Stephen Curry has already won the Ellie Mae Classic
Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors’ superstar, has already won in his pro golf debut at the Ellie Mae Classic after an impressive start.
Stephen Curry will not actually win the tournament. Being a golfer isn’t his primary job. He’s a basketball player with a love for golf.
His participation in the Ellie Mae Classic rubbed some people the wrong way. They felt like he was a novelty act that would deprive a worthy “serious” golfer of an opportunity to participate. Many assumed that despite the fact that he is a solid golfer for a hooper, he wouldn’t be able to deal with the difficult course or high-level competition.
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Curry proved them all wrong. Even if he has a poor Friday and his run ends, he’s already won. He doesn’t need to actually win the tournament to be a winner.
Mainstream expectations were low for Curry. He shot a 4-over-74 in the first round. He finished the day in front of some big name golfers and is right in the thick of it.
Not only did Curry not embarrass himself (which was a possibility, especially after his first shot landed in a golf cart’s cup holder), he impressed. He proved a lot of critics wrong. His strong performance proved that he has a place in the golf world.
Besides that, the star power he brings to the event is second-to-none. That spectacle would turn hardcore golf people off, but he let his game do the talking. He brought positive attention to the sport. Fans and sites (like ourselves) are paying attention to golf when they otherwise wouldn’t.
Curry showed that he’s a natural athlete. When he retires from basketball, you can bet he’ll be dedicating a lot of his time to perfecting his drives and putts. He also proved that he’s a winner.
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Curry doesn’t have to finish in first to win. He opened a lot of eyes and had a great debut. He’ll only get better the more he gets to practice.
Unfortunately for his golf career, his summers won’t be as long as the average NBA player’s summer. I think he’s OK with that tradeoff.