Stephen Curry is undoubtedly one of the best basketball players on the planet. The Golden State Warriors star just won his second NBA championship and has two league MVP awards in his back pocket.
Any time he steps on the court (even if he’s surrounded by a team of all-stars), he is almost always the best player out there. And while Curry is used to testing himself against other NBA stars and coming out on top, he’s about to test himself in a whole new arena.
Or a course, as it were.
In August, Curry will take to the golf course to compete against professional golfers in the Ellie Mae Classic, a Web.com Tour event.
The Web.com Tour is basically the minor leagues of professional golf, but it’s just one step away from the PGA Tour, meaning that these golfers are among the world’s best.
And Curry will be taking them on thanks to an unrestricted sponsor exemption.
Now, Curry is no slouch on the golf course. According to Golf Digest, Curry carries a handicap of less than two, which means that he’s really good.
But can Curry compete with the Web.com Tour pros? He’s going to find out starting on August 3 at the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in San Francisco.
For Curry and for Ellie Mae (the tournament’s title sponsor), the NBA star’s appearance is more than a publicity stunt. It’s about raising money for the Warriors Community Foundation, the Golden State Warriors’ charitable foundation.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to play with the pros in the upcoming Ellie Mae Classic, not only to be able to compete against some of the best golfers in the world, but to also help bring light to the tournament’s charitable footprint of giving back to the Warriors Community Foundation,” Curry said in a release. “Golf has always been a passion of mine and it’s a dream come true to get the chance to play inside the ropes amongst the pros in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned tournament.”
Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae Tournament Director Trish Gregovich said that the tournament is “elated” that Curry will be competing.
“Our longstanding goal has been to create a meaningful community impact through this event, and allowing a true pillar of the Bay Area community and a genuine sports superstar inside the ropes to compete alongside future PGA TOUR stars helps to elevate that effort,” Gregovich added.
Jonathan Corr, the president and CEO of Ellie Mae, said that the company is “proud “ that Curry will be taking part in the tournament.
“He’s a terrific player on the court and we expect him to dominate on the green as well,” Corr said. “We’re also thrilled to once again partner with our main charitable beneficiary, the Warriors Community Foundation. We love seeing the players, coaches and staff out on the course, supporting the tournament’s tradition of philanthropy, which aligns with our core value of giving back.”
And while Curry is quite the golfer, he downplays his chances of competing against the pros.
In a video posted in conjunction with the announcement, Curry said that he is honored by the initiation, calling it a “huge treat,” but says that he is “looking forward to hopefully not embarrassing myself.”
Check out Curry’s video below.
