Golden State Warriors All-Star and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry and Olympic Gold Medalist and FIFA Women’s World Cup Champion Alex Morgan have been named the newest PGA Jr. league ambassadors.
Curry’s and Morgan’s new status was announced today at the 2018 PGA Jr. League Championship presented by National Car Rental at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz., November 16-19.
As the first non-professional-golfer ambassadors for PGA Jr. League, Curry and Morgan will leverage their widespread fan bases to promote the program to an audience that may not be familiar with the sport of golf. They join ambassadors Rory McIlroy, Michelle Wie, Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson, all of whom are committed to growing youth golf.
“Steph and Alex are incredibly popular, world-class athletes recognized well beyond their sports of basketball and soccer who love the game of golf,” said Jeff Price, chief commercial officer for the PGA of America. “We are thrilled to welcome both of them to the PGA Jr. League team, where they will help us grow the sport with kids and families that might not be considering golf today.”
As ambassadors, Curry and Morgan will be featured in national television ads as well as in collateral material supporting PGA Jr. League. They will also share their participation to their millions of followers on social media.
“There’s no better enjoyment than playing for a team and playing with a team,” Curry said. “You have that sense of accountability, that sense of fun, you’re meeting new people from all different walks of life and going towards one common goal. That’s what you can find when it comes to PGA Jr. League!”
“I know that as a little girl, I always wanted to be a part of a team and feel encouraged by my teammates and coaches,” Morgan said. “Being a part of PGA Jr. League gives girls and boys the opportunity to do what they love and be part of a team.”
PGA Jr. League has changed golf by bringing friends and families together around a fun and engaging co-ed team format. Boys and girls of all backgrounds and skill levels learn and play together with expert instruction and coaching from PGA and LPGA Professionals. Kids wear numbered jerseys and play on teams with friends, competing in a two-person scramble format that accommodates players of all skill levels. PGA Jr. League is now offered in two divisions: 13-and-under and 17-and-under.
This year, a record of more than 50,000 boys and girls played on 4,200 teams nationwide, up from 42,000 kids on 3,400 teams in 2017. Of those players, 81 percent were beginner or recreational golfers, demonstrating the developmental nature of the program and its inclusivity to youth of all skill levels.
In addition to his role as PGA Jr. league ambassador, Curry will also partner with PGA REACH on an annual fundraising tournament. Proceeds from the event will benefit PGA REACH, the 501 (c)(3) foundation of the PGA of America, and the Stephen and Ayesha Curry Family Foundation. PGA Jr. League is the flagship youth pillar program of PGA REACH, with the goal of making the program accessible to all interested kids in the United States and around the world.
Through PGA REACH’s partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods Foundation and its Sports Matter grant, scholarships are available to players who meet financial need requirements or are from military families and apply for assistance through their Captains. The scholarship program launched in 2017 and more than 1,600 scholarships were awarded to players during the 2018 season.
PGA Jr. League teams for 2019 will be forming soon at golf facilities across the country.
