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With support from corporate partners, the inaugural season concluded with Curry Cup, naming Ashley Shaw and Roman Solomon the UNDERRATED Golf tour champions
In April, the inspiring lifestyle brand evolved its work to include the sport of golf, to empower underrated and underrepresented individuals in one of the most inaccessible sports
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Stephen Curry, the four-time NBA champion and two-time MVP, and his UNDERRATED brand wrapped up the inaugural season of UNDERRATED Golf on August 30, with the Curry Cup, a championship game that brought together twelve of the best boys and girls athletes across the country to play golf. The final tournament, held at TPC Harding Park in San Francisco, CA, named Ashley Shaw and Roman Solomon the respective winners of the girls' and boys' Curry Cup titles, and were crowned the UNDERRATED Golf tour champions.
Over the last few months, the mission-based enterprise has created opportunities for young athletes who may not otherwise have the chance to gain access to the sport and adjacent skills, by working with corporate partners and sponsors to provide training, equipment, networking events and more. This endeavor also allows young golfers to play on courses they would never have access to, all the while addressing the gender inequity within the sport of golf and beyond, ensuring young female players are given the same opportunities as their male counterparts.
"Golf has always been one of the most powerful vehicles to spark professional and social conversations," said Stephen Curry. "We've designed UNDERRATED Golf to do the same for underrepresented individuals who have never had true access to the sport, or the opportunity to receive the benefits that come with it. However, UNDERRATED Golf is so much more than just the sport. This special program is prioritizing off-course endeavors including special seminars that focus on a multitude of disciplines, with an emphasis on business ethics and various career opportunities across the golf industry and far beyond. Furthermore, our corporate partners have had a large hand in making the golf program all the more impactful for these athletes."
UNDERRATED Golf kicked-off its inaugural season in April with 136 junior golfers to compete in regional tournaments. In support of the tour, like-minded corporations poured time, money and resources into making this experience all the more worthwhile for these athletes. Best-in-class equipment for the golfers was provided by Callaway Golf, while transportation to the various golf clubs, including the final tournament at Curry Cup, was facilitated by United Airlines, and other impactful donations were made by CDW, Cisco, Google, 2K Foundations and Stephen's own Curry Brand with Under Armour.
Off the field, UNDERRATED Golf is advancing the lives of underrepresented communities outside of the sport, by creating an off-season curriculum for these same young athletes to take part in educational and career-building courses via Stephen's soon to be launched "Curry Academy." Beyond Curry Cup, all brand partners and sponsors will have a stake in the curriculum, whether it be through mentorships, internships, teaching seminars or experiential activations. Wiz Kid Learning, one of North America's leading coding & STEM education providers, will assist in developing a handful of these educational programs.
"Every single one of our brand partners has had an integral role in the success of this program, whether behind the scenes or first-hand," said Will Lowery, UNDERRATED Golf Professional and Tour Ambassador. "We wouldn't be able to accomplish nearly as much with the tour, and certainly not the curriculum that's happening postseason, without their financial and in-kind support, resources and overall guidance."
Looking ahead, UNDERRATED Golf will grow the participant pool each year, ultimately having a global footprint with the world's best prospects and building on the success of UNDERRATED as a whole.
UNDERRATED is a culmination of Curry's inspiring journey to the top as he defied the odds, breaking basketball stereotypes and reminding people that being the best is not about being the strongest, fastest and tallest, but about being grounded in your potential, committed to your craft and, ultimately, undeterred.
Please clickhere for the quote bank provided by UNDERRATED Golf's corporate partners.
About UNDERRATEDUNDERRATED is an inspiring lifestyle brand with a mission to empower underrated and underrepresented individuals all over the world. With a passion for celebrating the underdog, UNDERRATED echoes this message across three main categories including experiences, media and physical product. The brand, which was established by Stephen Curry in 2019, draws on the revered NBA Champion's personal story as an underappreciated three-star athlete in high school who always stood in the shadows of his peers. As a powerful culmination of this inspiring journey to the top, UNDERRATED is committed to opening doors for often-overlooked student-athletes by developing impactful basketball programming, and fostering a platform for visibility through the UNDERRATED Championships, which create opportunities for players to be recognized by key figures. Based in the Bay Area, UNDERRATED is a mindset, a motivation, a calling, a compliment. For more information, please visit www.stayunderrated.com, and connect on social media via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
About Stephen CurryStephen Curry's on and off court legacy is underscored by transformation and innovation. Widely regarded as the greatest shooter in NBA history, Stephen is point guard for the Golden State Warriors where his 13-year career is marked by many firsts. He was the first person to be named Most Valuable Player by unanimous vote in NBA history, the first player to hit 100 3-pointers in the NBA Finals, one of a select few to win MVP awards two years in a row, remains the all-time leading scorer in Golden State Warriors history and recently surpassed former record-holder Ray Allen for most 3-pointers made in NBA history. He holds eight NBA All-Star selections and three NBA Championships. Beyond the game of basketball, Stephen is an emerging figure in Silicon Valley, investing in innovative consumer and enterprise tech companies. He is the CEO of SC30 Inc. (SC30), a purpose-driven company which focuses on the athlete's off-court endeavors spanning brand partnerships, media, investments and philanthropy. In 2020, he launched Curry Brand, a purpose-driven legacy brand powered by Under Armour, with a mission to open doors for underrepresented youth and increase access for sports across the country. In 2019, Stephen and Ayesha Curry launched Eat. Learn. Play. Foundation (ELP) an organization dedicated to unleashing the potential of every child and making a positive impact for generations to come. Rooted in three of the most vital pillars for a healthy childhood—nutrition, education and physical activity—ELP is designed to ensure an equal road to success for all kids. Additionally, Stephen co-founded Unanimous Media with a goal to elevate diverse voices and shine a light on compelling narratives focused on family, sports and faith-based content for all platforms.
About 2K Foundations2K Foundations, the philanthropic arm of 2K that supports and inspires underserved communities by directly investing in local enrichment programs, has unveiled its latest project. Over the last year, 2K Foundations has grown its efforts to support a number of projects, representing communities around the globe and showcasing the program's expansion to include career and learning initiatives, expanded access to sports through golf clinics and tournaments, community enrichment opportunities through music and upgraded studios, and much more. Recent projects include a refurbished and redesigned basketball court at Sojourner Truth Academy in Minneapolis, Minnesota with 3x NBA All-Star and 2022 3-point contest champion Karl-Anthony Towns of the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the coming years, 2K Foundations will continue supporting international projects and investing in local communities by renovating fields in partnership with world-class artists and athletes. For more information on 2K Foundations, including current and upcoming projects, please visit the group's official website.
About Callaway GolfTopgolf Callaway Brands Corp. is an unrivaled tech-enabled Modern Golf and active lifestyle company delivering leading golf equipment, apparel, and entertainment, with a portfolio of global brands including Topgolf, Callaway Golf, TravisMathew, Toptracer, Odyssey, OGIO, Jack Wolfskin, and World Golf Tour ("WGT"). "Modern Golf" is the dynamic and inclusive ecosystem that includes both on-course and off-course golf. For more information, please visit ir.callawaygolf.com.
About CDWCDW Corporation (Nasdaq: CDW) is a leading multi-brand provider of information technology solutions to business, government, education and healthcare customers in the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 Index, CDW was founded in 1984 and employs approximately 15,000 coworkers. For the trailing twelve months ended September 30, 2022, CDW generated Net sales of approximately $24 billion. For more information about CDW, please visit www.CDW.com.
About CISCOCisco (NASDAQ: CSCO) is the worldwide leader in technology that powers the Internet. Cisco inspires new possibilities by reimagining your applications, securing your data, transforming your infrastructure, and empowering your teams for a global and inclusive future. Discover more on The Newsroom and follow us on Twitter at @Cisco.
Cisco and the Cisco logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Cisco and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Cisco's trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company.
About Curry BrandA partnership between Stephen Curry and Under Armour, Curry Brand is a purpose-led performance brand with a mission to ensure every young person has equitable access to sport, providing solutions that positively impact youth sports in under-resourced communities. It aims to provide youth with new apparel and equipment, access to mentors and coaches, and safe places to play. Curry Brand features footwear, apparel, and accessories across multiple categories including basketball and golf. Learn more at currybrand.com.
About United AirlinesUnited's shared purpose is "Connecting People. Uniting the World." From our U.S. hubs in Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark/New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., United operates the most comprehensive global route network among North American carriers. United is bringing back our customers' favorite destinations and adding new ones on its way to becoming the world's best airline. For more about how to join the United team, please visit www.united.com/careers and more information about the company is at www.united.com. United Airlines Holdings, Inc., the parent company of United Airlines, Inc., is traded on the Nasdaq under the symbol "UAL".
About Wiz Kid LearningWiz Kid Learning helps children everywhere pursue their goals and passions by equipping them with key technical and future-focused skills - all while having fun, learning from experts, and becoming part of a global community of like-minded learners. Wiz Kid Learning's online platform and community provides children with immersive, social, and interest-based live-online courses covering topics like coding, game design, 3D animation, entrepreneurship, and more. Through providing at-home learning experiences to families and partnering with forward-thinking and impact-driven organizations and brands, Wiz Kid Learning strives to give children everywhere access to inspiring educational experiences that expand their opportunities to succeed now and in the future. For more information, visit wizkidlearning.com or contact info@wizkidlearning.com.
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