Mike Souchak facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Mike Souchak |
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Michael Souchak |
| Born | May 10, 1927 Berwick, Pennsylvania |
| Died | July 10, 2008 (aged 81) Belleair, Florida |
| Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) |
| Weight | 215 lb (98 kg; 15.4 st) |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Spouse | Nancy Souchak |
| Children | 3 sons, 1 daughter |
| Career | |
| College | Duke University |
| Turned professional | 1952 |
| Former tour(s) | PGA Tour Champions Tour |
| Professional wins | At least 19 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 15 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T4: 1955 |
| U.S. Open | T3: 1959, 1960 |
| The Open Championship | T8: 1956 |
| PGA Championship | T5: 1959 |
| Achievements and awards | |
| Duke Sports Hall of Fame | 1976 |
Michael Souchak (born May 10, 1927, died July 10, 2008) was a famous American professional golfer. He won 15 tournaments on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s. He also played for the United States in the Ryder Cup golf matches in 1959 and 1961.
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Mike's Early Life and Sports
Michael Souchak grew up in Berwick, Pennsylvania. Before college, he served two years in the U.S. Navy as a gunner. After his service, he went to Duke University in Durham, North Carolina.
At Duke, Mike was a talented athlete. He played both golf and football for the Duke Blue Devils team. In football, he played as an end and a placekicker. In 1976, he was honored by being added to the Duke Sports Hall of Fame.
Setting Golf Records
Mike Souchak started his professional golf career with a bang! In 1955, he won his first big tournament, the Texas Open. During this event, he set and tied several amazing records.
In the first round, he shot a score of 60, which tied the tour's record for 18 holes. This record stood for many years. He also set a record by scoring 27 on the back nine holes in that same round. This was a very difficult feat to achieve.
He finished the tournament with a total score of 257 over 72 holes. This was 27 strokes under par, which was another tour record. This incredible score was not beaten for 46 years!
Mike's PGA Tour Wins
Mike Souchak won 15 tournaments on the PGA Tour between 1955 and 1964. His best year was 1956, when he won four different events. He also had a great year in 1959, winning three tournaments.
His success even landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine in January 1956. This showed how popular and successful he was in the golf world.
Major Championship Highlights
Mike Souchak performed very well in major golf championships, which are the most important tournaments in golf. He finished in the top 10 eleven times in these big events.
He came very close to winning the U.S. Open twice, finishing in third place in both 1959 and 1960. In the 1960 U.S. Open, he was actually leading the tournament after 36 holes. He had set a new record score for that point in the competition.
However, he had a tough time on the final hole of the third round. This made it hard for him to get back on track. In the end, Arnold Palmer, another golf legend, played an amazing final round to win the championship.
Later Career and Life
After his main PGA Tour career, Mike Souchak continued to play golf. He joined the Senior PGA Tour (now called the PGA Tour Champions) when it first started in 1980. He played on this tour until 1990. His best finish on the senior tour was second place in his very first tournament in 1980.
In 1970, Mike moved from North Carolina to Florida. He became the first head professional at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club. He lived in Belleair with his wife, Nancy. They had four children: three sons named Mike, Frank, and Chris, and a daughter named Patti. He also had five grandchildren.
Mike Souchak also ran a business called Golf Car Systems, which focused on maintaining golf carts. He worked with his partner, Bill Dodd. Mike passed away in 2008 due to complications from a heart attack.
Mike's Professional Wins
Mike Souchak won a total of 19 professional golf tournaments during his career. This includes his 15 wins on the PGA Tour.
PGA Tour Victories (15)
- 1955 Texas Open
- 1955 Houston Open
- 1956 Agua Caliente Open
- 1956 Azalea Open Invitational
- 1956 Colonial National Invitation
- 1956 St. Paul Open
- 1958 St. Paul Open Invitational
- 1959 Tournament of Champions
- 1959 Western Open
- 1959 Motor City Open
- 1960 San Diego Open Invitational
- 1960 Buick Open Invitational
- 1961 Greater Greensboro Open
- 1964 Houston Classic
- 1964 Memphis Open Invitational
Other Tournament Wins (4)
- 1955 Havana Invitational
- 1959 Carolinas PGA Championship
- 1967 Michigan Open
- 1968 Michigan PGA Championship
Playing for Team USA
Mike Souchak was chosen to represent the United States in important team golf competitions.
- Ryder Cup: He was part of the winning U.S. teams in 1959 and 1961.
- Hopkins Trophy: He was also on the winning U.S. team in 1956.
