Curtis Strange


Curtis Northrup Strange 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.

Early years through college

Strange and his identical twin brother, Allan, were born in Norfolk, Virginia. His father, a local country club owner, started him in golf at age 7. 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".

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 and captained the team in 2002.
Despite skipping the British Open several times in his prime, 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, 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.'" 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.
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.
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, 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)

PGA Tour wins (17)

No.DateTournamentWinning scoreTo parMargin of
victory		Runner-up
1Oct 21, 1979Pensacola Open69-71-62-69=271−171 stroke Billy Kratzert
2May 4, 1980Michelob-Houston Open66-63-66-71=266−18Playoff Lee Trevino
3Aug 17, 1980Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic69-65-70-69=273−112 strokes Gibby Gilbert
4Aug 21, 1983Sammy Davis Jr.-Greater Hartford Open69-62-69-68=268−161 stroke Jay Haas, Jack Renner
5Sep 30, 1984LaJet Golf Classic68-67-67-71=273−152 strokes Mark O'Meara
6Mar 3, 1985Honda Classic67-64-70-74=275−13Playoff Peter Jacobsen
7Mar 24, 1985Panasonic Las Vegas Invitational69-73-64-66-66=338−171 stroke Mike Smith
8Jul 7, 1985Canadian Open69-69-68-73=279−92 strokes Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman
9Apr 27, 1986Houston Open 72-68-68-66=274−14Playoff Calvin Peete
10Jul 5, 1987Canadian Open 71-70-66-69=276−123 strokes David Frost, Jodie Mudd,
Nick Price
11Aug 2, 1987Federal Express St. Jude Classic70-68-68-69=275−131 stroke Russ Cochran, Mike Donald,
Tom Kite, Denis Watson
12Aug 30, 1987NEC World Series of Golf70-66-68-71=275−53 strokes Fulton Allem
13May 1, 1988Independent Insurance Agent Open69-68-66-67=270−18Playoff Greg Norman
14May 29, 1988Memorial Tournament73-70-64-67=274−142 strokes David Frost, Hale Irwin
15Jun 20, 1988U.S. Open70-67-69-72=278−6Playoff Nick Faldo
16Nov 14, 1988Nabisco Championship64-71-70-74=279−9Playoff Tom Kite
17Jun 18, 1989U.S. Open 71-64-73-70=278−21 stroke Chip Beck, Mark McCumber,
Ian Woosnam

PGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11980Michelob-Houston Open Lee TrevinoWon with birdie on first extra hole
21981Tournament Players Championship Raymond Floyd, Barry JaeckelFloyd won with par on first extra hole
31983Joe Garagiola-Tucson Open Gil Morgan, Lanny WadkinsMorgan won with birdie on second extra hole
41985Honda Classic Peter JacobsenWon with par on first extra hole
51986Houston Open Calvin PeeteWon with birdie on third extra hole
61988Independent Insurance Agent Open Greg NormanWon with birdie on third extra hole
71988U.S. Open Nick FaldoWon 18-hole playoff;
Strange: E,
Faldo: +4
81988Nabisco Championship Tom KiteWon with birdie on second extra hole
91991Doral-Ryder Open Rocco MediateLost to birdie on first extra hole

Japan Golf Tour wins (1)

PGA Tour of Australasia wins (3)

PGA Tour of Australasia playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11990Daikyo Palm Meadows Cup Rodger DavisLos to eagle on second extra hole

Other wins (8)

Wins (2)

1Defeated Faldo in 18-hole playoff; Strange: 71, Faldo: 75.

Results timeline

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

Summary

CUT = missed the halfway cut

WD = withdrew

DQ = disqualified

"T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances

Amateur
Professional
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.