Charlie Sifford

Charles Luther Sifford (June 2, 1922 – February 3, 2015) was an American professional golfer. Early in his career, he won a number of All-Negro events, winning the United Golf Association's National Negro Open six times. Later in his career, he was permitted to play on the PGA Tour, winning two events, the 1967 Greater Hartford Open and the 1969 Los Angeles Open. His huge influence was later acknowledged by Tiger Woods: without Sifford, "I probably wouldn't be here. My dad would have never picked up the game. Who knows if the clause would still exist or not? But he broke it down."

Early life and amateur career

Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1922. He began work as a caddy at the age of thirteen. He often played at Philadelphia's Cobbs Creek Golf Course, a public facility that did not restrict players based on race, gender, or ethnicity.

Professional career

In 1948, Sifford turned professional. 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.

In 1957, Sifford won the Long Beach Open, which was not an official PGA Tour event, but was co-sponsored by the PGA and had some well-known white players in the field. Sifford competed at the 1959 U.S. Open for the first time and tied for 32nd place. He went on to win two official money events, the 1967 Greater Hartford Open and the 1969 Los Angeles Open, and finished in the top 60 in overall winnings in his first nine years as a member of the PGA Tour. He also won the 1963 Puerto Rico Open and the 1971 Sea Pines. He tied for 21st place at the 1972 U.S. Open, his best finish in a major tournament. He competed in the PGA Seniors' Championship, then the leading tournament for golfers over fifty, winning the event in 1975.

Immediately after his death, Tiger Woods, speaking to the Los Angeles Times, spoke of Sifford's significance. He referred to Sifford as "the Grandpa I never had." He stated without Sifford "I probably wouldn't be here. My dad would have never picked up the game. Who knows if the clause would still exist or not? But he broke it down." He chose Hall of Fame member South African Gary Player to present him for induction.

On June 22, 2006, he received an honorary degree from the University of St Andrews as a Doctor of Laws.
In 2007, he also received the 2007 Old Tom Morris Award from the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA), the GCSAA's highest honor.

In 2009, the Northern Trust Open created an exemption for a player who represents the advancement of diversity in golf; it is named in honor of Sifford and is referred to as the Charlie Sifford Exemption.

In 2011, Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation changed the name of Revolution Park Golf Course to Dr. Charles L. Sifford Golf Course at Revolution Park.

In 2014, President Barack Obama awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Professional wins (22)

PGA Tour wins (2)

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.

!Date

!Tournament

!Winning score

!Margin of<br>victory

!Runner-up

|align=center|1

|align=right|Aug 20, 1967

|Greater Hartford Open Invitational

|−12 (69-70-69-64=272)

|1 stroke

| Steve Oppermann

|align=center|2

|align=right|Jan 12, 1969

|Los Angeles Open

|−8 (63-71-71-71=276)

|Playoff

| Harold Henning

PGA Tour playoff record (1–0)

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result

|-style="background:#D0F0C0;"

|align=center|1

|1969

|Los Angeles Open

| Harold Henning

|Won with birdie on first extra hole

Other wins (12)

1952 UGA National Negro Open
1953 UGA National Negro Open
1954 UGA National Negro Open
1955 UGA National Negro Open
1956 UGA National Negro Open, Rhode Island Open
1957 Long Beach Open
1960 UGA National Negro Open, Almaden Open (unofficial win – one year before becoming a PGA Tour event)
1963 Puerto Rico Open
1971 Sea Pines
1975 Northern Ohio PGA Championship

Senior PGA Tour wins (1)

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"

!No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of<br>victory!!Runner-up

|align=center|1

|Nov 16, 1980

|Suntree Classic

|−9 (70-71-71-67=279)

|4 strokes

| Don January

Other senior wins (7)

1975 PGA Seniors' Championship – (5 years before becoming a Champions Tour event; the event is now a Champions Tour major)
1988 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Roberto De Vicenzo)
1989 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Roberto De Vicenzo)
1991 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Legendary Division (with Roberto De Vicenzo)
1998 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Joe Jimenez)
1999 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Joe Jimenez)
2000 Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf – Demaret Division (with Joe Jimenez)

Results in major championships

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1959

!1960

!1961

!1962

!1963

!1964

!1965

!1966

!1967

!1968

!1969

|align=left|U.S. Open

|T32

|T46

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T43

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|27

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T32

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T33

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T59

|CUT

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;"

!Tournament

!1970

!1971

!1972

!1973

!1974

!1975

!1976

!1977

!1978

!1979

!1980

|align=left|U.S. Open

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T49

|T21

|CUT

|60

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|align=left|PGA Championship

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|T48

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

|style="background:#eeeeee;"|

|CUT

CUT = missed the half-way cut<br>

"T" indicates a tie for a place<br>

Note: Sifford never played in the Masters Tournament or The Open Championship.