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, which honors recipients for their spirit in advancing diversity in golf.

Curry will receive the award on June 10, 2024 at the World Golf Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, presented by CME Group and held during the 124th U.S. Open at North Carolina’s Pinehurst Resort & Country Club. Southern Company is 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 celebrated 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 into 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 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 committed to providing 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 its golf team for the next six years. Howard had not had a golf team since the 1970s, and this is the first on the Division 1 level in the school’s history.

Curry himself has played in professional and celebrity golf tournaments with success. He participated 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 coincides with the opening of the Hall of Fame Museum on the United States Golf Association’s (“USGA”) Golf House Pinehurst campus next year.

Curry’s Underrated Tour utilizes golf 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.