Two-time NBA MVP Stephen Curry is known for making shots on the basketball court. This week, however, he made an attempt to make shots on the golf course. Curry kept the big numbers off his scorecard in Round 2 of the Web.com Tour's Ellie Mae Classic, but it wasn't enough for him to stick around for the weekend. Michael Collins tracked Steph Curry's rounds from start to finish.
Friday: Second Round
Curry entered the day tied for 142nd place. The top 65 and ties from the 156-player field make the cut.
Unfortunate two putt bogey on the last hole and Steph Curry's debut as a pro golfer comes to and end. 74-74 won't be close to making the cut but both Curry and the pros he played against have to be pleasantly surprised at the results.
Stephen Curry has the honor on the 18th tee box and hammers a perfect drive up the right side of the fairway. Walking up to the tee Curry told me, "I got my own tournament going on in my head!"
BOUNCE BACK BIRDIE!!! Steph Curry makes a 12' putt on the 17th hole to get back to +3 on the day and +7 total. What's amazing? Curry is currently -1 on the back nine playing the 18th hole!
Before playing the 14th hole there was a backup on the tee. The talk turned to what players had been saying about Steph Curry's game. "Hey Mike, who was that said they'd eat their golf bag if I broke 80 today?" Steph asked me. "Dawie van der Walt!" I replied. Curry just parred the 15th, then made bogey at the par three 16th. With two holes to play he's +4 on the day, +8 total.
FIRST BIRDIE!! Steph Curry makes birdie on the driveable par four 14th hole. A spectacular bunker shot set up the 10' effort. That takes Curry back to +3 on the day and +7 for the tournament.
Beautiful setting at the par three 12th hole, the shot from Steph Curry ended up in the bunker. Fantastic bunker shot leaves a tap in par. That's three straight pars to start the back nine.
"Bout damned time!" Curry said as we fist bumped walking off the 11th tee. An absolutely crushed driver right down the middle of the fairway PAST the two pro's drives. That golf ball in the middle? Steph Curry's best chance at birdie so far in round two. Alas, the putt came up inches short! No birdies yet on Friday.
As Steph Curry makes the turn at +4 for the day and +8 for the tournament I'd say there's a different vibe today than on Thursday. Almost as if the adrenaline crash from round 1 set in early. Huge crowds out following but not as much chatter.
Tough stretch of golf for Steph Curry. Bogeys at the par three 2nd hole and this par saving miss at that par five 3rd puts Curry +2 on the day and +6 for the tournament.
The struggles continue for Steph Curry. After a nice par at the 5th hole (missing a 12' birdie chance), Curry suffered his first three putt of the week at the par three 6th for another bogey. Steph is +3 on the day and +7 overall.
Two putt par on the first hole for Steph Curry while his playing competitors (Stephan Jaeger and Sam Ryder) both make birdies. Quick story on Curry's putter he's used so brilliantly this week, it was a gift Justin Thomas after seeing what he was putting with at the celebrity event in Tahoe.
First tee jitters? Not today! As we walked off the first tee after a perfect tee shot Steph Curry says to me, "MUCH better today!" We chatted about how much less the nerves were and how excited he feels about round two.
If Steph Curry needs any motivation for Friday's second round; Dawie van der Walt just told me on the driving range that he would EAT HIS OWN GOLF BAG, if Curry broke 80 again today. Sounds like a challenge to me!
Good news for Steph Curry... perfect weather conditions mean they're GOING LOW!! Andrew Yun shot a -7 (28) on the front nine. Curry will try to better his first round 74 starting at 2:15pm PT.
Chef Curry at the Ellie Mae Classic
Michael Collins is ready for Steph Curry's 2nd round at the Ellie Mae Classic. Are you???
Thursday: First Round
Curry, paired with Sam Ryder and Stephan Jaeger, started the round on the 10th tee. He eventually shot a 4-over 74.
Stephen Curry starts his day on the practice green before his first round of the Web.com Tour. When I asked him how he was feeling as we walked to the practice tee he said, "Refreshed." The big news for Curry is that he's made a last minute golf ball switch from TaylorMade to Titleist.
"On the first tee..." Stephen Curry's pro golf debut starts with a 3 wood off the 10th tee at the Ellie Mae Classic .
OF COURSE his first shot would find the bottom of a cup... holder in a golf cart left!! Steph Curry went on to make a very good bogey on his first hole (#10 at TPC Stonebrae). Steph told me, "I was gods right up until they said, 'From Alameda, California...' then I couldn't feel my hands!"
Stephen Curry has a smaller golf bag than the one he used on Tuesday. I asked Johnny West (Jerry's son) Steph's caddie about it, "I told him on the 17th hole on Tuesday, 'We did great things with that small bag at the Reno tournament, let's keep it going!' It worked."
Stephen Curry has the honor on the tee box! He was absolutely giddy telling me about how he and his caddie realized it after making a par on the 12th hole, there's a small wait on the par five 13th tee.
I was wrong the 13th hole is a converted par five playing this week as a par four. Steph Curry will have a 4' putt to save par and stay at +1 for the tournament.
After missing a 4' par save on the 14th hole Steph Curry hits a perfect drive, then a perfect layup. His approach shot at the par five 15th hole (his sixth of the day) gives Curry his first really good birdie chance!
FIRST BIRDIE for Steph Curry happens at the par five 15th!! Small celebration, but a celebration none the less with his caddie! That birdie also move Curry back to +2 thru his first six holes. The lead is -5.
After a nice two putt par on the 16th hole I asked Steph Curry walking to the 17th tee how that first birdie felt. "Great!" He said with a huge sigh as well. "The adrenaline rushes..." we laughed and talked about the highs and lows during a round. Seems as if Curry has found his comfort zone on the course.
"Chef" Curry aka 14 year old Arik Oswald following his favorite basketball player around the golf course!
Just talked to pro Peter Tomasulo playing in the group in front of Steph Curry and he said, "Mike, we should have a celebrity playing every week out here." I asked him if the crowd has had any bad moments, "Nah, only a media member with a cart!" Tomasulo said with a sly smile towards me.
Through the opening nine holes in his Web.com Tour debut, Steph Curry is 2-over, carding one birdie and three bogeys. How does that stack up against the competition? Well, he's just two shots behind one playing partner, Stephan Jaeger, who shot 58 at this event last year, and one behind the other, Sam Ryder, who is currently second on the tour's money list.
Huge par save at the 18th hole for Steph Curry! As the ball went in the hole he even gave the Tiger Woods fist pump before this wave to the crowd after getting the ball from the hole. Curry makes the turn at +2 for the tournament hitting 3 of 7 fairways, 3 of 9 greens, but 13 putts!!
Pros Peter Tomasulo and Alex Franklin along with his caddie, stand on the par five 3rd tee watching Steph Curry try to get up and down to save par at the 2nd hole. Curry was not successful, moving to +3 for the tournament. Both players watching told me how impressed they were with Curry's score through 10 holes.
First really bad drive on the par four 5th hole as Steph Curry hits it in the hazard left. Takes a penalty drop and faces an 8' bogey putt.
After making double bogey at the par four 5th hole. Steph Curry hits a 7 iron to just over 25' at the par three 6th and DRAINS IT!! He does the Jordan Spieth move to his caddie saying, "Go get that!!" Back to +3 for the tournament.
Only one player in the group found the fairway on the 465 yard par four 8th hole... Steph Curry. Three birdies so far in the day shattered the over/under 2.5 birdies for the WEEK as does the low score on the card being a 3. Curry made a 2 on the par three 6th.
Steph Curry shoots a +4 (74) in his opening round at the Web.com Tour's Ellie Mae Classic. His playing competitors Stephan Jaeger shot -3 (67) while San Ryder shot +5 (75). Curry made three birdies on the day to go against the five bogeys and a double. All day Curry was loose relaxed and now a lot of people, pros included, are having to eat a lot of crow.
Tuesday: Practice round
At this week's Web.com Tour event Steph Curry will be playing on a sponsor exemption. He's playing Callaway woods and irons, including this wedge with his pre game saying on it. He's using a Scotty Cameron putter.
Pretty silky smooth swing for a guy coming off a trip from China! Steph Curry gearing up for his pro golf debut, on the practice range before heading out to the course (TPC Stonebrae).
Steph Curry (getting the ball out of the hole) just told me that he's never seen it this clear up here at TPC Stonebrae. With no wind at all, Curry has played five holes so far and has been hitting the ball very solidly.
Trying to show everyone the beauty of this place, instead I get photobombed by golfers Taylor Moore and Nick Rousey. Well if it's all going there, might as well make fun of writer Marcus Thompson's outfit and let Steph Curry get in on it!!
Steph Curry signing autographs after his practice round at the Ellie Mae Classic
Taylor Moore and his caddie just played a practice round with Steph Curry. Something surprised him about the NBA stars' game.
After Tuesday's practice round with Steph Curry, Nick Rousey has a prediction that will floor many of his fellow tour pros!