Mike Souchak
Michael Souchak was an American professional golfer. He won fifteen events on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s and represented the United States for the Ryder Cup in 1959 and 1961.
Early life
Born and raised in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Souchak served two years as a gunner in the U.S. Navy. He then attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and played both golf and football for the Blue Devils, as an end and placekicker.Professional career
In his first win at the 1955 Texas Open, Souchak set and tied several records. In the first round, he tied the tour's 18-hole record with a 60. This record was finally broken in 1977 by Al Geiberger's 59. This first round also included a record-breaking 27 on the back nine holes. This record was not broken until 2006 by Corey Pavin. He then finished with a 72-hole record of 257. This aggregate total record also stood until the 21st century until Mark Calcavecchia shot 256 at the 2001 Phoenix Open.Souchak's fifteen PGA Tour wins came between 1955 and 1964, with his best year in 1956. He won three tour titles in 1959, and was on an early cover of Sports Illustrated in January 1956, for its preview of the Bing Crosby Pro-Am.
Souchak had eleven top-10 finishes at major championships, including third-place finishes at the U.S. Open in 1959 and 1960. Souchak led after 36 holes in 1960 with a new record score of 135, which was 7-under-par. But he struggled on the final hole of the third round making a triple bogey, and couldn't regain his composure. Arnold Palmer, who had been seven strokes behind entering the final round, shot 65 to win the championship.
In 1970, Souchak moved from North Carolina to Florida and became the first head pro at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, Florida, and resided in Belleair.
Souchak played on the Senior PGA Tour from its inception in 1980 until 1990. His best finish was second place in his very first tournament, the Atlantic City Senior International in 1980.
Personal life
Souchak was married to the former Nancy Tilley. He had four children: sons Mike, Frank, and Chris Souchak and daughter Patti Taylor, as well as five grandchildren. He ran Golf Car Systems, a preventive maintenance firm, with his business partner Bill Dodd until his death from complications of a heart attack in 2008.Awards and honors
Souchak was inducted into the Duke Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.Professional wins (19)
PGA Tour wins (15)
PGA Tour playoff record| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent | Result | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 1955 | Thunderbird Invitational |  Other wins (4)This list is probably incomplete
CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play Summary
|