June 13, 2018
THE FLATS – Tyler Strafaci, a rising junior on Georgia Tech’s golf team, is one of 20 amateurs playing in the 118th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the most amateurs in the field since 1962. Strafaci is the latest in a long list of amateur players associated with Georgia Tech, either as graduates or undergraduates, to play in the U.S. Open.
The Davie, Fla., amateur is part of a group of six current and former Georgia Tech players at the U.S. Open, the Institute’s best representation in the history of the U.S. Open. Tech has had as many as five players in the field once — 1999 at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club with PGA Tour pros Stewart Cink, David Duval and Larry Mize playing with Tech undergraduates Matt Kuchar and David Duval.
Strafaci’s U.S. Open player page | Golfweek: Closer look at the 20 amateurs competing in the 118th U.S. Open
In fact, 11 different Yellow Jackets have played in the U.S. Open as amateurs. That tradition began with the legendary Bobby Jones, who competed in 11 U.S. Open championships, winning four of them (1923, 1927, 1929 and 1930). It has continued with All-America players such as Bunky Henry, David Duval, Matt Kuchar, Bryce Molder, Cameron Tringale and Ollie Schniederjans.
Strafaci, who survived a local qualifier and a sectional qualifier to get a chance to compete at Shinnecock Hills, will be the first undergraduate player from Tech to play in a U.S. Open since Kuchar, who did so twice. He tied for 14th place in 1998 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif., earning his spot after winning the 1997 U.S. Amateur following his freshman year at Tech. His 1998 finish allowed him to return as a rising Tech senior for the 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort, where he missed the cut.