From a very young age, Stephen Curry was in NBA arenas practicing the art of shooting with his dad Dell Curry. However, at the age of 10, he would identify another passion. He picked up a putter for the first time. The challenge and fundamentals of golf roped Curry in. In the time since the four-time NBA champion has achieved credibility in the sport and also made waves with his Underrated program to promote and diversify golf in all communities. For his involvement and initiatives to grow the beautiful game, Curry was bestowed with a rare distinction.

The Golden State Warriors icon was awarded the Charles Sifford Award to acknowledge his efforts to grow and diversify the sport. “I’m incredibly honored to be chosen as the recipient of the 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. 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”, said Curry on being honored with the achievement according to Southern Company.

Stephen Curry is only the second person to ever receive the Charles Sifford Award. The inaugural recipient of the honor was Renee Powell. The award, coined after the legendary Charles Sifford was introduced in 2021 but wasn’t officially put into the framework until 2022. Sifford was a pioneer for the sport and played an instrumental role in extending golf to the Black community at a time when the PGA didn’t permit him to participate in PGA tournaments.

Stephen Curry is on a mission with golf

Curry has transcended the traditional boundaries of an athlete. He is fearless in his pursuit of fulfilling a purpose. That’s the motto not just him, but also his company fbides. One of the ways he employs his ambitions is through the medium of golf. Curry wants to see talented golfers rise above the ranks and ensure they have the required facilities to make worth of their skills.

That’s the reason he introduced the Underrated Golf program. It aims at increasing the representation of Black and Hispanic communities within the sport of golf. To do so he holds regional tournaments and picks out the talented golfers to assist in their career within the sport. In 2023, he also received the Ambassador of Golf Award from the PGA.

There was also a time when he funded six years of Howard University’s golf program. The college hadn’t had a dedicated program for the sport since the 1970s. His gesture allowed the institution to once again compete among other colleges. When thinking of his biggest achievement though, Curry didn’t name any of his innovations. He feels pride in making a seismic impact.

“I feel like I just got started on this journey of creating opportunities for Black and brown kids around the country to pursue golf at the highest level, but also get access to the world of golf. That’s what I’m most proud of because it’s not easy to do. I’m excited about where we are and the future”, Curry exclaimed.

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