NBA Star Stephen Curry To Receive The Charlie Sifford Award For Advancing Diversity In Golf
The World Golf Hall of Fame announced today that NBA star Stephen "Steph" Curry will receive The Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company, which honors recipients for their spirit in advancing diversity in golf.
Alex.Haynes
The World Golf Hall of Fame announced today that NBA star Stephen “Steph” Curry will receive The Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company, which honors recipients for their spirit in advancing diversity in golf.
Curry will be presented the award on June 10, 2024, at the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by CME Group held during the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C. Southern Company serves as the presenting sponsor of the Charlie Sifford Award, further expanding the organization’s role in celebrating golf’s most significant individuals.
The Charlie Sifford Award was created in 2021 to honor an individual who personifies Sifford’s groundbreaking achievements through perseverance, confidence, respect, and adaptability. Curry will be recognized as the recipient of The Charlie Sifford Award during the 2024 World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by CME Group, at which Padraig Harrington, Sandra Palmer, along with the late Johnny Farrell, Beverly Hanson, Tom Weiskopf, and the 13 LPGA Founders will be inducted as part of the World Golf Hall of Fame Class of 2024.
“I’m incredibly honored to be chosen as the recipient of this year’s Charlie Sifford Award and am grateful to the World Golf Hall of Fame for the recognition in this sport that I am so passionate about,” said Stephen Curry.
“I believe that we have the opportunity to grow the game of golf by providing equity, access, and opportunity to young golfers who have that same passion, dedication, and determination as so many of us out on the green.”
Curry’s accomplishments in the sport include launching Underrated Golf in 2021, a purpose-driven business endeavor with the overarching commitment to provide equity, access, and opportunity to student-athletes from every community by balancing participation in the sport to truly reflect our society. In 2019, he helped Howard University to compete on the D-1 level by funding the golf team for the next six years. Howard did not have a golf team since the 1970s, and this is the first on the Division 1 level in school history. Curry has also played in professional and celebrity golf tournaments with success. He played in the Ellie Mae Classic on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017 and 2018. In July, he won the 2023 American Century Championship for celebrity golfers at Lake Tahoe.
“Stephen Curry has shown passion and a commitment to giving more opportunities to young people who do not have access to the game of golf,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of the World Golf Hall of Fame. “Steph’s dedication in advancing diversity in golf epitomizes the groundbreaking work demonstrated by Charlie Sifford. The World Golf Hall of Fame in partnership with Southern Company is committed to ensuring his legacy endures for future generations by recognizing others – like Steph – who are devoted to making golf an environment for all.”
“Southern Company enjoys an association with golf that has enabled us to positively impact the lives of children, return hope and opportunity to our communities, and create equitable access and opportunities for all,” said Chris Womack, president and CEO of Southern Company.
“Steph Curry is a wonderful recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award presented by Southern Company. His pursuit to share and grow the game of golf with others is building upon Charlie’s work to create a more inclusive game of golf, a more equitable America, and a better world.”
The World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony presented by CME Group will be held on Monday, June 10, 2024, at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., as part of the playing of the 124th U.S. Open Championship and the Hall of Fame Museum’s opening on the United States Golf Association’s (“USGA”) Golf House Pinehurst campus next year.
The Underrated Tour utilizes the sport as a platform to offer young, overlooked golfers special programming experiences, including an ongoing speaker series and networking events with brands and corporations, allowing them to understand what it means to make connections and build successful careers.
