Charlie Sifford
Name:
Charles Luther SiffordCountry:
USALived:
[1922-2015]. Born on June 2, 1922 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Died on Feb 3, 2015 in Cleveland, Ohio (aged 92).Original/Home Club:
Carolina GC, NCOccupation:
Professional golferTurned Pro:
194822 professional tournament wins, including PGA Tour (2) and Snr PGA Tour (1). Winner of the 1975 PGA Senior's Championship (before the launch of the Snr PGA Tour in 1980, and before the event became a "major" in 1980). Six-time winner of the UGA National Negro Open.
World Golf Hall of Fame (inducted in 2004). Old Tom Morris Award (2007, GCSAA). Awarded one of the USA's two highest civilian honours, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2014, by Pres Barack Obama).
Sifford grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was introduced to golf while working as a caddie at the Carolina Golf Club. He developed his own golfing skills, under the watchful eye of touring golf professional Clayton Heafner. When he returned from serving in the segregated Army in the Battle of Okinawa during World War II, Sifford decided to make a career in golf. He turned professional in 1948 aged 26. As a pro he won five consecutive national titles in the all-black United Golfers Association, but longed to take on the best players on the PGA Tour.
The legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, who broke the colour barrier in that sport, became the inspiration for Sifford to do the same in the sport of golf. Tiger Woods, who refers to Sifford as "the grandpa I never had," credits Sifford's trailblazing contribution for paving the way for his own introduction to golf and subsequent phenomenal career.
During his career Sifford recorded 22 professional wins, including two on the PGA Tour and one on the Senior PGA Tour. His seismic contribution to golf was recognised when Sifford became the first black golfer inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was only the third golfer, behind Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus, to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the USA's highest civilian honour.
America
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Played as the inaugural Suntree Senior Classic. Second-placed Don January (USA) finished 4 shots behind Sifford (USA), who recorded his first (and only) US Snr Tr win. [Suntree CC, Melbourne, Florida].
America
PGA of America
Played as the PGA Seniors' Championship. Sifford (USA) beat Fred Wampler (USA) with a 22-foot birdie putt at the first playoff hole. [Walt Disney World, Orlando, FL].
America
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Played as the Los Angeles Open (Jan 9-12; PGA Tour season-opener). Sifford (USA) beat Harold Henning (RSA) with a birdie at the first playoff hole, to record the second of his two PGA Tour wins. [Rancho Park GC, Los Angeles, CA].
America
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Played as the Greater Hartford Open Invitational (Aug 17-20). Second-placed Steve Oppermann (USA) finished 1 shot behind 45-year-old Charlie Sifford (USA), who recorded the first of his two PGA Tour wins. [Wethersfield CC, nr Hartford, CT].
America
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Played as the Puerto Rico Open (Feb 28-Mar 3; US PGA-sanctioned Caribbean tour event). Second-placed and defending champion George Knudson (Can) finished 6 shots behind 39-year-old Charlie Sifford (USA), who claimed his first win in a 72-hole PGA-sanctioned event. [Berwind CC, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico].
America
x
Played as the Almaden Open (Nov 17-20; non-PGA Tour event, predominantly played by pros based on the West Coast). Charlie Sifford (USA) beat Bill Eggers (USA) with a birdie-four at the first playoff hole. Sifford recorded a hole-in-one in the first round. [Almaden CC, San Jose, CA; now called Almaden G&CC].
The Sentry: known for many years as the Tournament of Champions, the PGA Tour’s 2025 season-opener gets underway on Kapalua’s Plantation course (Jan 2-5). Chris Kirk defends.
Tournament of Champions: the LPGA Tour’s 2025 season is launched at Lake Nona with the their Tournament of Champions (Jan 30-Feb 2). The 2024 edition gave Lydia Ko her 20th LPGA Tour title.
Attahya Thitikul: also known as “Jeeno”, the Thai golfer won the LPGA Tour’s 2024 CME Group Tour Championship … and an eye-watering $4 million, the richest first-prize in women’s golf.
Rory McIlroy: scooped the 2024 European (DP World) Tour season-long Order of Merit title, joining Seve Ballesteros as a six-time winner of this prestigious award.
Marco Simone Golf & Country Club: With a clubhouse that might befit a Roman Emperor, and a golf course to match, you can be sure of a memorable outing at Rome's most talked about golf facility.
Jim Fazio's original layout was much changed to create a modern Ryder Cup course ... now one of the Eternal City's (and Italy's) most revered.
Here at Prince’s Golf Club you'll find 27 excellent holes of links golf. Just over the fence and sharing similar terrain is Royal St George’s; but Prince’s is far from overshadowed by its venerable neighbour. The three nine-hole loops at Prince's, laid out over gently undulating terrain, are sure to bring a smile of satisfaction to all lovers of links golf.
Stay&Play at Prince's: excellent onsite Lodge accommodation available
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