NBA star Steph Curry committed to diversify golf with his own tour

NBA star Steph Curry started the Underrated Golf Tour in 2022 with an aim to diversify golf. The tour provides exposure and opportunities to underrepresented junior golfers. As per Golfweek, the Underrated Golf Tour, which is sponsored by KPMG gives junior golfers access to courses, conditions, and college coaches.

The Tour's third season had four tournaments in the United States and one in Europe. The four tournaments in the United States are as follows:

Old Barnwell Golf Club

• Venue: Aiken, South Carolina
• Date: June 21-23, 2024

Pumpkin Ridge: Ghost Creek Course

• Venue: Portland, Oregon
• Date: July 8-10, 2024

Warren Golf Course, University of Notre Dame

• Venue: South Bend, Indiana
• Date: July 22-24, 2024

The Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio

• Venue: San Antonio, TX
• Date: August 7-9, 2024

The tournament in Europe was held in London, United Kingdom at Walton Health Golf Club from May 29 to 31, 2024.

13 boys and 13 girls advanced to the final tournament, the Curry Cup, with the season-ending event held at Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, New Jersey, from September 2 to 4. Jadon Soong (boys) and Izzie Kelly (girls) won the tournament.

The NBA point guard recently rang the opening bell at Nasdaq to celebrate the success of his golf tour. The junior golfers who competed at the Curry Cup were featured on the MarketSite Tower in Times Square.

Talking about the tour, 2024 Curry Cup winner Jaden Soong said (via Golfweek):

"This tour is obviously amazing and brings me a lot of joy and happiness and you don’t get this type of experience on any other tour."

After the Curry Cup ended, the junior golfers attended a Leadership Development Day conducted by KPMG in New York, during which Steph Curry remarked on the progress of the Tour and said:

"To see what it’s become is beyond my wildest imagination," he said.

The winners of the Curry Cup will be exempted from junior golf events like:

• Annika Invitational
• Under Armour / Jordan Spieth AJGA Championship
• Junior PGA Championship
• Western Junior
• Porter Cup
• 2025 AJGA season

When asked by a junior golfer how he deals with difficult periods in life, the two-time NBA MVP replied:

"Joy is where all of my gifts come from. That’s why you see me smile and do all those stupid dances, because I’m trying to force the joy to show itself. If I tap into that energy, then I get lost in the game again, and it becomes more pure that way," Curry said.

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What is the mission of Steph Curry's Underrated Golf Tour?

The mission of Steph Curry's Underrated Golf Tour is to provide equal opportunity to all races and ethnicities in the game of golf. Underrepresented communities miss out on golf due to a lack of access to courses and equipment owing to their high costs.

As per the website of the Tour, the mission of the Underrated Golf Tour is:

"Less than 2% of all golfers are Black or Latinx. Underrated Golf is working to change this statistic for the sport with a goal of bringing participation amongst these communities up to 26% to better reflect our society."

The website claims that only two of the top 100 men's golfers are black while only one of the top 300 women's golfers is black. The Tour vows to provide them with opportunities through scholarships, workforce development, seminars, team-building exercises, and career-related counseling.

Further, the Tour's alumni lists include players who enrolled in prestigious universities like Howard University, Dartmouth College, Temple University, and many more.