Courtesy of Johnson C. Smith University
Johnson C. Smith University had the distinct honor of hosting the Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup at Quail Hollow Country Club on Monday.
“It’s amazing when you can be a part of the first of anything,” said men’s golf team member Isaiah Trollinger ’24. “To be a part of the first Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup and to have it in my home state of North Carolina is something that makes me excited.”
Though the excitement of the game came on Monday, the event kicked off Sunday with a welcome reception for the six teams competing, during which the Presidents Cup announced it would contribute $25,000 in donations to participating colleges and universities.
“On behalf of the Presidents Cup, we are thrilled to announce today’s donations to these tremendous HBCU programs ahead of what should be an exciting, first-of-its-kind event at Quail Hollow Club,” said 2022 Presidents Cup Chair Johno Harris. “Since day one, the goal for the Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup has been to create a showcase opportunity for these talented student-athletes, while honoring Dr. Sifford and his impact on our community and the professional sports landscape.”
“This unprecedented gift marks a commitment to HBCUs and the legacy of Dr. Charles L. Sifford, who broke color barriers in golf as the first Black man to play on the PGA TOUR,” added JCSU President Clarence D. Armbrister. “This show of support for our University and golf team is heartwarming, and we are thankful to the Presidents Cup and the PGA TOUR for these funds, which will help light a beacon of success for current and future Golden Bulls.”
In addition to the donation from the Presidents Cup, the PGA TOUR announced a $25,000 contribution to the Dr. Charles L. Sifford Scholarship, which helps fund college costs for students who attend a Historically Black College and University (HBCU), or for minority students focusing their education on a golf management program. The announcement comes on the heels of a 2022 campaign in which the TOUR has honored Dr. Sifford’s legacy through a number of initiatives at events spanning the country.
The Charlie Sifford Centennial Cup featured JCSU as well as Howard University, Florida A&M University, Alabama State University, Livingstone College and Texas Southern University. Coach William Watkins said he was most excited about the team’s opportunity to compete head-to-head with top HBCU golf talent. Players were divided by school into two teams of 12 with one named for Sifford’s son, Charlie Sifford, Jr., and the other for Charlotte native James Black, who played a key role as a trailblazer for Black golfers chasing their PGA TOUR dreams.
“I wanted our student-athletes to have fun,” he said. “We walked on hallowed ground, and we played the Green Mile. It was a tremendous experience that will last a life time.”
