Sepp Straka struggled so much during his junior season at Georgia in 2013-14 that he was unable to qualify for the University of Georgia men’s golf team. He was diagnosed with the chipping yips and had to redshirt his season. It seemed impossible for him to make the PGA Tour or win a tournament.
Straka stated that “I wasn’t very good.” “I didn’t think I would make it as a professional.” It was more of an aspiration.
Straka made his dream a reality, winning his maiden Tour title at Honda Classic with inspired golf. In late February 2022, Straka erased a five-stroke deficit and won by three birdies on the last five holes. Straka was the first Austrian winner on the PGA Tour.
He said, “You can believe you can win, but it is difficult to believe until you actually do it.”
This story starts at Golf Club Gut Altentann in Salzburg, just outside of Salzburg. Mary Straka, Straka’s mother ran the golf shop on the Jack Nicklaus-designed course. She was later appointed to a similar position at Fontana Golf and Country Club south of Vienna, near Baden. Straka, his brother Sam, and his fraternal twin brother Peter learned the game at Fontana Golf and Country Club. At age 11 Straka participated in a summer camp for golfers. Straka, who was the goalie for the team, had been a dedicated soccer player until this camp. But, Sam decided that the brothers would take golf seriously.
When he was 14, the Straka family moved to the U.S. from Austria in order to be near his mom’s family in Valdosta. The brothers were signed by Chris Haack, Georgia coach. After a rough 7-8 months in which he felt like he couldn’t hit a fairway, Sepp finally found his game and turned pro in 2016. He was so discouraged by the poor start to 2018 Korn Ferry Tour season, he registered for Q-School in July. Straka won the KC Golf Classic the next week and received his PGA Tour card for 2018-19 with a T-3 at KFT Tour Championship.
Straka was able to qualify for the FedEx Cup Playoffs in each year he was on Tour, but his greatest achievement as a professional was his victory at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics. In the Fall 2021, Straka realized that his practice was lacking structure. He sought the assistance of John Tillery, a noted swing instructor. Straka was ranked 213th worldwide at the beginning of 2022.
Tillery stated that Tillery had to feed Tillery when he was first starting out because I didn’t want to shock his system. “Every bit he improves, I give him a little more.”
Sepp Straka strikes out from the gallery at the 14th hole during the third round in the 2019 U.S. Open. (Photo: Michael Madrid/USA TODAY Sports)
With the win at Honda, Straka improved to 83 rd worldwide. He also suffered two playoff losses at the FedEx St. Jude Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship, which has pushed him up to No. 25 as of January 15, 2023.
Tillery felt a breakthrough was near at the 2022 Honda Classic. Each practice session with Tillery’s broad-shouldered pupil, affectionately known as Ox, was more successful than the previous one.
Tillery stated, “The last session I attended before I left was a joke.” “I told him that I needed to change my perspective and see how great you were. You can’t beat them this week unless they let you.
Straka opened at PGA National with a mediocre 1-over-par 71, which was the best start by a Tour winner since Rory McIlroy’s 2021 Wells Fargo Championship (72). Straka jumped into contention on Friday with a tournament-low 6 under 64.
He said, “I felt quite confident after that one.” “The game felt really good.”
Straka managed a 69 Saturday. The final round started with American Daniel Berger leading by five strokes, equaling the largest 54-hole lead of the tournament’s 49 year history. Straka could have been discouraged by the ground Berger needed to win, but he wasn’t.
He said, “I knew that I had a chance.” It’s a crazy course, with water all around. Five shots is a lot, especially if you have a bunch of guys in front of you. But Daniel was the only one. If I could shoot a low shot, I might still have a chance.
Berger, the hometown hero and legend, fell to fourth with four bogeys, a double bogey and a score of 74.
“Just a poor round. Berger stated that it can happen at any moment. “I won’t dwell too much on it.”
Straka started badly with a 3-putt par bogey and missed from 2 feet for par. He bounced back with birdies at second and third, and made up for the bogey at eighth with a birdie in the ninth.
He said, “I just kept my head down” and that he played good golf.
His approach was shortened from 176 yards to a hole in the back corner of the green at par-4 14. Straka hit the birdie putt and leapfrogged Berger to second place, just one stroke behind Shane Lowry. Straka was not done. At 16, he tied Lowry with a 14 foot birdie, and at 18, he made the largest birdie in his life to win his first Tour title.
Austrian Sepp Straka reacts to his putt at the 18th green during The Honda Classic at PGA National Resort And Spa, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida on February 27, 2022. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images).
Straka hit a 334 yard drive to the fairway of the par-5 final hole. Straka had only 199 yards left to go, so he took an extra club due to the rain. Straka credits Tillery for improving his iron play, which was more important than any other aspect of his game. It came in handy during crunch time. He was the top ball-striker of the week, ranking first in Strokes Gained Off the Tee and fourth in Average Approach. In the greatest moment, he drew a 6-iron 46 feet away from the hole.
He made two putts and signed for a final round 4-under 66 at PGA National’s Champion Course.
Straka had to just wait to see if he had done enough. Lowry could still catch him at the last with a birdie, but he had no choice but to play the hole under the worst conditions. He left himself a 43-foot par putt to tie the score.
Lowry was looking for his first win since the 2019 British Open. “That bad weather arrived just as we were about to hit our 18th tee shot, which was the worst break I’ve had in a while.”
Straka celebrated his victory with Paige and his mother, Paige. He had driven from Georgia on Sunday morning. Brendon Todd, Chris Kirk, and Keith Mitchell were among the college friends who waited to congratulate Straka on becoming the 11th Georgia Bulldog winner on the PGA Tour. Straka qualified for the Tour Championship, and finished seventh in last year’s FedEx Cup standings.
He proudly displays the Honda trophy in his home office cabinet. From the days of struggling with the yips and having to have a redshirt year at college, he’s made a lot of progress. He’s now thinking about joining the European Ryder Cup team, and adding more trophies. He will never forget the first time he won at the Honda.
