KPMG will be the title sponsor for Stephen Curry's Underrated Golf program to advance equity, access and opportunity for underrepresented youth in the world of golf.
Underrated Golf, which launched its inaugural season last year, aims to give more space to student-athletes from underrepresented communities in competitive golf. Created by nine-time NBA All-Star Stephen Curry, who's also an avid golf player, the business operation partnered with KPMG to promote the opportunities the game brings through a tournament, but also a mentoring and leadership development program for the participating youth.
"As we enter our second year, we are driven to open more doors for diverse players and balance participation in the sport to truly reflect our society," said Curry in a statement. "Through our partnership with KPMG and Mariah Stackhouse as a brand ambassador, this program is reinforcing what a role model looks like and empowering young girls interested in golf, by letting them know the game has a place for them."
Stackhouse, who became the seventh Black player to earn LPGA status in 2017, will serve as an Underrated Golf brand ambassador for the 2023 season, where she'll host the "KPMG Leadership Day" to take place at the season-ending Curry Cup.
According to KPMG managing director Shawn Quill, the event will be a classroom experience focused on leadership and affirmation-building skills based on the KPMG curriculum. Quill said the tournament is about preparing these students, who are between 12 and 18 years old, for what lies ahead both in college and the competitive world.
Stackhouse had already taken part in several KPMG initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion in the past, such as one of the
"I remember watching and thinking: This is just what we were looking for, to get involved in an incredibly impactful and meaningful event within the junior golf space, which I think will have incredible impacts and effects down the line," said Stackhouse. "It allows us to reach into the pipeline, get the kids when they're junior golfers, provide them with new experiences, and really invest in them as both athletes and future leaders."
At each Underrated Golf tour stop, 60 athletes will participate in tournament-style events and team-building activities while simultaneously networking with college golf coaches and golf executives. Ultimately, 24 of the best boys and girls will emerge from the tour to compete at the season-ending Curry Cup. The tour will give many young golfers their first opportunity to play at prestigious courses, with four tour stops in Florida, Ohio, Nevada and Washington from July 25 to August 9.
A golfer's journey
A Stanford University graduate, Stackhouse led her college team to victory during the 2015 NCAA Women's Golf Championships and won more than 100 tournaments as a junior golfer. She remembers her parents writing her affirmation letter when she was very young, offering her guidance on who she wanted to be in the world, how she should to treat herself, and how to treat others. As she went further into her golf journey, her parents later added another paragraph specifically dedicated to the field, which Stackhouse said helped her arrive where she is today.
"This, to me, is one of the most important and fundamental tools that my parents gave me, and it instilled so much self-worth, value, confidence and passion to be a good person, both as an athlete and as a person," she said. "And I'm really excited to share that journey with the kids and help them develop their own self-affirmations. They are in middle and high school, which are incredibly important, oftentimes challenging years for a developing young person who is trying to find themselves."
Furthermore, she sees a lot of value in participating in this event beyond being part of a competition. Stackhouse said that golf taught her about accountability, planning, work ethic, punctuality and discipline, which she believes she may not have necessarily found in another setting.
For Stackhouse, diversifying sports means allowing underrepresented young people to partake in that journey and capitalize on their own momentums as well.
She noted that only a small number of high school or college athletes will become professional players, meaning these important values will eventually be carried into the workplace. These diverse talents will move on in their lives with what they've learned from these opportunities and about themselves through sports, and their experience will end up contributing to society and the world. As a result, Stackhouse sees events like the Curry Cup as a chance to create a well-rounded and equitable community with strong beliefs and hope for the future.
KPMG's commitment
"Throughout
This is not the firm's first attempt at investing in the future of students, as all the net proceeds from the KPMG Women's PGA Championship went to the
Quill said that 75% of the beneficiaries of this program are from racially diverse backgrounds and it is part of KPMG's commitment to promoting equity in the workplace. Likewise, he sees the Underrated Golf event as an opportunity for young people from underrepresented backgrounds to form strong community bonds with other like-minded and ambitious students in a welcoming and engaging environment.
"For Mariah and Stephen Curry to step up in this way together is just so powerful, and I think for the kids to see both a man and a woman as these role models is very inspiring," said Quill. "At KPMG, we're thrilled about what these two athletes are doing to pave the way for more equity and better representation moving forward. We think it's really needed in the world of golf, and we're really proud to be part of it."
