How Dell Curry's red-eye adventure was necessary for family … and his golf tee time

It’s a classic dad balancing act: Golf-parenthood. … Parenthood-golf. …

Especially, when your son, the ex-NBA Most Valuable Player, is back on the court for the first time in weeks – in a playoff game, no less – in California, and your noon tee time is waiting for you back in Charlotte.

Former Charlotte Hornets star Dell Curry wanted to play in the pro-am at Wednesday’s Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow. But he certainly wasn’t missing Stephen Curry’s return to the Golden State Warriors, for Game 2 of the second-round playoff series against the New Orleans Pelicans.

So welcome to the red-eye way of life. Curry flew back from the Bay Area overnight. He was warmed up and ready for a 12:10 p.m start at the first tee at Quail Hollow, playing with touring pro Jason Dufner, Charlotte Hornets president Fred Whitfield and Chris Kowalewski.

Dufner walked over to Curry just before teeing off to celebrate Curry’s bicoastal love of the game.

“I watched the first quarter, and went to bed,” Dufner said of the 10:30 p.m. (EDT) tip-off.

Dell and Sonya Curry are fixtures at Warriors playoff games, but Tuesday was that much bigger. Former Davidson star Stephen was playing for the first time in six weeks, after recovering from a sprained MCL in his left knee. Curry played spectacularly in his return, scoring 28 points in 27 minutes.

Dell left Oracle Arena with about two minutes left before the Warriors finished off the Pelicans 121-116, to take a 2-0 series lead. That got him ahead of the postgame traffic. He had to head across the bay, to reach San Francisco International Airport, and catch a midnight (PDT) direct flight back to Charlotte.

“Landed in Charlotte about 8:15,” Curry recalled just before teeing off Wednesday. “Took a shower and came over here.”

Curry played 16 NBA seasons (10 in Charlotte with the Hornets) before retiring, so overnight flights are a big part of his past. How much did he sleep on the plane?

“Just a couple of hours,” Curry said. “I was really excited about the game last night.”

Curry is an avid golfer, as are sons Stephen and Seth. He plays golf at Quail Hollow a couple of times each summer, but wasn’t used to the changes made on the course before the PGA Championship last summer.

Curry has played plenty of memorable golf rounds, including a round with then-President Barack Obama in 2016. Why go through all this, even to play with a pro at the local PGA event?

“Because I love golf,” Curry said. “You get a chance to play with Jason Dufner, one of the best in the world. Get to come out on a glorious day in my hometown and share in the tournament.

“The schedule worked out, and I was able to do it.”

Any tips Curry picks up playing with touring pros?

“I watch Jason a lot. I love his demeanor. You don’t know whether he’s hit a bad shot or not. He’s just having a great time.

“That’s a sign of a good athlete. He doesn’t let his good shots get over his head or his bad shots get under his skin.”

Speaking of elite athletes, how was Stephen feeling after his first game after such a long layoff?

“He feels good,” Dell said. “He’s having two-a-days (workouts) every day to get back in shape.”

This story was originally published May 2, 2018 at 3:05 PM with the headline "How Dell Curry's red-eye adventure was necessary for family … and his golf tee time."