Miles Bennett
Charlie Sifford, an American professional golfer, was the first black golfer to play on the PGA Tour. He was also the first African American to receive a PGA card, qualifying him for the professional golf tour. He began golfing professionally in 1948 and competed in golf tournaments that black golfers had organized 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 and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. Lee Elder, another African American golfer, was the first black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Charlie Sifford |
| Born | June 2, 1922 |
| Birthplace | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Died | February 3, 2015 |
| Race | African American |
| Career | Golfer |
| Awards | World Golf Hall of Fame (2004), Honorary doctorate from the University of St Andrews (2006), Old Tom Morris Award (2007), Presidential Medal of Freedom (2014) |
| Achievements | First African American to play on the PGA Tour, Won the Greater Hartford Open (1967), Won the Los Angeles Open (1969), Won the PGA Seniors' Championship (1975) |
| Legacy | Inspired and motivated other golfers, including Tiger Woods |
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What You'll Learn
Charlie Sifford: the first black golfer on the PGA Tour
Charles Luther Sifford, also known as Charlie Sifford, was the first African American golfer to play on the PGA Tour. Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1922, Sifford began working as a caddie at the age of thirteen. At seventeen, he moved to Philadelphia, where he played against local black golfers at Cobbs Creek Golf Course, which was open to black players.
Sifford began golfing professionally in 1948. He competed in golf tournaments that black golfers had 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 five consecutive wins from 1952 to 1956.
Sifford first attempted to qualify for a PGA Tour event at the 1952 Phoenix Open, using an invitation obtained by former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Joe Louis. However, he was subjected to threats and racial abuse at the tournament and others. In 1957, Sifford won the Long Beach Open, which was not an official PGA Tour event but was co-sponsored by the PGA and included some well-known white players.
At the end of the 1960 season, Sifford was given an "approved player" card, making him the first Black golfer to play on the PGA Tour in 1961. The PGA of America also struck down its Caucasian-only clause that year, and by 1964, Sifford was a full member of what is now the PGA Tour. During his time as a member, Sifford won two official money events: the 1967 Greater Hartford Open and the 1969 Los Angeles Open. He also won the Puerto Rico Open in 1963 and the Sea Pines tournament in 1971.
Sifford's barrier-breaking legacy has inspired many golfers, including Tiger Woods, who acknowledged that Sifford paved the way for his career. Woods even named his son Charlie after Sifford. In 2004, Sifford became the first African American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. He was also 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.
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Lee Elder: the first black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament
Robert Lee Elder was an American professional golfer. He was born in Dallas, Texas, in 1934, and grew up in poverty, becoming an orphan at the age of 12. Elder's passion for golf developed at an early age, and he frequently worked as a caddie. After serving in the U.S. Army from 1959 to 1961, he joined the United Golf Association (UGA) Tour for black players, as the Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA) excluded non-white players at the time.
During his time on the UGA Tour, Elder won 18 out of 22 tournaments. In 1967, he raised enough money to attend the PGA Tour's qualifying school, and the following year, he joined the PGA Tour. In 1974, Elder won his first PGA Tour event, the Monsanto Open, which earned him an invitation to the Masters Tournament in 1975.
Lee Elder became the first black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975, at the age of 40. His participation marked a significant moment in breaking racial barriers within the sport. Augusta National had never invited a black American golfer to compete in the Masters Tournament since its inception in 1934, despite not having an official clause barring black golfers. The tournament began to ease its entry requirements in the 1970s due to pressure from the civil rights movement, and Elder's victory in the Monsanto Open finally led to a black golfer being invited to the Masters.
In the lead-up to the tournament, Elder received a substantial amount of hate mail and even feared for his safety. He took precautions by renting two houses and constantly surrounding himself with people during the tournament week. Despite the challenges, Elder's presence in the Masters Tournament had a clear impact, paving the way for increased diversity in golf.
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Racism and exclusion in golf
Golf has historically been a predominantly white sport, with a long history of excluding Black golfers from participating in tournaments and memberships. The Professional Golfers' Association of America (PGA), for instance, excluded Black golfers from their association until 1961.
Charlie Sifford, the first African American to play on the PGA Tour, began golfing professionally in 1948. He initially competed in golf tournaments that Black golfers organized themselves due to their exclusion from the PGA. Sifford endured racial abuse and threats at tournaments, such as the 1952 Phoenix Open, which he entered with an invitation obtained by former World Heavyweight boxing champion Joe Louis. Despite the challenges, Sifford won several notable tournaments, including the Greater Hartford Open in 1967 and the Los Angeles Open in 1969. In 2004, he became the first African American inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, and he received numerous other accolades throughout his career.
Another notable Black golfer, Lee Elder, became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975. Prior to this, he had to endure racial discrimination, such as being forced to change in the parking lot at the Monsanto Open in 1968 because the club would not allow African Americans into their clubhouse. Elder also received substantial amounts of hate mail when he qualified for the Masters Tournament.
The experiences of Sifford and Elder are not isolated incidents. Racism and exclusion have been prevalent in golf, with golfers being banned from tournament participation and subjected to bigoted remarks. Even today, the number of Black golfers is declining, and the sport continues to struggle with diversity.
Efforts to address these issues include initiatives like the Summer Youth Golf Development Programs and the creation of the Charlie Sifford Exemption, which provides an exemption for a player promoting diversity in golf. While these steps are important, there is still much work to be done to transform the sport and make it more inclusive and accessible.
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Tiger Woods: one of the few black golfers to win on the PGA Tour
Tiger Woods is one of the few black golfers to win on the PGA Tour. Woods, whose mother is Thai, Chinese, and Dutch, and whose father is of African-American, European, and Native American descent, is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. He is tied for first in PGA Tour wins, and holds numerous golf records.
Woods became a professional golfer in 1996 at the age of 20. By the end of April 1997, he had won three PGA Tour events, in addition to his first major, the 1997 Masters, which he won by 12 strokes. He became the youngest golfer to achieve the Career Grand Slam at 24. Woods has won 82 official PGA Tour events, and is one of six players to have won all four professional major championships in his career. He is also the only golfer to have won all four majors in a row, accomplishing this feat in the 2000-2001 seasons.
Woods has faced and overcome numerous challenges throughout his career. University of California economist Jennifer Brown found that competitors scored worse when playing against Woods. Courses in the PGA Tour rotation added yardage to their tees in a strategy that became known as "Tiger-proofing", in an attempt to reduce the advantage of long hitters like Woods.
Before Woods, there were other black golfers who broke down barriers in the sport. Charlie Sifford, who began golfing professionally in 1948, 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. Sifford was subjected to racial abuse at tournaments and was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2004. Lee Elder, who passed away in 2021, was the first black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975. He was also the first black American golfer to qualify for the Ryder Cup in 1979.
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Renee Powell: the first Black woman to become a PGA of America Member
Charles Luther Sifford is regarded as the first Black golfer. He was an American professional golfer who became 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.
Renee Powell, the first Black woman to become a PGA of America Member, drew inspiration from Sifford's barrier-breaking legacy. Powell is an American professional golfer who played on the US-based LPGA Tour. She was the second African-American woman to compete on the LPGA Tour.
Powell was born in East Canton, Ohio, in 1946. She was raised on her family's golf course, which her father, William "Bill" Powell, built in 1946. Bill Powell was the first African American to create and build his own golf course in the US. Renee started playing golf at the age of three and won her first amateur tournament at the age of 12. By the time she was in her early teens, she had won over 30 tournaments.
In 1967, Powell joined the LPGA and turned professional. She moved to the UK in the 1970s to further her career and joined the British PGA. In 1977, she became the first woman to compete in a men's golf tournament, the Surrey PGA Championship. Powell faced numerous challenges as a Black woman in golf, including death threats, racial discrimination, and social exclusion.
Powell was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame in 2017, joining her father, who was also an inductee. She has been recognised with numerous awards, including the PGA of America First Lady of Golf Award, the LPGA Rolex For the Love of the Game Award, and the Black Enterprise Women of Power Award. In 2019, she was elected as the first at-large member of the PGA of America board of directors.
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Frequently asked questions
Charles Luther Sifford was the first Black golfer to get a PGA card, qualifying him for the Professional Golf Tour.
Sifford got his PGA card in 1961, a full decade after the colour barrier was broken in professional football, baseball and basketball.
Yes, Sifford experienced racism throughout his career, both before and after he joined the PGA Tour. He was subjected to threats and racial abuse at tournaments.
Golf is an expensive sport, and Sifford struggled to find sponsorship. He was supported financially by the singer Billy Eckstine, for whom he worked as a valet and golf instructor.
Robert Lee Elder became the first Black golfer to play in the Masters Tournament in 1975.
