Steph Curry is launching a junior golf tour to help serve the game’s underprivileged and overlooked markets.
Curry’s “Underrated” brand is venturing into the golf space in conjunction with the AJGA to host five tournaments. According to a release, the endeavour aims to provide avenues for student-athletes to the game with the goal of increasing participation numbers from diverse communities.
The Underrated Golf Tour will use regional events to identify 24 boys and girls and give them a chance to compete in American Junior Golf Association star-certified events. All travel, hotels and meals will be paid for, play will take place on elite courses, and the tour will culminate with the crowning of the Curry Cup champion at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco.
“Everybody knows that I love the game of golf, and I couldn’t be more excited to extend that love to the best young players that are across the country,” said the Golden State Warriors star in announcing the tour on Thursday.
He continued: “Less than 2 percent of golfers are people of color so our tour provides a platform for equity, access and opportunity for those who can’t get their big break but also want to play head-to-head with the current best players on the AGJA.”
An avid golfer, Curry, 34, has played since childhood, frequently takes part in celebrity tournaments and played in a few events on the Korn Ferry Tour.
In August 2019, he made a financial commitment to be spread over six years to restart the golf program at Howard University, a historically Black college in Washington, DC.
In its first year, the Underrated Golf Tour will select each of the 24 best boys and girls who will compete for the Curry Cup at the season-ending Underrated Tour Championship held at TPC Harding Park. The tour will begin in Chicago at Cog Hill in late June, with other stops in Houston, Phoenix and Tampa.
Curry said he would cover all travel and lodging expenses as well as entrance fees. The circuit hopes to grow the participant pool in the coming years, ultimately having a global footprint with the world’s best prospects.
This is far from Curry’s first golf-related effort. In 2019, Curry made a seven-figure donation to bring back the Howard University golf team for the first time in 40 years. He’s also launched a golf brand through Under Armour, and his foundation struck a deal to be associated with Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament.
