Sepp Straka facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sepp Straka |
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Straka in 2016
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| Personal information | |
| Full name | Josef Straka |
| Nickname | Sepp |
| Born | 1 May 1993 Vienna, Austria |
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight | 235 lb (107 kg; 16.8 st) |
| Nationality |  Austria |
| Residence | Vestavia Hills, Alabama, U.S. |
| Career | |
| College | University of Georgia |
| Turned professional | 2016 |
| Current tour(s) | PGA Tour European Tour |
| Former tour(s) | Korn Ferry Tour PGA Tour Canada |
| Professional wins | 4 |
| Number of wins by tour | |
| PGA Tour | 3 |
| Web.com Tour | 1 |
| Best results in Major Championships |
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| The Masters Tournament | T16: 2024 |
| U.S. Open | T28: 2019 |
| The Open Championship | T2: 2023 |
| PGA Championship | T7: 2023 |
Josef "Sepp" Straka (born May 1, 1993) is an Austrian professional golfer. He plays on the PGA Tour, one of the biggest golf tours in the world. Sepp has won three times on this tour.
Contents
Sepp Straka's Early Golf Days
Sepp Straka played golf as an amateur for Austria. In 2011, he was part of the Austrian team at the European Boys' Team Championship. His twin brother, Sam, was also on the team. They finished second, which was a great result for Austria. They lost in the final to Spain, a team that included future golf star Jon Rahm.
After that, Sepp played college golf in the United States. He attended the University of Georgia from 2011 to 2016.
Sepp Straka's Professional Golf Career
Sepp Straka became a professional golfer in 2016 after finishing college. He started by playing in tournaments on the PGA Tour Canada. This helped him get ready for bigger tours.
Moving Up in Golf
In 2017, Sepp qualified for the Web.com Tour (now called the Korn Ferry Tour). This tour is a step below the PGA Tour. His best finish that year was 7th place.
A big moment came in 2018 when Sepp won his first professional tournament. He won the KC Golf Classic on the Web.com Tour by just one shot! Later that year, he finished tied for 3rd at the Web.com Tour Championship. This amazing finish helped him earn his PGA Tour card. He became the first Austrian golfer ever to get a PGA Tour card.
Playing on the PGA Tour
In his first year on the PGA Tour in 2019, Sepp had a strong start. He finished 3rd at the Barbasol Championship. He also played in his first major championship, the U.S. Open. He finished tied for 28th place, which was a great achievement. Sepp played well enough to keep his PGA Tour card for the next season.
Olympic Games and First PGA Tour Win
Sepp Straka represented Austria at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He finished tied for 10th place, which is a fantastic result for an Olympic athlete.
In February 2022, Sepp made history again. He won The Honda Classic in Florida. This made him the first Austrian to ever win a PGA Tour event! He won by one shot after a great final round.
Later in 2022, Sepp had some close calls. He tied for the lead at the FedEx St. Jude Championship but lost in a playoff. He also lost another playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship.
More Wins and Major Success
In July 2023, Sepp won his second PGA Tour title at the John Deere Classic. He played incredibly well to secure this win.
Right after that, Sepp had his best finish ever in a major championship. He finished tied for second place at The Open Championship. This is one of golf's four biggest tournaments.
Ryder Cup Champion
In September 2023, Sepp Straka was chosen to play for the European team in the 2023 Ryder Cup. This is a famous team competition between Europe and the United States. The European team won the Ryder Cup, and Sepp was a part of that winning team!
Sepp Straka's Life Outside Golf
Sepp Straka was born in Vienna, Austria. His mother is American, and his father is Austrian. When Sepp was 14, his family moved to Valdosta, Georgia, in the United States.
He went to the University of Georgia for college. His twin brother, Sam, also played golf there. Sepp studied business management in college.
Sepp Straka's Professional Wins (4)
Sepp Straka has won four professional golf tournaments.
PGA Tour Wins (3)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 Feb 2022 | The Honda Classic | −10 (71-64-69-66=270) | 1 stroke |  Shane Lowry |
| 2 | 9 Jul 2023 | John Deere Classic | −21 (73-63-65-62=263) | 2 strokes |  Alex Smalley, Brendon Todd |
| 3 | 19 Jan 2025 | The American Express | −25 (65-64-64-70=263) | 2 strokes | Justin Thomas |
PGA Tour Playoff Record (0–2) Sepp has been in two playoffs on the PGA Tour and lost both.
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2022 | FedEx St. Jude Championship | Will Zalatoris |
Lost to bogey on third extra hole |
| 2 | 2022 | Sanderson Farms Championship |  Mackenzie Hughes |
Lost to birdie on second extra hole |
Web.com Tour Wins (1)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory |
Runner-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 Aug 2018 | KC Golf Classic | −22 (64-65-64-69=262) | 1 stroke | Kyle Jones |
Sepp Straka's Major Championship Results
Major championships are the four most important tournaments in golf. Results are not listed in order for 2020.
| Tournament | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | T30 | T46 | T16 | |||
| PGA Championship | T66 | 78 | T7 | CUT | ||
| U.S. Open | T28 | CUT | CUT | T56 | ||
| The Open Championship | NT | CUT | T2 | T22 |
Top 10 Did not play
- CUT = missed the half-way cut (did not play the final two rounds)
- "T" = tied for that position
- NT = no tournament (due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
Summary of Major Results
| Tournament | Wins | 2nd | 3rd | Top-5 | Top-10 | Top-25 | Events | Cuts made |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Masters Tournament | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
| PGA Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| U.S. Open | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 |
| The Open Championship | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Totals | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 14 | 10 |
- Most times making the cut in a row – 4 (from the 2019 U.S. Open to the 2022 PGA)
- Longest streak of finishing in the top 10 – 1 (happened twice)
Results in The Players Championship
The Players Championship is a very important golf tournament, often called the "fifth major."
| Tournament | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Players Championship | CUT | T9 | T65 | T16 |
Top 10
- CUT = missed the halfway cut
- "T" indicates a tie for a place
Team Appearances
Sepp Straka has played for teams in golf competitions.
As an Amateur
- European Boys' Team Championship (representing Austria): 2011
As a Professional
- Hero Cup (representing Continental Europe): 2023 (his team won)
- Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 2023 (his team won)
Images for kids
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Sepp Straka in 2016
