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Frank Strafaci

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Name
  
Frank Strafaci


Role
  
Golfer

Frank Strafaci Frank Strafaci My Usual Game David Owen

Died
  
February 19, 1988, Florida, United States

Family of golfers looks to keep legacy alive at Pinehurst


Frank Strafaci (April 24, 1916 – February 19, 1988) was an American amateur golfer, who competed against the top amateurs of his time. He is remembered as one of Brooklyn's top amateur golfers.

Contents

Career

Frank Strafaci was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. He started his dominance on the amateur scene at Dyker Beach Golf Course in 1935 when he joined the Shoreview Golf Club. He won the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 1935. He won the Shoreview's Club Championship in 1936 and again in 1938. Over the next 15 years he dominated amateur golf in the area. He won the Long Island Golf Association Amateur Championship five times, the Metropolitan Amateur seven times, the North and South Amateur twice and the Richardson Invitational Championship twice. He also took his talents overseas, playing in the British and French Amateur Championships.

In 1954, Strafaci played in the U.S. Amateur and had a very interesting first match opponent named Arnold Palmer; this was Palmer's final amateur appearance before turning professional. Palmer later stated that his toughest match was against Strafaci, who was all square with him entering the 17th hole. Palmer eventually beat Strafaci 1-up and went on to win the championship.

Strafaci semi-retired from amateur golf in the late 1950s and became Executive Director of the Florida Golf Association. In 1960 he became the Director of Golf at the famed Doral Country Club. He has been credited with naming the course the "Blue Monster". He continued to live in Florida until his death in 1988.

Family

Strafaci was one of five brothers, all of whom were top amateur golfers. His brother, Thomas U. Strafaci, was the only brother to turn professional and became the head golf pro with his son Thomas Strafaci, Jr. at Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn.

Amateur wins (21)

  • 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links
  • 1938,1941,1947,1949,1951 Long Island Amateur
  • 1952,1953 Long Island Golf Association - Richardson Invitational
  • 1938,1939,1945,1946,1947,1950,1954 Metropolitan Amateur
  • 1938,1939 North and South Amateur
  • 1938 Long Island Golf Association - Amateur/Professional Championship
  • 1937 Hochster Memorial Tournament at Quaker Ridge CC
  • 1936,1938 Shoreview Men's Golf Club - Club Champion

    • Other career highlights

  • 1938, 1950 Masters Tournament participant
  • 1937, 1946 U.S. Open participant
  • 1953 Western Amateur medalist
  • 1933 Long Island Junior Championship medalist

    • Results in major championships

    NT = No tournament
    DNP = Did not play
    WD = Withdrew
    "T" indicates a tie for a place
    R256, R128, R64, R32, R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in match play
    Yellow background for top-10

    Source for The Masters: www.masters.com

    Source for U.S. Open and U.S. Amateur: USGA Championship Database

    Source for 1950 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 24, 1950, pg. 7.

    Source for 1951 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 22, 1951, pg. 6.

    Source for 1952 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 30, 1952, pg. 2.

    Source for 1953 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 28, 1953, pg. 4.

    Source for 1954 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 27, 1954, pg. 4.

    Source for 1955 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 2, 1955, pg. 4.

    Source for 1956 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 30, 1956, pg. 4.

    Source for 1957 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, May 29, 1957, pg. 4.

    Source for 1958 British Amateur: The Glasgow Herald, June 5, 1958, pg. 4.

    References

    Frank Strafaci Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA