When Usher steps onto a stage, he owns the room. This past weekend, the R&B superstar proved that same magnetic presence translates seamlessly to the golf course. At the PGA Tour Championship, the Atlanta-raised icon turned heads in the Polo Ralph Lauren x Morehouse College collection—a fashion statement that merged Ivy League polish with unapologetic HBCU pride.
Usher in Morehouse Mode
Draped in a maroon and white Morehouse jacket, crisp white tee, and a matching cap, Usher looked like he was born to disrupt the buttoned-up aesthetic of professional golf. The fit came from the Polo Ralph Lauren for Oak Bluffs collection, a collaboration deeply rooted in HBCU tradition and storytelling. Morehouse alumnus James M. Jeter curated the collection, ensuring every thread carried the weight of legacy.
The look wasn’t just about sharp tailoring—it was about signaling that HBCU culture belongs on every stage, from the halftime show to the fairway. Usher’s appearance comes months after his show-stopping Super Bowl performance, where he pulled the Jackson State Sonic Boom of the South into the spotlight. If there’s one thing about Usher, it’s that he never forgets where he came from and is intentional about where he shines the light next.
More Than Just Fashion
This Polo Ralph Lauren partnership represents more than apparel—it’s a cultural statement. The Oak Bluffs capsule tapped Morehouse and Spelman graduates as designers, storytellers, and muses, tying together Ralph Lauren’s preppy aesthetic with the enduring traditions of Black excellence. When Usher zipped up that jacket, he wasn’t just styling; he was repping an institution that shaped generations of leaders and creatives.
Even the setting—a PGA Tour Championship—added weight. Golf, a sport long steeped in exclusivity, suddenly looked different with Usher and fellow star Rick Ross, an Albany State alumnus, bringing HBCU energy to the greens. In an Instagram video, the duo laughed, posed, and made the fairway feel more like an upscale Atlanta block party than Augusta National’s shadow.
Why It Matters
For HBCUs, visibility is currency. A global icon like Usher sliding into the Polo Ralph Lauren x Morehouse collection at a marquee PGA event is more than celebrity style—it’s amplification. It’s a reminder that HBCUs aren’t just fueling the culture; they are the culture.
And for fans, it’s inspiration. Whether you’re a Morehouse student pulling all-nighters in Graves Hall or an alum who still hums the alma mater, seeing one of the world’s biggest stars in your school’s colors validates the grind.
The Takeaway
Usher didn’t just attend the PGA Tour Championship—he remixed it. He turned the golf course into a runway, gave the cameras a cultural moment, and once again put HBCUs at the center of the conversation. It was preppy. It was polished. And above all, it was proudly HBCU.