HAYWARD: Most summers were the same for Stephen Curry growing up.
When his father, 16-year NBA veteran Dell Curry, would finally hang up his basketball sneakers for the season, he'd usually venture out to the nearest North Carolina golf course to try his hand at another sport. And his son Steph could almost always be found along for the ride.
"When I was young my dad was just getting into the game as well," Steph recalled.
"And he would take me around. I'd drive the golf cart, chip and putt, learn the ropes, and eventually built some momentum and passion and a love for it myself. And [then] I was dragging him to the course."
Curry would eventually follow in his father's footsteps. Not just on the hardwood, where he's become a three-time NBA champion and two-time MVP, but on the course, as well.
Curry's love for golf will be on display next week in Hayward, California, where for the second straight season the Golden State Warriors guard will play in the Web.com Tour's Ellie Mae Classic.
The tournament, hosted by TPC Stonebrae, will be played the week of Aug 6-12.
"The players on the Web.com Tour welcomed me with open arms in 2017, and it was an amazing experience to play with up-and-coming PGA Tour stars inside the ropes at TPC Stonebrae," Curry said.
"I have been fortunate to be a member of an incredible team in the Golden State Warriors, and I was elated to feel that same level of camaraderie onsite last year. Golf is a game that has provided wonderful experiences in my life, and I am excited to return to the Ellie Mae Classic in August."
Curry made his Web.com Tour debut at the event's 2017 edition, posting rounds of 74-74 for a total of 148 (eight-over) while drawing tournament-record crowds.
For 2018, Curry will again maintain his amateur status in the event and will compete on an unrestricted sponsor exemption.
"We are thrilled to announce that Stephen Curry will once again compete in the Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae," said tournament director Trish Gregovich.
"His debut in 2017 was a tremendous success for our event and brought countless new golf fans to the Web.com Tour. Stephen is a role model for kids around the world and a pillar of the Bay Area community, and we are honoured to have him play alongside the game's rising stars in 2018."
Curry, a member of the Warriors since 2009, won the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award in both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons and has appeared in the last four NBA Finals, helping lead the team to championships in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
The 30-year-old is also currently the Warriors' all-time leader in three-pointers made and owns four of the top five single-season three-point totals in NBA history, including a record 402 three-pointers in 2015-16.
Curry has been selected to four All-NBA teams and has been a starter on the Western Conference All-Star team in each of the last five seasons.
Over the last two years, the Ellie Mae Classic has delivered one of the most memorable weeks of the Web.com Tour season.
In 2016, Germany's Stephan Jaeger posted a PGA Tour-record 58 in the opening round on his way to a record-setting 30-under-par 250 total and a seven-shot victory.
Last year, Curry's debut generated over 4,500 articles in 64 countries, while Martin Piller earned his sixth Tour title by one shot over Brandon Harkins.
"The Ellie Mae family welcomes Stephen back to the Ellie Mae Classic. He's a champion on the court and we look forward to seeing that Warriors spirit on the green," said Jonathan Corr, president and CEO of Ellie Mae.
"With Steph joining the field, he'll play alongside some of the world's greatest golfers while bringing the sport of golf to Bay Area sports fans who might not have come out to watch the tournament in previous years. We're looking forward to a great event and to another great year supporting the tournament's tradition of philanthropy."
Curry calls himself a "golf junkie," immersing himself in the sport as often as possible. He once said he and his father watch and talk about golf more than basketball, somewhat surprising given what the latter has done for their respective careers.
Perhaps it's the adrenaline rush that comes with a critical birdie or a clutch par-save. "That's what golf brings you," he said. "It obviously humbles you as well, but you like those great moments you have."
He'll look for more great moments again at TPC Stonebrae, where he hopes to add yet another achievement to his ever-expanding trophy case.
"You kind of morph my two worlds, my love for golf and the competitive environment of being an athlete, and it's a pretty cool experience," he said. "The adrenaline rush is crazy out there."