02/22/2026
Affectionately known as the Jackie Robinson of golf, Charlie Sifford is the first African American golfer to break the PGA color barrier.
He began his professional career racking up victories in non-PGA sponsored events, winning the Negro National Open title 6 times. Charlie made history in 1957 when he won the Long Beach Open, becoming the first Black golfer to defeat white players in a PGA-sponsored tournament. Eventually the PGA granted Sifford full membership and secured two victories at the Greater Hartford Open and Los Angeles Open in the 1960s.
Over his lifetime, Sifford would compete in 422 PGA tournaments and earned over $1.2 million in prize money. While he was denied entry to compete in the Masters, Charlie achievements would pave the way for future Black golfers like Lee Elder, Calvin Peete, and Tiger Woods. Before his death in 2016, Charlie became the first African American player to get inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.