If you don’t know about Charlie Sifford, you should.
Until 1961, the PGA Tour had a “Caucasian Only” clause. It’s hard to believe in 2015, but less than 60 years ago people were excluded from playing at the highest level solely because of the color of their skin. Much like Jackie Robinson in baseball, Charlie Sifford wasn’t the first African-American golfer. He may not even have been the best at the time. But he was the one who broke the color barrier on the PGA TOUR.
By the time Sifford was allowed to measure his skill against other pros on the PGA TOUR, he was 38 (Tiger and his back are now 39). Sifford won but twice on the TOUR but his contributions and sacrifices went far beyond that. Charlie Sifford, in 1960, opened up what was then a very exclusionary sport to a new audience. Sifford endured insults, threats, and galleries who would occasionally kick or throw his ball into the rough, woods, and other bad lies.
Though there is still work to do to make golf more inclusive, Sifford’s contributions made it unlikely that anyone will endure what he did in the future, and we should all take notice and honor him.
Let’s hit the links.
Hole #1: Just Let Him Play On
Golf lost one of its pioneers last week. Thankfully, there was Charlie Sifford and others to pave the way to making golf a more inclusive sport. Sifford, the first African-American golfer to play on the PGA TOUR, died Tuesday night at age 92. [Link]
Hole #2: It Was Jason’s Day
Jason Day got the third win of his career Sunday at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. Day bested J.B. Holmes, Harris English, and Scott Stallings in a four-way playoff to take the title. [Link]
Hole #3: Tiger’s Back
The golf press was all over Tiger’s first and second rounds at the Farmers Insurance Open, and it was ugly. On Friday, his back started acting up, forcing a WD on the 12th hole and leaving us all to wonder what we should be doing to activate our glutes. Woods was 2-over at the time. The question persists: Have we already seen the best, or the end, of Tiger’s career? [Link]
Hole #4: Caddies vs. The TOUR
PGA TOUR caddies have filed a class action lawsuit against the PGA TOUR over being forced to wear corporate sponsor names and logos on their bibs without compensation. According to the lawsuit, the PGA TOUR earns some $50 million a year from bib advertisements, though caddies see none of it. [Link]
Hole #5: Billy Casper Dies
Billy Casper could have been a member of the Big Three, or four as the case would have been, but he left IMG, which promoted Nicklaus, Palmer, and Player to legendary status. Casper was No. 7 all time in PGA TOUR wins with 51 (69 total professional wins), three major wins (plus three second place or T-2 finishes in the PGA Championship and a fourth in the Open Championship), numerous course design credits, and today his management company handles some 140 courses. He was 83. [Link]
Hole #6: McIlroy Settles Lawsuit
Rory McIlroy was “relieved” to have the lawsuit with his former management company resolved, even if it did cost him a lot of money. [Link]
Hole #7: Dude, Where’s My Car?
Well, here’s one reason not to cut the caddies in on all those millions of dollars. When Ian Poulter’s courtesy car was towed, whose fault was it? His caddy’s, of course. [Link]
Hole #8: USGA Will Add U.S. Senior Women’s Open Championship
The USGA is adding a U.S. Senior Women’s Open to its championship roster. Women, 50 and over, will be able to compete for the new title beginning in 2018. The Men’s U.S. Senior Open has existed since 1980. [Link]
Hole #9: Elsewhere on Tour
In the Bahamas, another South Korean golfer joined the winners circle. Sei Young Kim won the LPGA’s Pure Silk-Bahamas Classic on the first playoff hole over Sun Young Yoo and Ariya Jutanugarn. In Malaysia, India’s Anirban Lahiri won the Malaysian Open on the European Tour.