Sifford, first black PGA golfer, dies at 92

Charlie Sifford, who broke the colour barrier in American golf, has died aged 92.

PGA of America announced his demise which occured on Tuesday night, though, no cause of death was given.

Its president, Derek Sprague, called Sifford “an uncommon and faithful servant.”

“His love of golf, despite many barriers in his path, strengthened him as he became a beacon for diversity in our game,” Sprague said.

“By his courage, Dr. Sifford inspired others to follow their dreams. Golf was fortunate to have had this exceptional American in our midst.”

Sifford was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, and learned the game as a caddy. He turned pro at the age of 17 and won five consecutive Negro National Opens on the United Golf Association Tour.

Sifford was not satisfied with that and always wanted to mingle with whites and rival Jackie Robinson, who, in 1946, became the first black man to play Major League Baseball.

In his autobiography, Just Let Me Play, Sifford talks of meeting Robinson.

“He asked me if I was a quitter,” Sifford wrote.

“I told him no. He said, ‘If you’re not a quitter, you’re probably going to experience some things that will make you want to quit.’”

While taking part in the 1952 Phoenix Open – one of the few events open to black golfers at the time – Sifford found human faeces in the cup on the first green.

As if that was not enough to discourage him, he received death threats over the phone in the 1961 Greater Greensboro Open, in which he finished fourth.

His performance earned him a PGA Tour card, after the tour revoked its ‘Caucasian-Only’ clause.

Sifford won twice on both the PGA Tour and the Champions Tour.

In 2004 he became the first African-American to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

The one goal that eluded Sifford was playing at Augusta National, which did not invite its first black player until Lee Elder in 1975.

Tiger Woods, the first black golfer to win at Augusta, said he probably wouldn’t be playing golf it wasn’t for the likes of Sifford.

“It’s not an exaggeration to say that without Charlie, and the other pioneers who fought to play, I may not be playing golf,” Woods said in an email to The Associated Press late last year.

“My pop likely wouldn’t have picked up the sport, and maybe I wouldn’t have either.”

In 2000, Sifford said he was proud of the role in played in making the PGA Tour accessible to African-Americans.

“If I hadn’t acted like a professional when they sent me out, if I did something crazy, there would never be any blacks playing,” he said.

“I toughed it out. I’m proud of it. All those people were against me, and I’m looking down on them now.”

In 2014, Sifford became only the third golfer – behind Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer – to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honour that can be bestowed upon a US citizen.