Charlie Sifford, the first African-American to play the PGA Tour and the first black golfer to be enshrined at the World Golf Hall of Fame, will be recognized for his career achievements by the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association at their 57th National Awards Dinner on Monday, June 23, 2008 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, N.Y. Sifford will receive the Gold Tee Award, the MGWA's highest honor.
Sifford is credited with breaking down golf's "Caucasian only" rule more than four decades ago. In 1961, at age 39, he earned his PGA player card. Sifford had won the United Golf Association's National Negro Open six times, including five consecutive titles from 1952-56, and in 1967 he became the first African-American to win a Tour event when he shot a 64 in the final round of the Greater Hartford Open. His only other PGA Tour victory came at the 1969 Los Angeles Open. In 1975, Sifford, one of the original members of the Champions Tour, captured the PGA Seniors' championship. In 1980, he also registered a win at the Suntree Classic in Melbourne, Australia.
Tiger Woods said of Sifford: "The pain, suffering and sacrifice experienced by Mr. Sifford in being a lonely pioneer for black golfers on the PGA Tour will never be forgotten by me. His success and personal conduct will provide a blueprint and inspiration for myself and other aspiring black tour players."
Sifford joins a group of distinguished individuals who have received the Gold Tee Award. The list includes Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Byron Nelson, Sam Snead, Patty Berg, Nancy Lopez, Annika Sorenstam, Bob Hope and President Gerald R. Ford.
The MGWA's National Awards Dinner is the largest (and longest running) golf dinner held annually in the U.S. All of golf's governing bodies actively support the dinner - the USGA, PGA of America, LPGA, PGA Tour and Champions Tour - and some 700 industry leaders and local golfers attend. Proceeds from the dinner are distributed to the Metropolitan (New York) area caddie scholarship programs and the MGA Foundation. More than $900,000 has been raised over the years for charitable endeavors.
For advance table and ticket sales reservations or additional information, call Ann Rold at 914/347-4653
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