Curtis Strange

Curtis Northrup Strange (born January 30, 1955) is an American professional golfer and TV color commentator. He is the winner of consecutive U.S. Open titles and 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.[2]

Curtis Strange
Personal information
Full nameCurtis Northrup Strange
Born (1955-01-30) January 30, 1955
Norfolk, Virginia
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight180 lb (82 kg; 13 st)
Nationality United States
SpouseSarah Strange
Children2 sons
Career
CollegeWake Forest University
Turned professional1976
Former tour(s)PGA Tour
Champions Tour
Professional wins29
Highest ranking3 (June 19, 1988)[1]
Number of wins by tour
PGA Tour17
European Tour2
Japan Golf Tour1
PGA Tour of Australasia3
Other8
Best results in major championships
(wins: 2)
Masters TournamentT2: 1985
PGA ChampionshipT2: 1989
U.S. OpenWon: 1988, 1989
The Open ChampionshipT13: 1988
Achievements and awards
World Golf Hall of Fame2007 (member page)
PGA Tour
leading money winner		1985, 1987, 1988
PGA Player of the Year1988

Early years through college

Strange and his identical twin brother, Allan,[3] were born in Norfolk, Virginia.[4] His father, a local country club owner, started him in golf at age 7.[3] Strange graduated from Princess Anne High School in Virginia Beach, then enrolled at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He played golf for the Demon Deacons and was part of the NCAA Championship team with Jay Haas and Bob Byman that Golf World has labeled "the greatest of all time".[5]

PGA Tour career

Strange was one of the leading players on the PGA Tour in the 1980s; 16 of his 17 tour victories took place in that decade. He topped the money list in 1985, 1987, and 1988, when he became the first to win a million dollars in official money in a season. His two majors were consecutive U.S. Opens in 1988 and 1989. Since World War II, only three golfers have successfully defended their titles at the U.S. Open; Brooks Koepka in 2018, Strange in 1989,and Ben Hogan in 1951.

The 1989 U.S. Open was Strange's last win on tour. In other majors, he led midway through the final round at The Masters in 1985, but finished two strokes back. Strange was also a runner-up at the PGA Championship in 1989, one stroke back. He played on five Ryder Cup teams (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989, and 1995) and captained the team in 2002.[3]

Despite skipping the British Open several times in his prime,[6] Strange played a considerable amount of international tournaments. He won the 1986 ABC Japan-U.S. Match, an event on the Japan Golf Tour that included many American pros. He also played extensively on the Australasian Tour. He won three events in Australia in the late 1980s and early 1990s and recorded runner-up finishes at the 1976 Australian Open,[7] 1977 Colgate Champion of Champions, 1986 Air New Zealand Shell Open, and the 1990 Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup.

Like Henrik Stenson and Ben Hogan, 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.'"[8] His only top-five finishes came that first season; third place at the Constellation Energy Classic and a tie for fifth at the FedEx Kinko's Classic.[3]

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 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.[9]

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' U.S. Open winning performance in 2008 (early rounds), Tom Watson nearly winning The Open Championship at age 59 in 2009, and Phil Mickelson's final nine charge to win in 2013.

On April 18, 2007, Strange was elected to the World Golf Hall of Fame, and was inducted on November 12 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)

Professional wins (29)

PGA Tour wins (17)
Legend
Major championships (2)
Tour Championships (1)
Other PGA Tour (14)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up
1 Oct 21, 1979 Pensacola Open 69-71-62-69=271 −17 1 stroke Billy Kratzert
2 May 4, 1980 Michelob-Houston Open 66-63-66-71=266 −18 Playoff Lee Trevino
3 Aug 17, 1980 Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic 69-65-70-69=273 −11 2 strokes Gibby Gilbert
4 Aug 21, 1983 Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open 69-62-69-68=268 −16 1 stroke Jay Haas, Jack Renner
5 Sep 30, 1984 LaJet Golf Classic 68-67-67-71=273 −15 2 strokes Mark O'Meara
6 Mar 3, 1985 Honda Classic 67-64-70-74=275 −13 Playoff Peter Jacobsen
7 Mar 24, 1985 Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational 69-73-64-66-66=338 −17 1 stroke Mike Smith
8 Jul 7, 1985 Canadian Open 69-69-68-73=279 −9 2 strokes Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman
9 Apr 27, 1986 Houston Open (2) 72-68-68-66=274 −14 Playoff Calvin Peete
10 Jul 5, 1987 Canadian Open (2) 71-70-66-69=276 −12 3 strokes David Frost, Jodie Mudd,
Nick Price
11 Aug 2, 1987 Federal Express St. Jude Classic 70-68-68-69=275 −13 1 stroke Russ Cochran, Mike Donald,
Tom Kite, Denis Watson
12 Aug 30, 1987 NEC World Series of Golf 70-66-68-71=275 −5 3 strokes Fulton Allem
13 May 1, 1988 Independent Insurance Agent Open 69-68-66-67=270 −18 Playoff Greg Norman
14 May 29, 1988 Memorial Tournament 73-70-64-67=274 −14 2 strokes David Frost, Hale Irwin
15 Jun 20, 1988 U.S. Open 70-67-69-72=278 −6 Playoff Nick Faldo
16 Nov 14, 1988 Nabisco Championship 64-71-70-74=279 −9 Playoff Tom Kite
17 Jun 18, 1989 U.S. Open (2) 71-64-73-70=278 −2 1 stroke Chip Beck, Mark McCumber,
Ian Woosnam

PGA Tour playoff record (6–3)

No.YearTournamentOpponent(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: E (71),
Faldo: +4 (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

Japan Golf Tour wins (1)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 Nov 2, 1986 ABC Japan-U.S. Match 67-68-72-64=271 −17 4 strokes Chip Beck

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (3)
No. Date Tournament Winning score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner-up
1 Jan 10, 1988 Sanctuary Cove Classic 67-70-67-68=272 −16 1 stroke Ian Woosnam
2 Jan 15, 1989 Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup 66-70-71-73=280 −8 2 strokes Raymond Floyd
3 Dec 5, 1993 Greg Norman's Holden Classic 68-67-69-70=274 −18 2 strokes John Wade

PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record (0–1)

No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
1 1990 Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup Rodger Davis Los to eagle on second extra hole

Other wins (8)

Major championships

Wins (2)
YearChampionship54 holesWinning scoreMarginRunner(s)-up
1988U.S. Open1 shot lead−6 (70-67-69-72=278)Playoff1 Nick Faldo
1989U.S. Open (2)3 shot deficit−2 (71-64-73-70=278)1 stroke Chip Beck, Mark McCumber,
Ian Woosnam

1Defeated Faldo in 18-hole playoff; Strange: 71 (E), Faldo: 75 (+4).

Results timeline
Tournament19751976197719781979
Masters Tournament CUT T15 LA CUT
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship CUT
PGA Championship T58 CUT
Tournament1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
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 T15 T29 T14 T13 T61
PGA Championship T5 T27 T14 86 CUT CUT CUT 9 T31 T2
Tournament1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
Masters Tournament T7 T42 T31 WD T27 9 CUT
U.S. Open T21 CUT T23 T25 4 T36 T27 CUT CUT CUT
The Open Championship CUT T38 CUT CUT T72 T44 T19
PGA Championship CUT WD CUT CUT T19 T17 T26 CUT
Tournament200020012002
Masters Tournament
U.S. Open CUT
The Open Championship
PGA Championship T58 CUT CUT
  Win
  Top 10
  Did not play

LA = Low amateur
CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
"T" indicates a tie for a place.

Summary
TournamentWins2nd3rdTop-5Top-10Top-25EventsCuts made
Masters Tournament01014102014
U.S. Open20155102215
The Open Championship000004139
PGA Championship0102362312
Totals221812307850
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 13 (1987 Masters – 1990 U.S. Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 2 (twice)

Results in The Players Championship
Tournament 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
The Players Championship CUT CUT 21 T2 T51 T8 T33 T33 CUT CUT DQ T34 T16 T6 WD CUT CUT T23 CUT CUT CUT T23
  Top 10

CUT = missed the halfway cut
WD = withdrew
DQ = disqualified
"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur

Professional

Equipment

In 1988 when Strange won the U.S. Open, Ping recognized him with a golden putter replica of the Ping Zing 2 he used to win. A second one was made and placed in the Ping Gold Putter Vault.[11]

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gollark: The backend is, anyway.
gollark: Skynet's in Rust, actually.
gollark: Without just blocking "repeatedly sending same message", which would cause many problems.

See also

References
  1. "Week 25 1988 Ending 19 Jun 1988" (pdf). OWGR. Retrieved December 20, 2018.
  2. "69 Players Who Have Reached The Top-10 In World Ranking" (PDF). Official World Golf Ranking. Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  3. "PGA Tour Media Guide – Curtis Strange". Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  4. "PGA Tour Profile – Curtis Strange". Retrieved December 20, 2013.
  5. Yocom, Guy (February 2005). "My Shot: Curtis Strange". Golf Digest. Archived from the original on March 5, 2005.
  6. Yocom, Peter (July 7, 2007). "My Shot: Curtis Strange". Golf Digest. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  7. Peter, Thomson (November 1, 1976). "Par for the course for Jack". The Age. p. 33. Retrieved January 9, 2020.
  8. Apfelbaum, Jim, ed. (2007). The Gigantic Book of Golf Quotations. Skyhorse Publishing. ISBN 978-1-60239-014-0.
  9. "Fox Sports Signs Curtis Strange". Golf.com.
  10. "Gallardo upstages Strange". The Glasgow Herald. October 6, 1981. p. 15.
  11. "6 fascinating stories from Ping's Gold Putter Vault". PGA Tour. January 10, 2019. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
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