Renee Powell will be the first recipient of the World Golf Hall of Fame Charlie Sifford Award
LPGA Tour and instructor Renee Powell will be the first recipient of the Charlie Sifford Award, which will be presented annually by the World Golf Hall of Fame to honor those who have advanced diversity in golf.
Powell, who played in more than 250 professional tournaments and was the second African-American to play on the LPGA Tour, has been the head professional of the Clearview Golf Club in Ohio, which was established in 1946 by her father, William Powell, as the first U.S. golf course designed, built and owned by an African-American.
The club's Clearview Legacy Foundation also uses golf as a tool for educational resources for youth, minorities, veterans, seniors and other underrepresented groups.
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Powell will be honored during the 2022 Hall of Fame induction on March 9 during the week of The Players Championship. Also to be inducted are Tiger Woods, former PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem, Susie Maxwell Berning and Marion Hollins.
It will be the first Hall of Fame ceremony on the First Coast since 2013.
The Charlie Sifford Award is named for the World Golf Hall of Fame member who turned pro in 1948 but was excluded from the PGA Tour until 1961 and still endured racism throughout his career.
Sifford won twice and was among the top-60 on the money list in his first nine years on the Tour. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004 for his contributions in helping break the color barrier on the Tour and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2014, a year before he passed away.
Powell said in a statement that she had to battle many of the same obstacles as Sifford and credited her parents for their support and encouragement.
“As a youngster, my parents fought to get me into tournaments when I was not welcomed because of the color of my skin, which instilled in me how important it is to get young people into the game to help build their self-confidence,” she said. “I’m honored to be the first recipient of this award and to see Charlie Sifford be recognized for breaking down barriers that never should have been put in front of him and all others of color who strived to play this game. I was taught early on by my parents that golf should be a sport for everyone, and we can all diversify this game in so many ways.”
World Golf Hall of Fame CEO Greg McLaughlin said in a statement that the award and other exhibits in the past honoring African-American golfers will always be an important message at the Hall of Fame.
“The creation of this award will establish a platform for celebrating the significance of Charlie Sifford’s contributions to golf in the face of adversity,” McLaughlin said. “The Hall of Fame is committed to ensuring his legacy endures for future generations by recognizing others – like Renee Powell – who are devoted to making the sport a welcome environment for all.”
The Southern Company is the presenting sponsor for the award. It also sponsors the PGA Tour's Payne Stewart Award.
“On behalf of the Sifford family, we are immensely proud and honored to have this award established in my father’s name,” said Charles Sifford Jr., in a statement. “My father, my number one hero, simply wanted to play the game he loved so much and – in this pursuit – endured enormous challenges as an African American golfer. His skills, perseverance, grit, and determination propelled him to continue his dream."
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Renee Powell will be the first recipient of Hall of Fame's Charlie Sifford Award
