After slow start, Curry heats up

Stephen Curry pumped his right fist, raised his arms in the air with club in hand and gave a firm shoulder bump to caddie Jonnie West, his golf partner on road trips with the Golden State Warriors.

A birdie at last after he scored three bogeys over his initial five holes Thursday.

There was the animated, confident Steph that NBA fans know so well, the two-time league MVP finally feeling it and making the tough shots on the challenging course at TPC Stonebrae while playing in his highly anticipated professional golf debut.

Curry drew quite a crowd to the Web.com Tour’s Ellie Mae Classic, where Hall of Fame wide receiver Jerry Rice has played a few times in the past.

The star point guard of the champion Warriors high-fived fans some 300-plus at the picturesque course providing panoramic views overlooking San Francisco Bay between some holes and chatted with the other two in his threesome, Sam Ryder and defending champion Stephan Jaeger.

On the 15th fairway, Curry leaned on West, a member of Golden State’s front office and son of Hall of Famer Jerry West. Then Curry finished the par-5 15th by sinking a 5-foot, downhill birdie putt. He made par on No. 16 then survived a tee shot to the bunker and a near stumble climbing out of the sand on the par-4 18th and made about an 8-footer to save par.

NFL

BENSON STADIUM DEDICATED » Tom Benson now has a stadium named after him, with a statue to go with it.

The first major step in a nearly $800 million project at the Pro Football Hall of Fame has been the renovation of an aging high school stadium located next to the hall itself. The New Orleans Saints owner donated $10 million to the renovation.

On Thursday, a 9-foot statue of Benson was unveiled at the 23,000seat stadium that Hall of Fame President David Baker called “the finest small venue stadium in the world.”

“This is a game changer,” Baker added as Benson, his wife Gayle, former Saints kicker Morten Andersen the NFL’s career scoring leader who will be inducted into the hall Saturday night and several others involved in what will be the Johnson Controls Hall of Fame Village awaited the unveiling.

“This is hope, a vision, and just the beginning for what is coming. This is 14 percent of what’s coming.”

The revitalized stadium was hosting the Hall of Fame game between the Cowboys and Cardinals on Thursday night.

It also will be the home to two local colleges, Malone and Walsh, future Division III football championships, and the Black College Hall of Fame all-star game.