Curtis Strange (1955 - )

Born Virginia, USA, Strange is one of the America's top golfers. Amongst his achievements are back to back US Open victories.

Strange was fortunate in that his father owned the White Sands Country Club which included a golf course. From the age of 8, he played golf every day. At 15, he won the Virginia Junior Championship. When he left school he attended the Wake Forest College, North Carolina on an Arnold Palmer scholarship.

In 1976, Strange turned professional. However he was not a natural and had to work hard to develop his technique. Although he was successful in monetary terms and despite being voted Golfer of the Year in 1986 and 1987, it took more than 10 years before he won his first Major, the 1988 US Open. That same year, he became the first golfer to earn more than US$1m in a single season; one of three times when he topped the money list. He successfully defended his US Open victory in 1988. His career seemed to be on a roll but then somehow slowed down.

Besides his Major victories and great financial rewards, Strange also served on 5 Ryder Cup squads and holds the record of 62, 10 under par, for the Old Course at St Andrews.

Strange certainly lives up to his name. Despite a 20 year career, the highlights of his career came in a 2 year flash. He is still competing and perhaps we will see him once more, demonstrate the genius that exists. His perseverance serves as an example to all sportsmen.