Lincoln University of Missouri Athletics

The second-ever African-American golfer at Lincoln University, Stephen Sampson was the anchor of a very successful Blue Tiger program between 1966-71. One of the team’s best golfers, Sampson was strategically placed as LU’s fourth-spot golfer, a strategy that took other teams by surprise and allowed Lincoln to win a high percentage of its matches. As a senior, he moved up to the number two slot and helped the Blue Tigers qualify for the NCAA Division II regional championship in Cedar Falls, Iowa. 

Sampson later started the golf program at Lincoln Senior High in East St. Louis, Ill., and, in 1999, was invited to serve as an instructor in a workshop for kids aged 6-16 that was hosted by Tiger Woods.