San Francisco clears way for Curry-hosted event
PGA event at Harding Park slated for at least five years
San Francisco parks officials voted Thursday to push along changes to the city’s deal with the PGA Tour in an effort to bring an annual golf event to the city hosted by Warriors star Stephen Curry.
The vote, which came during a Recreation and Parks Commission meeting, approved a plan to amend the existing contract between the city and the tour.
The contract for the tournament at Harding Park would reportedly last at least five years, beginning in September 2021. Harding Park, which will host the PGA Championship next month, will relinquish its rights to the 2025 Presidents Cup as part of the deal. The course and tour are expected to negotiate for a later date to host the Presidents Cup.
Curry’s name was not mentioned during the parks commission meeting specifically, but general manager Phil Ginsburg hinted at the hoops star’s broad appeal.
“What really resonates for us is the local flavor of this particular event, given the way it’s going to be structured,” Ginsburg said. “And I think people are going to be excited about it. I think it will draw a very diverse crowd of San Franciscans and the
surrounding area.”
Curry, an avid golfer, has reportedly been in communication with tour officials about being involved in an event for multiple years now.
The Warriors star finished fourth earlier this month in the American Century Championship at Lake Tahoe’s Edgewood Golf Resort.
He has made steps focused on growing the game in groups of color and among lower-income communities. Last August, Curry announced a sevenfigure donation to fund men’s and women’s golf programs at Howard University, a historically Black private college in Washington D.C.
It’s a win-win for the tour and Curry, as the PGA gains visibility through Curry’s celebrity status and Curry further establishes his message of golf accessibility to the Black community.
Financial and human-resource software company Workday, based in Pleasanton, would reportedly be the title sponsor of the event.
Workday sponsored a PGA Tour event in Dublin, Ohio last weekend after John Deere dropped out as sponsor. The Workday Charity Open benefitted Steph and Ayesha Curry’s foundation aimed at fighting child hunger and sponsoring education — Eat. Learn. Play.