With the 2024 Summer Olympics calling, Steph Curry will have to put his golf career on the back burner.
The Warriors superstar will be unable to defend his title at the American Century Championship in Lake Tahoe this summer as he will be competing for Team USA Basketball at the summer Olympics in Paris, with Curry expressing his disappointment in a statement released by the American Century Championship.
“I’m disappointed that I won’t be able to defend my title at the American Century Championship in Tahoe this summer, but the chance to represent my country and, hopefully, win an Olympic gold medal for the first time at the 2024 Games in Paris is an opportunity that I simply could not pass up,” Curry said.
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“I look forward to returning to the shores of Lake Tahoe and creating more memories next July and in subsequent years. In the interim, I know that Dell and Seth will represent the Curry family well in my absence, but if one of them doesn’t come home with another trophy for our mantel, I will be highly disappointed!”
While Curry has become a legendary player in the NBA, he has never represented his country at the Olympics, and the possibility of capturing a gold medal with coach Steve Kerr and the heavily favored USA squad was too good to pass up.
Jon Miller, NBC Sports Acquisitions and Partnerships president, understands that Curry cannot do both things and knows that the Golden State star will return to the celebrity golf tournament next year.
"Well, we've discovered that the only thing Stephen Curry can't do is be in two places at once," Miller said. "Obviously, the tournament and our fans are as disappointed as Steph that he can't be here, but representing our country at the Olympics and going for gold is a proud priority to support. We wish Team USA and our entire Olympic contingent well and look forward to having Steph defend his American Century title in 2025."
Golden State Warriors
Curry became the first active professional athlete to win the tournament in 23 years after his 2023 victory which saw the 36-year-old knock a hole-in-one and an 18-foot putt to win the competition on the final hole.
Situated at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course on the shores of Lake Tahoe, the 54-hole, three-day tournament runs through July 12-14 and has become one of the biggest celebrity competitions of the summer season.
Plenty of money is on the line with a $150,000 prize for first place and a total prize purse of $750,000 plus an additional prize component for charity.
For the past 34 years, the American Century Championship has been one of the premiere celebrity golf tournaments of the summer, having donated well over $8 million to national and local non-profits.