Charlie Sifford
| Charlie Sifford | |
|---|---|
| — Golfer — | |
.JPG)
Sifford in 1961
|
|
| Personal information | |
| Full name | Charles Luther Sifford |
| Born |
June 2, 1922 Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Died |
February 3, 2015 (aged 92) Cleveland, Ohio |
| Nationality |
 United States
|
| Residence | Brecksville, Ohio |
| Career | |
| Turned professional | 1948 |
| Former tour(s) |
PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | 22 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 2 |
| PGA Tour Champions | 1 |
| Other | 19 |
| Best results in major championships |
|
| Masters Tournament | DNP |
| U.S. Open | T21: 1972 |
| The Open Championship | DNP |
| PGA Championship | T33: 1965 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| World Golf Hall of Fame | 2004 (member page) |
| Old Tom Morris Award | 2007 |
| Presidential Medal of Freedom |
2014 |
Charles Luther Sifford (June 2, 1922 – February 3, 2015) was a professional golfer who was the first African American to play on the PGA Tour. He won the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. He also won the United Golf Association's National Negro Open six times, and the PGA Seniors' Championship in 1975.
For his contributions to golf, Sifford was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. He was awarded the Old Tom Morris Award in 2007, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014, and an honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews. Lee Trevino referred to Sifford as the "Jackie Robinson" of golf, and Tiger Woods acknowledged that Sifford paved the way for his career.
Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina in 1922. He began work as a caddy at the age of thirteen. He moved to Philadelphia when he was 17 years old, where he played against local black golfers.
Sifford began golfing professionally in 1948. He competed in the golf tournaments that black golfers organized for themselves as they were excluded from the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA). Sifford won the United Golf Association's National Negro Open six times, including consecutive wins from 1952 through 1956. Sifford later worked as a valet and golf instructor to the singer Billy Eckstine, who also financially supported his career when he was unable to find sponsorship.
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Wikipedia