Curtis Strange
Curtis Strange | |
---|---|
— Golfer — | |
Personal information | |
Full name | Curtis Northrup Strange |
Born |
Norfolk, Virginia | January 30, 1955
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
Weight | 180 lb (82 kg; 13 st) |
Nationality | United States |
Spouse | Sarah Strange |
Children | 2 sons |
Career | |
College | Wake Forest University |
Turned professional | 1976 |
Current tour(s) | Champions Tour |
Former tour(s) | PGA Tour |
Professional wins | 28 |
Number of wins by tour | |
PGA Tour | 17 |
Japan Golf Tour | 1 |
Best results in major championships (wins: 2) | |
Masters Tournament | T2: 1985 |
U.S. Open | Won: 1988, 1989 |
The Open Championship | T13: 1988 |
PGA Championship | T2: 1989 |
Achievements and awards | |
World Golf Hall of Fame | 2007 (member page) |
PGA Tour leading money winner | 1985, 1987, 1988 |
PGA Player of the Year | 1988 |
Curtis Northrup Strange (born January 30, 1955) is an American professional golfer. He is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame and Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. He spent over 200 weeks in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Ranking between their debut in 1986 and 1990.[1]
Early years through college
Strange and his identical twin brother, Allan,[2] were born in Norfolk, Virginia.[3] His father, a local country club owner, started him in golf at age 7.[2] Strange is a graduate of Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, Virginia. He attended Wake Forest University and was a member of the NCAA Championship team with Jay Haas and Bob Byman that Golf World has labeled "the greatest of all time".[4]
PGA Tour career
Strange is considered one of the leading golfers of the 1980s as 16 of his 17 PGA Tour victories took place in that decade. He topped the PGA Tour money list in 1985 and 1987 and in 1988, when he became the first man to win a million dollars in official money on the Tour in a season. His two majors were the 1988 and 1989 U.S. Opens. Strange is one of only two people in the last 83 years who won the U.S. Open two years in a row, Ben Hogan (1950, 1951) being the other.
Strange never won on the PGA Tour again after his 2nd U.S. Open victory. He played on five Ryder Cup teams (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989 and 1995) and captained the team in 2002.[2]
Like Henrik Stenson, Strange was a natural left-hander who played right-handed.
Later career and honors
After reaching the age of 50 in January 2005, Strange began play on the Champions Tour, remarking, "I was getting worse and said, 'To hell with it.'"[5] His best finishes thus far are a 3rd-place finish in the 2005 Constellation Energy Classic and a T-5 in the 2005 FedEx Kinko's Classic.[2]
In 1997 he was hired as the lead golf analyst for ESPN/ABC, working alongside host Mike Tirico. He left due to a contract dispute in before the 2004 U.S. Open, but rejoined ESPN/ABC at the 2008 U.S. Open, four years after he first left. In 2016 he was hired by Fox as a course reporter for their USGA Championships.
In this capacity he has provided commentary for several notable events, including Tiger Woods' playoff win at the 1997 Mercedes Championships, David Duval's final round of 59 at the 1999 Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, Jean van de Velde's collapse at the 1999 Open Championship, Woods achieving the career grand slam at the 2000 Open Championship, Peter Jacobsen becoming one of the oldest Tour winners at age 49 during the 2003 Greater Hartford Open, Woods' winning performance with a torn ACL and a broken leg at the 2008 U.S. Open, Tom Watson nearly winning the 2009 Open Championship at age 59, and Phil Mickelson's second nine charge during the final round to win the 2013 Open Championship.
On April 18, 2007, Strange was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, and was inducted on November 12, 2007, at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida.
In May 2009, he was named to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches and administrators who contributed to sports in southeastern Virginia.
Amateur wins (5)
- 1974 Western Amateur, North and South Amateur, NCAA Division I Championship
- 1975 North and South Amateur, Eastern Amateur
Professional wins (28)
PGA Tour wins (17)
Legend |
Major championships (2) |
Tour Championship (1) |
Other PGA Tour (14) |
No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Oct 21, 1979 | Pensacola Open | −17 (69-71-62-69=271) | 1 stroke | Billy Kratzert |
2 | May 4, 1980 | Michelob-Houston Open | −18 (66-63-66-71=266) | Playoff | Lee Trevino |
3 | Aug 17, 1980 | Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic | −11 (69-65-70-69=273) | 2 strokes | Gibby Gilbert |
4 | Aug 21, 1983 | Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open | −16 (69-62-69-68=268) | 1 stroke | Jay Haas, Jack Renner |
5 | Sep 30, 1984 | LaJet Golf Classic | −15 (68-67-67-71=273) | 2 strokes | Mark O'Meara |
6 | Mar 3, 1985 | Honda Classic | −13 (67-64-70-74=275) | Playoff | Peter Jacobsen |
7 | Mar 24, 1985 | Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational | −17 (69-73-64-66-66=338) | 1 stroke | Mike Smith |
8 | Jul 7, 1985 | Canadian Open | −9 (69-69-68-73=279) | 2 strokes | Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman |
9 | Apr 27, 1986 | Houston Open | −14 (72-68-68-66=274) | Playoff | Calvin Peete |
10 | Jul 5, 1987 | Canadian Open | −12 (71-70-66-69=276) | 3 strokes | David Frost, Jodie Mudd, Nick Price |
11 | Aug 2, 1987 | Federal Express St. Jude Classic | −13 (70-68-68-69=275) | 1 stroke | Russ Cochran, Mike Donald, Tom Kite, Denis Watson |
12 | Aug 30, 1987 | NEC World Series of Golf | −5 (70-66-68-71=275) | 3 strokes | Fulton Allem |
13 | May 1, 1988 | Independent Insurance Agent Open | −18 (69-68-66-67=270) | Playoff | Greg Norman |
14 | May 29, 1988 | Memorial Tournament | −14 (73-70-64-67=274) | 2 strokes | David Frost, Hale Irwin |
15 | Jun 20, 1988 | U.S. Open | −6 (70-67-69-72=278) | Playoff | Nick Faldo |
16 | Nov 14, 1988 | Nabisco Championship | −9 (64-71-70-74=279) | Playoff | Tom Kite |
17 | Jun 18, 1989 | U.S. Open | −2 (71-64-73-70=278) | 1 stroke | Chip Beck, Mark McCumber, Ian Woosnam |
PGA Tour playoff record (6–3)
No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 1980 | Michelob-Houston Open | Lee Trevino | Won with birdie on first extra hole |
2 | 1981 | Tournament Players Championship | Raymond Floyd, Barry Jaeckel | Floyd won with par on first extra hole |
3 | 1983 | Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open | Gil Morgan, Lanny Wadkins | Morgan won with birdie on second extra hole |
4 | 1985 | Honda Classic | Peter Jacobsen | Won with par on first extra hole |
5 | 1986 | Houston Open | Calvin Peete | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
6 | 1988 | Independent Insurance Agent Open | Greg Norman | Won with birdie on third extra hole |
7 | 1988 | U.S. Open | Nick Faldo | Won 18-hole playoff (Strange:71, Faldo:75) |
8 | 1988 | Nabisco Championship | Tom Kite | Won with birdie on second extra hole |
9 | 1991 | Doral-Ryder Open | Rocco Mediate | Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
Other wins (11)
- 1980 JCPenney Mixed Team Classic (with Nancy Lopez)
- 1981 Panama Open
- 1986 ABC Japan-U.S. Match (Japan Golf Tour), Fred Meyer Challenge (with Peter Jacobsen; tie with Greg Norman & Gary Player)
- 1988 Sanctuary Cove Classic (Australia)
- 1989 Palm Meadows Cup (Australia), RMCC Invitational (with Mark O'Meara), PGA Grand Slam of Golf (United States - unofficial event), Skins Game
- 1990 Skins Game
- 1993 Greg Norman's Holden Classic (Australia)
Major championships
Wins (2)
Year | Championship | 54 holes | Winning score | Margin | Runner(s)-up |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1988 | U.S. Open | 1 shot lead | −6 (70-67-69-72=278) | Playoff1 | Nick Faldo |
1989 | U.S. Open (2) | 3 shot deficit | −2 (71-64-73-70=278) | 1 stroke | Chip Beck, Mark McCumber, Ian Woosnam |
1Defeated Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff – Strange 71 (E), Faldo 75 (+4).
Results timeline
Tournament | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | T15 LA | CUT | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | DNP | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP |
The Open Championship | DNP | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP | T58 | CUT |
Tournament | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | CUT | T19 | T7 | CUT | T46 | T2 | T21 | T12 | T21 | T18 |
U.S. Open | T16 | T17 | T39 | T26 | 3 | T31 | CUT | T4 | 1 | 1 |
The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | T15 | T29 | DNP | DNP | T14 | DNP | T13 | T61 |
PGA Championship | T5 | T27 | T14 | 86 | CUT | CUT | CUT | 9 | T31 | T2 |
Tournament | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | T7 | T42 | T31 | WD | T27 | 9 | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | T21 | CUT | T23 | T25 | 4 | T36 | T27 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
The Open Championship | CUT | T38 | CUT | DNP | DNP | CUT | T72 | T44 | T19 | DNP |
PGA Championship | CUT | WD | CUT | CUT | T19 | T17 | T26 | CUT | DNP | DNP |
Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 |
---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | DNP | DNP | DNP |
U.S. Open | CUT | DNP | DNP |
The Open Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP |
PGA Championship | T58 | CUT | CUT |
LA = Low amateur
DNP = did not play
WD = withdrew
CUT = missed the half way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place.
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary
Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Masters Tournament | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 20 | 14 |
U.S. Open | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 22 | 15 |
The Open Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 9 |
PGA Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 12 |
Totals | 2 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 12 | 30 | 78 | 50 |
- Most consecutive cuts made – 13 (1987 Masters – 1990 U.S. Open)
- Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur
- Eisenhower Trophy: 1974 (winners)
- Walker Cup: 1975 (winners)
Professional
- Ryder Cup: 1983 (winners), 1985, 1987, 1989 (tied), 1995, 2002 (non-playing captain)
- Dunhill Cup: 1985, 1987, 1988, 1989 (winners), 1990, 1991, 1994
- Four Tours World Championship: 1985 (winners), 1987 (winners), 1988 (winners), 1989 (winners)
- UBS Cup: 2001 (winners), 2002 (winners), 2003 (tie), 2004 (winners)
See also
References
- ↑ "69 Players Who Have Reached The Top-10 In World Ranking" (PDF). Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 "PGA Tour Media Guide – Curtis Strange". Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ↑ "PGA Tour Profile – Curtis Strange". Retrieved December 20, 2013.
- ↑ Yocom, Guy (February 2005). "My Shot: Curtis Strange". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005.
- ↑ Apfelbaum, Jim, ed. (2007). The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-014-0.
External links
- Curtis Strange at the PGA Tour official site
- Curtis Strange at the Japan Golf Tour official site
- World Golf Hall of Fame profile