FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 7th, 2021

STEPH CURRY JOINS HOSTS DOUG SMITH AND WILL LOWERY ON SPECIAL MASTERS EPISODE OF “BEYOND THE FAIRWAY” PODCAST

“We’re trying to fill that gap and be that support that can create a pipeline and get more representation on tour.”– Curry on How His SC30 Brand will Impact Golf

 “I was so excited that you used your platform, you used your own cash to really prop up this university.” – Smith on Curry Funding Howard University’s Golf Program

“It is unbelievable…It’s heaven.” – Curry on Augusta National Golf Club

Video of Episode Available Tonight on GOLF Channel Digital Platforms and On-Demand on Peacock Beginning Friday

STAMFORD, Conn. – April 7, 2021 – Three-time NBA champion and two-time NBA MVP Steph Curry joined co-hosts Doug Smith and Will Lowery on the latest episode of Beyond The Fairway podcast. In a special Masters edition of the weekly podcast, Curry discusses how he started playing golf as a kid with his dad, his work in funding Howard University’s golf program, his memorable first experience playing Augusta National Golf Club, and more.

The complete episode can be heard here. Video clips starring Curry, Smith and Lowery will be available tonight on GOLF Channel digital platforms, and the full interview will be available on-demand on Peacock beginning this Friday, April 9.

The Beyond The Fairway podcast aims to examine golf from different perspectives through interviews with celebrities, athletes and golf influencers and expanding the reach of the game. Previous episodes have featured NBA Hall of Famer Ray Allen, Pro Football Hall of Famer Marcus Allen, Grammy-award winning rapper Macklemore, Tiger Woods’ former coach Sean Foley, among others.

The following are highlights from Curry on “Beyond the Fairway”:

Curry on how he started playing golf: “It was always just my go-to in between obviously school, basketball, I played AAU baseball around the time I started playing golf, but it was really chasing my dad. Anytime he had a free moment, he was going out to the course. So, I started out just driving the cart with a little sawed-off putter…I eventually found the game for myself, started to play, obviously basketball from the time I was 13, which was the only sport I really played. It was the focus, but I was always searching for that free couple of hours to go to the course and play.”

Curry: “In high school, in the spring after high school basketball season right before AAU, I was on the school golf team for three years – my freshman, sophomore and senior years. So, that’s like a little known fact…I didn’t know what I was doing my first two years that I was out there, but my senior year I was the No. 1. So let’s say we didn’t go that far if I’m the No. 1 in high school, but it was nice to claim that spot.”

Curry on how his SC30 brand will impact the game of golf: “As you start to ask questions and do your homework on where the opportunity gap is in the game and getting more representation in the game, that’s what we’re trying to do…There’s so much talent at that early stage, especially in the black community and underrepresented communities. They get left behind because of access and support and equipment and coaching and even just the access to get to courses and just play and be around the right people, and so we’re trying to fill that gap and be that support that can create a pipeline and get more representation on tour.”

Smith to Curry on his funding to help Howard University’s golf program: “As a person that understands the financial strain of HBCU golf, having been on both sides of the ball – high-level D1 and high-level HBCU – we know the strains. When those announcements came out, just brother to brother, I was so excited. I was so excited that you used your platform, you used your own cash to really prop up this university.”

Curry on his first experience playing Augusta National Golf Club: “In 2015 after we won our first championship…myself and Andre Iguodala, the two biggest golfers on the team at the time, we didn’t need any extra motivation chasing the ring, but coach (Steve Kerr) told us, ‘Guys, if we win this championship, we have an invite and can celebrate at Augusta.’ We were both like, ‘What?’”

Curry on Augusta National Golf Club: “It is unbelievable. It’s wild because you know every hole already, you’ve seen it over and over again…It’s heaven.”

Curry on his prediction for this weekend’s Masters: “It’s tough. I’ve been thinking about it for a little bit, and to be honest, I like what Jordan Spieth is doing right now. He’s playing well enough to be in contention every week…I like where’s he at right now.”

Curry on if he could’ve had a professional golf career had he dedicated himself to the sport: “The thoughts do kind of rattle around in there if golf was the main thing…So, who knows? We’ll never know. I feel like I would’ve been scratching the surface. Let’s say the grind and the will that I have in basketball, I could take it out there and figure it out, so it’s a good alternate ending. I don’t know. We’ll never see that movie.”

Lowery to Curry: “I think we all want to know…When the sun sets on your (basketball) career, will you make a real push to try to get on some type of tour?”

Curry: “We’ll do another Beyond The Fairway with Ayesha (Curry) and we’ll ask that question.”

The Beyond The Fairway podcast is available for download on all major podcast platforms including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn, and iHeart.

Beyond The Fairway is part of NBC Sports’ slate of podcasts spanning the NFL, the NHL, NASCAR and other motorsports, MLB, the NBA, golf, rugby, and more.

–NBC SPORTS–