NBA superstar Steph Curry has shot an opening round four-over par 74 on his professional golf debut in a secondary-tier event in California.
Curry is tied for 144th place in the Web.com tour's Ellie Mae Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward on Thursday.
The Golden State guard, a two-time NBA champion and most valuable player, hit five bogeys as well as a double bogey on the par-four fifth hole.
But he showed plenty of promise with competent approaches for birdies on two of the par-fives and a two on the par-three sixth hole.
Three of Curry's bogeys came between the 10th and 14th holes, with a one-under on the 15th by sinking a 1.5m downhill putt prompting a pump of the fist and raising of his arms.
"It was an amazing experience," Curry said.
"I've been looking forward to this since I found out and to finally hit my first shot in tournament play was a really, really nervous moment but it was everything I hoped for.
"If you told me I was going to shoot 74 going into the first round I'd take that all day, every day. I'm pretty happy with it."
Americans Brandon Harkins and Nicholas Thompson lead the event after six-under rounds of 64.
Curry started nervously, with his opening tee shot bouncing off a hill and into the cup holder of a golf cart.
"That's probably a first on the tour," he said.
"There was a golf cart just left of my target on hole No. 1 and it went right in the cup holder.
"Not an ideal way to start with calling a rules official over after your first tee shot.
"I kind of settled in after that."
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