“Hard Work Doesn’t Go Unnoticed”: Stephen Curry’s Touching Message For 15YO Golf Sensation Ashley Shaw

Having already accomplished every accolade in the book during his NBA career, Stephen Curry is slowly turning into one of the biggest ambassadors for golf. Winner of last year’s American Century Championship and a passionate golfer himself, Steph makes sure to uplift upcoming talent whenever he gets the opportunity. So, when 15-year-old Ashley Shaw made history by qualifying for her first LPGA event, the Cognizant Founders Cup, Curry was one of the first to congratulate the teenage sensation assuring of “big things” that would follow her incredible achievement.

Sharing a post from his very own creation, ‘Underrated Golf’, on his Instagram story, the Warriors legend motivated Ashley with a heartfelt message ahead of her new challenge, “Keep doing your thing Ashley Shaw, your hard work doesn’t go unnoticed! From winning the first Curry Cup to now qualifying for the LPGA at 15… big things coming your way.” There are so many aspiring golfers. Why her? Let’s uncover what Steph spotted before the world.

At just fifteen, Ashley, a girl from Litchfield Park, Arizona, has already stacked an impressive resume. She played her first tournament at age seven and it’s been only an upward ladder ever since. Ashley was also the inaugural winner of the Curry Cup in 2022. Receiving the trophy from Steph’s father Dell Curry, with several accomplished athletes watching, was a memorable day for the teen. Moreover, the event became a launching pad for the young talent, as Ashley would again finish Top 3 a year later.

This qualification for the LPGA event might be the biggest accomplishment. Earning exemption into the event after an iconic two-stroke victory in The John Shippen Cognizant Cup on Monday, Shaw is ready to compete with the best in the world. “I could just feel it in the air. It was going to be a good day. No matter how it turned out I was going to have fun,” Ashley said after her win on Monday.

From earning the backing of Stephen Curry to Arizona Women’s Match Play Champion, big things are coming up for Ashley Shaw!

Not only did Ashley earn a spot in her life’s first LPGA event this week, but she also has a familiar event she will attend later this month. “I am actually going to London in about two weeks to go represent the Underrated Tour as an ambassador for them.” From the inaugural winner of the Curry Cup to now the ambassador of Stephen Curry’s Underrated Tour in just two years, the teenage sensation has come a long way.

And that is a huge accomplishment for someone who had doubts about herself at the early stages of her career, “When I first started the game of golf my first few tournaments I played in, I didn’t quite feel like I belonged there.”

Now, with a newfound confidence, Ashley is ready to inspire other student-athletes like her who have doubted themselves at some point in their life, “I think that’s something that I hope others can learn from me. Don’t let the situation you’re in kind of dictate what you’re going to continue to do.”

When Stephen Curry founded Underrated Golf, he did it to provide a platform and equal opportunity for student-athletes from underserved communities. And to see a young talented girl like Ashley Shaw achieve greatness not only reaffirms his purpose but also shows how giving an opportunity to people can change their lives forever.