WASHINGTON (July 9, 2025) – Howard Department of Athletics continues its Senior Spotlight series with three-time champion Justin Green (Chesapeake, Va.) from the men's golf team, who was interviewed by rising sophomore legal communications major Tanbrance Berry.
 
Q: How did you start playing golf?
A: My dad is an attorney and one of the ways he brought in a lot of his clients was meeting them on the golf course. So, I was the kid following his dad on the course. I was four years old by the time he had me swinging the golf club. I really enjoyed how free it felt to swing a golf club and knowing everything was in my control.
 
Q: What made you choose Howard?
A: I had a high school experience where I was not around a lot of people who looked like me. So, this made me want to branch out into educational spaces where I was able to see black excellence. There is a lot of that in the area, but I did not necessarily see it in the school system and that is something I really was hoping to see.
 
From the golfing aspect, I always debated going to an HBCU because I wanted to get an athletic scholarship from the sport. But I was unsure if I was willing to sacrifice that for a particular school. But when Howard announced its program, that is when it all clicked. I was like, "Wow, I can attend an incredible school and compete in Division I golf for a scholarship." As soon as I heard about that, I immediately sent an email to Coach Sam Puryear (Howard Director of Golf) and then everything went from there.
 
Q: Howard University Men's Golf won back-to-back Northeast Conference (NEC) titles. How does it feel to be a part of a program that is making history?
A: My golf brothers and sisters come from so many places around the world and I feel like we are able to tell our stories. I am really glad people were able to see the hard work. More importantly, I love that we are able to set a tone and show Black people can succeed in this sport, Black people are succeeding in the sport and have a path in the game of golf. It is incredible that we are the ones able to send that message out to other people.
 
Q: How did the AT&T HBCU Student-Athlete Immersion trip shape your view of a pro golf career?
A: Wow, that program was incredible. It was not necessarily about pro golf; it showed us the behind-the-scenes of a golfing event. They showed us how NBC and ESPN shoot their films, how press conferences are done, the business side and how they maintain the grass. That was just an incredible opportunity to see how it was done. The trip ended with us following a group of some of the best golfers in the world for an entire day. It was such a rare experience that people get and every part of it felt so special.
 
Q: Is there a golfer that you model your game after?
A: Tiger Woods (American Professional Golfer) because of his work ethic. His dad instilled a sort of military drilling discipline into him and he approaches everything with a lot of tenacity. Whether it is my legal career or my golf game, I try to approach everything with that same tenacity and hunger to do more. Tiger really embodies that and that is why he is the best to ever play.
 
Q: How did being a student-athlete at Howard shape your life perspectives and experiences?
A: I am very grateful to be a student-athlete because it kept me very disciplined. Whether it is rain or shine, you have to be ready to play. You have to get used to waking up at 5:30 a.m. You must be on your toes because you do not know what is going to happen the next day. That always kept me on track. That discipline Coach Puryear instilled in us is going to carry me forward in my career. Things are going to keep happening spontaneously, but I am prepared because Coach Puryear always kept us on our toes and ready to go at any moment.
 
Q: What advice would you give incoming freshmen attending Howard to play golf?
A: Make sure you take care of business inside the classroom because a lot of student-athletes come to college aspiring to go pro, which is incredible and I fully support that; however, it is very important to have a backup plan as well.
 
Golf is a sport that can open a lot of doors and you meet a lot of very impressive people who can change your life. So, be willing to step into your degree and put really effort into it because you just do not know what opportunities may come.
 
Q: Do you have any pregame rituals?
A: I listen to very calm music, so I like playing Partynextdoor and Lauryn Hill.
 
Q: What's your funniest golf memory?
A: One day, I showed up to a practice round with two different shoes (lol).
 
Q: Do you have any other advice?
A: If you are a student-athlete, take school seriously. I came into college thinking everything revolved around golf but pushing myself academically and going hard after internships helped me diversify my experiences.
 
Now, I am headed to Stanford to study law and do not limit yourself to what is right in front of you. Explore your options and take interesting classes because they could surprise you. Be open to meeting new people. At Howard, they always say, "It is who you know, not what you know," so keep your network strong and stay connected.
 
About Green

• Personal
  • Hometown: Chesapeake, Va.
  • Major: Management
• Academic Achievements at Howard
  • NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll
  • NEC Spring Commissioner's Honor Roll
• Athletic Achievements at Howard
  • 2x-NEC Champion
  • MEAC Champion

 
For more information, visit the Bison Athletics website at www.HUBison.com.