According to its founder, NBA super star Steph Curry, Underrated Golf believes the game of golf is for everyone, but there is significant work to be done to make it a just, fair and inspiring sport for all. By building a strong foundation from the bottom up, that offers young, overlooked golfers, special programming experiences, including an ongoing speaker series and networking events with brands and corporations. This allows them opportunities to understand what it means to make connections and build successful careers.
Underrated Golf promises are clearly defined. It promises this special program will focus on balancing the playing field for Black and LatinX communities. It promises its efforts will equally support all genders of student-athletes, with invitations to compete in tour and championship events, ensuring everyone has equal opportunity to play. It promises to shine a light on the untapped talents that the game of golf has yet to see on the fairway and finally, it promises to hold itself accountable.
Monday, August 4 through Wednesday, August 6, the fourth and final regional event, will take place at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Florida. At its conclusion, the best 28 boys and girls on the Underrated Tour will earn the chance to compete for The Curry Cup as part of its season-ending Underrated Tour Championship. The event, The Curry Cup Championship, will be held at Liberty National GC overlooking the Statue of Liberty in New Jersey and will include European Champions from its tournament earlier this year. The final will be held September 10-12. Local golfer Ashley Shaw has already qualified for the final after her recent win in Palm Springs. She will be competing in Florida. (UGT)
Other Teebits: A new opportunity in golf for women is on the horizon. The Sapphire Golf Tour is more than a series of tournaments — it’s a movement born from history, driven by purpose, and powered by the brilliance of Black women in golf. For too long, their talent has been overlooked, underfunded, and unseen. Rooted in the legacy of pioneers like Ann Gregory and Renee Powell, the Sapphire Golf Tour is rewriting the future — one city, one swing, one story at a time. This is where visibility meets opportunity; where dreams turn into careers. And where a new generation of girls will finally see themselves in the game — not as outsiders, but as champions.
The Sapphire Golf Tour is a premier developmental circuit reshaping the journey for Black women in professional golf. Created to bridge the gap between college and elite-level competition, it offers rising talent the chance to compete, earn, and gain vital exposure. More than a tournament series, Sapphire provides access to top-tier coaching, advanced player development, and strategic exemptions that can open doors to the highest levels of the sport. At its core, the tour is a movement—amplifying Black brilliance and the cultural power of Black women spectators to spark visibility, build legacy, and drive systemic change. Backed by industry leaders and anchored in purpose, Sapphire is the blueprint for equity, pride, and generational impact.
The first of four events will be held August 26-27 at the Country Club of Woodmore that covers the DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) areas. The second will be in Atlanta, September 29-30 at Chateau Elan GC. The other two will be held in Houston and Jacksonville, dates and sites to be determined. (SG)
Just as The Advocates PGA Tour is providing opportunities for Blacks and other male golfers with places to play and hone their skills, it is hoped, the Sapphire Golf Tour will do the same for women golfers.
Finally: The 125th U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship gets underway this week at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, Oregon and Desert Mashie junior golfer Alexis Lamadrid –17, will be competing. Alexis qualified for the event by winning the Mexican Women’s Amateur in January after a playoff with Maria Jose Barragan, a student golfer at BYU. Play well Alexis!
Leave a Reply