Curry is making a seven-figure donation to the school that will be paid out over the next six yearsGETTY IMAGES
Warriors G Stephen Curry said that his funding of the new men's and women's golf teams at Howard Univ. is aimed at giving the school time to "raise an endowed fund that would make the program self-sustainable," according to Lowery & Buckner of the WASHINGTON POST. Curry will make a seven-figure donation paid out over the next six years, "described as one of the most generous in the historically black university’s 152-year history." The student-athletes who join Howard’s golf program also will "agree to volunteer" in the DC area with Eat. Learn. Play., a foundation run by Curry and his wife, Ayesha, that "encourages healthy development in children." For decades, Howard had a D-II golf team, which university officials "believe was discontinued" in the '70s. The new program being financed by Curry is "believed to be the first time" Howard will have a D-I golf program. When the program launches for the '20-21 season, the teams will be "outfitted by Under Armour, the shoe company that sponsors Curry, and play with equipment provided by Callaway Golf." Curry’s announcement comes as the sport "continues to see deep diversity struggles." Few HBCUs "prioritize golf programs, instead focusing the bulk of their resources and scholarships on sports more likely to generate revenue, such as football and basketball" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/20). According to the NCAA, roughly 6% of collegiate golfers are black, Latino or Native American (N.Y. TIMES, 8/20).
GROWING THE GAME: In DC, Barry Svrluga writes Curry's donation is "extraordinary." Svrluga: "Luring Callaway to provide the equipment, getting Under Armour to outfit the team, forking over his own cash to establish a coaching staff, on and on." Curry said of his donation, "This is going to go way beyond the game of golf, and way beyond Howard" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/20). Also in DC, Deron Snyder notes Curry is "not hoping to mine the next Tiger Woods." He "just wants to share his love of the game and allow Howard students to compete at the highest levels." Snyder: "Be it a lack of time, lack of funds or lack of accessible courses, golf has proved elusive to many young people of color" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 8/20). GOLFWEEK's Roxanna Scott noted Curry was "inspired by a meeting with Howard senior and golfer Otis Ferguson IV during a campus visit earlier this year" (GOLFWEEK.com, 8/19). Ferguson explained to Curry how he had been "unsuccessfully trying to start up an official university golf team" (AP, 8/19).
