to New Jersey in 2020 to be closer to my dad. We bonded through sports and used to visit this facility that had batting cages and a driving range. We only went for baseball at first but one day, we decided to rent clubs and hit some balls on the driving range. Next thing I know, we’re going 2-3 times a week to hit golf balls and three months later, we booked our first tee time not knowing what to expect. We lost all 24 balls that we bought and knew not to go back until we practiced some more! But I’ve been hooked on the game ever since. In my community growing up, I never got to experience golf.

How did you learn about Pathways?

I started doing research on companies that were dedicated to breaking down barriers and exposing the game to kids and came across the First Tee. I saw that the USGA was one of the largest financial contributors and through searching their site, came across the Pathways Internship. I saw that it was intended to more equitable and accessible opportunities for those interested in working in golf and sports, so I applied hoping for the best.

What are you looking forward to at the U.S. Open?

I’ve never been to a major golf event. So going to the U.S. Open is going to be an unbelievable experience. I’m most looking forward to the connections that I can potentially make – getting my name out there and telling my story, and being able to hear and appreciate other people’s stories. I also want to gain a better understanding of what it takes to run a championship and the different departments behind the scenes that make it happen.

Where do you want to take your career from here?

I’ve always had a dream of working for a professional sports organization – getting involved with the operations department or administrative work. Being at and planning for the big events, being part of that team, and just watching as everything gets executed.