Ben Curtis (golfer)
Encyclopedia
Ben Clifford Curtis is an American professional golfer
best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship
.
and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio
. His family runs the Mill Creek Golf Club, also in Ostrander
. Curtis is a graduate of Buckeye Valley High School
and Kent State University
, where he was a star on the golf team.
As an amateur, Curtis found much success, winning the Ohio Amateur in 1999 and 2000 (joining professional golfers John Cook
and Arnold Palmer
as the only men to win the Ohio Amateur in consecutive years), and also the Players Amateur
in 2000.
Curtis turned professional in 2000, originally playing on the Hooters Tour without some success. At the end of 2002, he finished in a tie for 26th at that year's Q-School, earning his PGA Tour
card for the following year becoming one of the few players to completely skip the Nationwide Tour
. His first year on tour began unspectacularly as he made a fair amount of cuts, but had no finishes in the top 25 until a tie for 13th at the Western Open
, a result which qualified him to play in that year's British Open.
at Royal St George's
in 2003 as a 300–1 outsider, defying the odds to win the tournament by one stroke from Thomas Bjørn
and Vijay Singh
on the final day.
The 2003 Open Championship was Curtis' first appearance in a major; he became the first golfer since Francis Ouimet
in the 1913 U.S. Open
to win his major championship
debut. After his victory, Curtis jumped from 396th in the Official World Golf Rankings
to 35th, the highest jump for any person. This victory and a solid first season on the PGA Tour
led to Curtis' being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2003.
. He missed even more cuts in 2005 and only had two top ten finishes.
In 2006, his results improved as he made the cut much more consistently and recorded two wins: the Booz Allen Classic
and the 84 Lumber Classic
. His consistent form continued into 2007 and he tied for 8th place at that year's British Open in Carnoustie
, his best result in a major since winning the tournament.
2008 was Curtis's most consistent season to date, recording five top ten finishes and missing only four cuts all year. He bettered his British Open result from the previous year by finishing in a tie for 7th at Royal Birkdale
and followed it up a month later by finishing tied for 2nd place in the PGA Championship
at Oakland Hills
. This second place finish qualified him for the 2008 Ryder Cup
, his first appearance in the event.
This consistent form continued into 2009, with only three missed cuts in 18 PGA Tour events that year. However, despite this statistic Curtis only managed one top 20 finish and ended the year outside the top 100 in the money list, but he did achieve two top ten finishes on the European Tour. At the 2009 Open Championship
at Turnberry, Curtis shot a 65 to tie for second after the first round, but a second round 80 meant that he missed the cut by one shot.
, just north of Kent, Ohio
after previously living in neighboring Stow
.
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Professional
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
best known for winning the 2003 Open Championship
2003 Open Championship
The 2003 Open Championship was the 132nd Open Championship held from 17-20 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England. Ben Curtis won his first major by one stroke over Thomas Bjørn and Vijay Singh...
.
Early career
Curtis was born in Columbus, OhioColumbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
and grew up in Ostrander, Ohio
Ostrander, Ohio
Ostrander is a village in Delaware County, Ohio, United States. The population was 405 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ostrander is located at ....
. His family runs the Mill Creek Golf Club, also in Ostrander
Ostrander, Ohio
Ostrander is a village in Delaware County, Ohio, United States. The population was 405 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Ostrander is located at ....
. Curtis is a graduate of Buckeye Valley High School
Buckeye Valley High School
Buckeye Valley High School is a rural public high school located in Delaware County's Troy Township, north of Delaware, Ohio. It is the only high school in the Buckeye Valley Local School District...
and Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
, where he was a star on the golf team.
As an amateur, Curtis found much success, winning the Ohio Amateur in 1999 and 2000 (joining professional golfers John Cook
John Cook (golfer)
John Neuman Cook is an American professional golfer, who has played on the PGA Tour and currently plays on the Champions Tour....
and Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
as the only men to win the Ohio Amateur in consecutive years), and also the Players Amateur
Players Amateur
The Players Amateur is an annual amateur golf tournament. It was first played in 2000. It is organized by the Heritage Classic Foundation, which also sponsors The Heritage on the PGA Tour...
in 2000.
Curtis turned professional in 2000, originally playing on the Hooters Tour without some success. At the end of 2002, he finished in a tie for 26th at that year's Q-School, earning his PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
card for the following year becoming one of the few players to completely skip the Nationwide Tour
Nationwide Tour
The Nationwide Tour is the developmental tour for the U.S.-based PGA Tour, and features professional golfers who have either failed to score well enough at that level's Qualifying School to earn their PGA Tour card, or who have done so but then failed to win enough money to stay at that level...
. His first year on tour began unspectacularly as he made a fair amount of cuts, but had no finishes in the top 25 until a tie for 13th at the Western Open
Western Open
The Western Open, a professional golf tournament, was first played in 1899. At the time of its 2006 playing, the Western Open was the 3rd oldest active PGA Tour tournament, after the British Open and U.S. Open...
, a result which qualified him to play in that year's British Open.
Open Championship win
Curtis entered the The Open ChampionshipThe Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
at Royal St George's
Royal St George's Golf Club
The Royal St George's Golf Club is one of the premier golf clubs in the United Kingdom, and one of the courses on The Open Championship rotation. It has hosted 13 Open championships since 1894, when it became the first club outside Scotland to host the championship...
in 2003 as a 300–1 outsider, defying the odds to win the tournament by one stroke from Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn
Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team...
and Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh
Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008...
on the final day.
The 2003 Open Championship was Curtis' first appearance in a major; he became the first golfer since Francis Ouimet
Francis Ouimet
Francis DeSales Ouimet was an American golfer, who is frequently referred to as the "father of amateur golf" in the United States. He won the 1913 U.S. Open, and was the first American elected Captain of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews...
in the 1913 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
to win his major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
debut. After his victory, Curtis jumped from 396th in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
to 35th, the highest jump for any person. This victory and a solid first season on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
led to Curtis' being named the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year for 2003.
Further success
Curtis' British Open victory gave him a five year exemption on the PGA Tour and a ten year exemption on the European Tour, and he played events on both tours in 2004. However, he did not experience immediate success, missing many cuts and only recording one top ten finish on the PGA TourPGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. He missed even more cuts in 2005 and only had two top ten finishes.
In 2006, his results improved as he made the cut much more consistently and recorded two wins: the Booz Allen Classic
Booz Allen Classic
The Booz Allen Classic was a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2006.Perhaps more so than any other "regular" PGA Tour stop, the event wandered about, not just from course to course within a given metropolitan area, but along the East Coast...
and the 84 Lumber Classic
84 Lumber Classic
The 84 Lumber Classic was an golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 2000 to 2006. The event's title sponsor was lumber company 84 Lumber. The host course from 2003 to 2006, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, was owned by 84 Lumber founder Joseph Hardy.-History of the 84 Lumber...
. His consistent form continued into 2007 and he tied for 8th place at that year's British Open in Carnoustie
Carnoustie Golf Links
The Carnoustie Golf Links are in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Its historic championship golf course is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation.-History:...
, his best result in a major since winning the tournament.
2008 was Curtis's most consistent season to date, recording five top ten finishes and missing only four cuts all year. He bettered his British Open result from the previous year by finishing in a tie for 7th at Royal Birkdale
Royal Birkdale Golf Club
Royal Birkdale Golf Club is a golf course in the town of Southport, England, and is one of the clubs in the Open Championship rotation for both men and women. The club has hosted the men's championship nine times since 1954, most recently in July 2008, and has hosted the women's tournament five...
and followed it up a month later by finishing tied for 2nd place in the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
at Oakland Hills
Oakland Hills Country Club
Oakland Hills Country Club is a private golf club in Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, Michigan. It has hosted many prestigious professional golf tournaments throughout its history. The club consists of two 18 hole courses: the South Course and the North Course. The South Course has hosted all...
. This second place finish qualified him for the 2008 Ryder Cup
2008 Ryder Cup
The 37th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 19–21, 2008, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Team USA won 16½ - 11½ to end the streak of three successive victories for Team Europe. This was Team USA's largest margin of victory since 1981, and the first time since 1979 the...
, his first appearance in the event.
This consistent form continued into 2009, with only three missed cuts in 18 PGA Tour events that year. However, despite this statistic Curtis only managed one top 20 finish and ended the year outside the top 100 in the money list, but he did achieve two top ten finishes on the European Tour. At the 2009 Open Championship
2009 Open Championship
The 2009 Open Championship was the 138th Open Championship, one of the four major golf championships, and was played from 16–19 July at the Turnberry Resort, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the fourth time The Open Championship had been played at Turnberry...
at Turnberry, Curtis shot a 65 to tie for second after the first round, but a second round 80 meant that he missed the cut by one shot.
Personal life
As of 2011, Curtis and his wife Candace reside in Franklin TownshipFranklin Township, Portage County, Ohio
Franklin Township is a civil township located in Portage County, Ohio, United States. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeast Ohio on the western edge of the county. The 2000 census found 5,276 people in the township...
, just north of Kent, Ohio
Kent, Ohio
Kent is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the largest city in Portage County. It is located along the Cuyahoga River in Northeastern Ohio on the western edge of the county. The population was 27,906 at the 2000 United States Census and 28,904 in the 2010 Census...
after previously living in neighboring Stow
Stow, Ohio
Stow is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 32,139 at the 2000 census and 33,899 as of 2008. It is a suburban community that is part of the Akron metropolitan area. Stow is located adjacent to several other suburban communities in Summit and Portage Counties...
.
PGA Tour wins (3)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jul 20, 2003 2003 PGA Tour The 2003 PGA Tour season was played from January 9 to November 9. The season consisted of 48 official money events. Tiger Woods won the most tournaments, five, and there were seven first-time winners. The tournament results, leaders, and award winners are listed below.-Tournament results:The... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
1 stroke |  Thomas BjørnThomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team... ,  Vijay SinghVijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
|
| 2 | Jun 27, 2006 2006 PGA Tour The 2006 PGA Tour was the last season of the PGA Tour before the major reorganization of the season brought about by the introduction of the FedEx Cup in 2007. After being challenged by Phil Mickelson in the first half of the year, when Mickelson won his second straight major at the Masters and was... |
Booz Allen Classic Booz Allen Classic The Booz Allen Classic was a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 1968 to 2006.Perhaps more so than any other "regular" PGA Tour stop, the event wandered about, not just from course to course within a given metropolitan area, but along the East Coast... |
5 strokes |  Billy AndradeBilly Andrade William Thomas Andrade is an American professional golfer.Andrade was born in Bristol, Rhode Island. He attended Wake Forest University where he helped lead the Demon Deacons to the 1986 NCAA Championship. He played on the U.S. team in the 1987 Walker Cup, and turned professional in the same year... , Pádraig Harrington Padraig Harrington Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:... ,  Nick O'HernNick O'Hern Nicholas Simon O'Hern is an Australian professional golfer.O'Hern has played on both of the world's premier professional golf tours, the European Tour, and the United States based PGA Tour... , Steve StrickerSteve Stricker Steven Stricker is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He has won 11 tournaments on the PGA Tour including the 2001 WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship and two FedEx Cup playoff events. His most successful season on tour came in 2009, when he had three tournament victories... |
|
| 3 | Sep 17, 2006 2006 PGA Tour The 2006 PGA Tour was the last season of the PGA Tour before the major reorganization of the season brought about by the introduction of the FedEx Cup in 2007. After being challenged by Phil Mickelson in the first half of the year, when Mickelson won his second straight major at the Masters and was... |
84 Lumber Classic 84 Lumber Classic The 84 Lumber Classic was an golf tournament on the PGA Tour from 2000 to 2006. The event's title sponsor was lumber company 84 Lumber. The host course from 2003 to 2006, Nemacolin Woodlands Resort in Farmington, Pennsylvania, was owned by 84 Lumber founder Joseph Hardy.-History of the 84 Lumber... |
2 strokes | Charles Howell III Charles Howell III Charles Gordon Howell III is an American golfer. He has been featured in the top 15 of the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early years and amateur career:... |
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 2003 Open Championship The 2003 Open Championship was the 132nd Open Championship held from 17-20 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, Kent, England. Ben Curtis won his first major by one stroke over Thomas Bjørn and Vijay Singh... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
2 shot deficit | −1 (72–72–70–69=283) | 1 stroke | Thomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn Thomas Bjørn is a professional golfer from Denmark who plays on the European Tour. He is the most successful Danish golfer to have played the game having won thirteen tournaments worldwide on the European Tour. In 1999 he also became the first Dane to qualify for a European Ryder Cup team... , Vijay SinghVijay Singh Vijay Singh, CF , nicknamed "The Big Fijian", is a Fijian professional golfer who was Number 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings for 32 weeks in 2004 and 2005. He has won three major championships and was the leading PGA Tour money winner in 2003, 2004 and 2008... |
Results timeline
| Tournament | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | CUT | CUT | T39 | CUT | CUT | T35 | CUT | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | 30 | CUT | 57 | T45 | CUT | 57 | T14 | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
1 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T8 | T7 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
CUT | CUT | T34 | T60 | CUT | T2 | T24 | CUT | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Summary
- Tournaments played: 31
- Wins: 1
- Top 10s: 4
- Top 25s: 6
- Missed cuts: 17
- Most consecutive cuts made: 4
Results in World Golf Championship events
| Tournament | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | R32 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| CA Championship WGC-CA Championship The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T30 | DNP | DNP | DNP | T58 | DNP |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
T66 | DNP | DNP | T42 | 80 | DNP |
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
R64 | DNP |
| CA Championship WGC-CA Championship The WGC-Cadillac Championship is one of the four annual World Golf Championships tournaments for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
T28 | DNP |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
T64 | T39 |
| HSBC Champions | DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = tied
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
U.S. national team appearances
Amateur- Eisenhower TrophyEisenhower TrophyThe Eisenhower Trophy is a biennial world amateur team golf championship for men organized by the International Golf Federation. It is named for Dwight D. Eisenhower, the President of the United States when the tournament was first played, who was a keen amateur golfer. Recent tournaments have...
: 2000 (winners)
Professional
- Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
: 20082008 Ryder CupThe 37th Ryder Cup Matches were held September 19–21, 2008, at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. Team USA won 16½ - 11½ to end the streak of three successive victories for Team Europe. This was Team USA's largest margin of victory since 1981, and the first time since 1979 the...
(winners) - World Cup: 20082008 Omega Mission Hills World CupThe 2008 Omega Mission Hills World Cup took place from November 27 to November 30 at Mission Hills Golf Club in Shenzhen, China. It was the 54th World Cup. 28 countries competed and each country sent two players. The team purse was $5,000,000 with $1,600,000 going to the winner. The Swedish team of...