Sepp Straka

{{short description|Austrian professional golfer (born 1993)}} {{use dmy dates|date=August 2019}} {{Infobox golfer | name = Sepp Straka | image = Sepp Straka Ryder Cup 2025 (cropped).jpg | image_size =  | caption = Straka at the 2025 Ryder Cup | fullname = Josef Straka | nickname = Sepp | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|5|1|df=y}} | birth_place = Vienna, Austria | death_date =  | death_place = | height = 6 ft 3 in<ref name=pgabio/> | weight = 235 lb<ref name=pgabio/> | sporting_nationality = {{AUT}} | residence = Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.<ref name=pgabio/> | spouse = Paige Dean | partner = | children = 2 | college = University of Georgia | yearpro = 2016 | tour = PGA Tour European Tour | extour = Korn Ferry Tour PGA Tour Canada | prowins = 5 | pgawins = 4 | eurowins =  | japwins =  | asiawins =  | sunwins =  | auswins =  | nwidewins = 1 | chalwins =  | champwins =  | seneurowins =  | otherwins =  | majorwins =  | masters = T16: 2024 | usopen = T28: 2019 | open = T2: 2023 | pga = T7: 2023 | wghofid =  | wghofyear =  | award1 =  | year1 =  | award2 = | year2 = | awardssection =  }} '''Josef''' "'''Sepp'''" '''Straka''' (born 1 May 1993) is an Austrian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour, where he has won four titles.

==Early life and amateur career== Straka was born in Vienna, Austria, on 1 May 1993.<ref name=pgabio>{{Cite web |title=Sepp Straka |url=https://www.pgatour.com/player/49960/sepp-straka/bio |access-date=2025-09-22 |publisher=PGA Tour}}</ref> His mother was American and his father was Austrian; they met when his mother worked at a golf shop in Austria and sold a glove to his father.<ref name=":1" /> Straka speaks German and English. Regarding his nationality, he stated in 2022: "I used to say I'm 50% Austrian and 50% American. A friend of mine who is Austrian, Clemens, corrected me one day and said, you are 100% Austrian, 100% American."<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-07-10 |title=European Ryder and Solheim Cup teams: Straka, Aberg, Hojgaard and Hull stake claims |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/golf/66147652 |access-date=2025-05-21 |work=BBC Sport |first=Iain |last=Carter}}</ref>

Straka has a twin brother, Sam.<ref name=":0">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/us-open-2019-sepp-straka-the-least-known-player-on-the-day-1-leader-board-has-a-pretty-intriguing-backstory |title=U.S. Open 2019: The least known player on the Pebble Beach leader board has a pretty intriguing backstory |magazine=Golf Digest |first=Max |last=Adler |date=13 June 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/news/2019/07/20/sepp-straka-shoots-63-barbasol-championship-keene-trace-golf-club-still-gets-needled-twin-brother-sam-straka.html |title=Straka shoots 63 at Barbasol Championship, still gets needled by twin brother |publisher=PGA Tour |first=Helen |last=Ross |date=20 July 2019 |accessdate=7 August 2019}}</ref> Both twins played soccer during their youth, until they decided to focus on golf at age 11. Sam was originally the better golfer.<ref name=ryder/> The family moved to Valdosta, Georgia, when the twins were aged 14, so his mother could be closer to her family.<ref name=":0" /> After the move, their father regularly flew back-and-forth to Austria to maintain his architecture business.<ref name=":1">{{Cite magazine |title=I followed my twin bro into the game |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/sepp-straka-i-followed-my-twin-bro-into-the-game |magazine=Golf Digest |date=1 July 2019 |access-date=2025-05-21}}</ref>

Sepp and his brother attended Lowndes High School in Valdosta, Georgia, where both played for the Lowndes Vikings golf team. As a junior, Sepp won the Austrian Junior Championship and recorded a victory on the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour. Sam won five times on that tour. At the time they committed to the University of Georgia, Sam was ranked No. 44 nationally in the Golfweek/Sagarin Junior Rankings, while Sepp was ranked No. 72.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-11-18 |title=Straka brothers become Bulldogs |url=https://valdostadailytimes.com/2010/11/18/straka-brothers-become-bulldogs/ |access-date=2025-05-25 |newspaper=Valdosta Daily Times |first=Christian |last=Malone}}</ref> Sepp stated "the UGA coach was interested in Sam and realised only later that he had a brother who could play pretty well."<ref name=ryder>{{Cite magazine |last=David |first=Facey |date=2024-02-08 |title='It's Hard To Believe I've Made It This Far' – Sepp Straka Reveals How He Became A Ryder Cup Player Despite Being The Second Best Golfer In His Family |url=https://www.golfmonthly.com/features/its-hard-to-believe-ive-made-it-this-far-sepp-straka-reveals-how-he-became-a-ryder-cup-player-despite-being-the-second-best-golfer-in-his-family |access-date=2025-05-21 |magazine=Golf Monthly}}</ref>

Straka represented Austria, on the same team as his twin, at the 2011 European Boys' Team Championship. Team Austria finished second (a tied all-time best), losing in the final against the Spanish team led by Jon Rahm.<ref>{{Cite web |title=2011 European Boys' Team Championship |publisher=European Golf Association |url=https://www.ega-golf.ch/content/2011-european-boys-team-championship |access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref>

Straka played collegiate golf at the University of Georgia from 2011 to 2016. He redshirted the 2013–2014 season due to his struggles with short game yips.<ref name=ryder/> In March 2016, Straka shot a 7-under 65 in the final round of the Linger Longer Invitational to place second individually, one stroke behind his Georgia teammate Lee McCoy. This was the best individual finish of Straka's collegiate career.<ref>{{Cite web |title=McCoy Medalist, Bulldogs Second At Linger Longer |publisher=University of Georgia Athletics |url=https://georgiadogs.com/news/2016/3/22/McCoy_Medalist_Bulldogs_Second_At_Linger_Longer |access-date=2025-05-25}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Linger Longer Inv.: Lee McCoy is Medalist, Alabama Wins team Title |url=https://www.amateurgolf.com/golf-tournament-news/16171/Linger-Longer-Inv-Lee-McCoy-is-Medalist--Alabama-Wins-team-Title-- |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=AmateurGolf.com}}</ref> The runner-up finish moved him up 80 places to 225th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.<ref>{{Cite web |title=McCoy moves closer to win record |url=https://www.wagr.com/news/2016/march/week-12 |access-date=2025-05-25 |publisher=World Amateur Golf Ranking |date=30 March 2016}}</ref> Straka received a Bachelor of Business Administration in management from the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Vodicka |first=Gabe |date=2023-11-29 |title=A golden age for Terry golf |url=https://www.terry.uga.edu/a-golden-age-for-terry-golf/ |access-date=2025-09-22 |publisher=Terry College of Business}}</ref>

==Professional career== thumb|Straka in 2016 at the Austrian Open Straka turned professional after completing college and played a number of tournaments on the 2016 PGA Tour Canada. He qualified for the 2017 Web.com Tour season. His best finish in 25 events was 7th in the El Bosque Mexico Championship.

Straka became the first Austrian golfer to earn a PGA Tour card after finishing tied for 3rd place in the 2018 Web.com Tour Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/korn-ferry-tour/news/2018/09/23/sepp-straka-earns-first-pga-tour-card-with-strong-finish-web-com-tour-championship.html |title=2018 Web.com Tour Championship final-round recap |publisher=PGA Tour |date=23 September 2018 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref> Earlier in the year, Straka secured his first professional victory by winning the Web.com Tour's KC Golf Classic by one stroke.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.golfchannel.com/tours/webcom-tour/2018/kc-golf-classic |title=KC Golf Classic 2018 |work=Golf Channel |date=5 August 2018 |access-date=7 August 2019 |archive-date=7 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190807161516/https://www.golfchannel.com/tours/webcom-tour/2018/kc-golf-classic |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In his first season on the PGA Tour, Straka's best finish was a 3rd place at the 2019 Barbasol Championship, the alternate event to the 2019 Open Championship.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pgatour.com/competition/2019/barbasol-championship/leaderboard.html |title=Barbasol Championship |publisher=PGA Tour |date=21 July 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref> Straka also played in his first career major championship at the 2019 U.S. Open, after finishing tied for the lowest score at the sectional qualifying in Milton, Ontario.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://golfweek.com/2019/06/03/golf-2019-us-open-sectional-qualifying-results/ |title=2019 U.S. Open sectional qualifying results |magazine=Golfweek |date=3 June 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref> An opening round of 68 left Straka in a tie for 8th, and though two over-par rounds would follow, a final round of 67 left Straka in a tie for 28th place.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usopen.com/players/49960.html#!tab-bio |title=Sepp Straka bio |publisher=USGA |date=16 June 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref> Straka finished the regular PGA Tour in 107th place on the FedEx Cup rankings, to qualify him for the 2019 FedEx Cup Playoffs and ensure he would keep his card for the 2020 season.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.golf-live.at/us_pga_tour/wyndham-sepp-strala-playoff-tourkarte-2019 |language=German |title=Playoff und Tourkarte |publisher=golf-live.at |date=4 August 2019 |access-date=7 August 2019}}</ref>

Straka competed in the Men's individual event at the 2020 Summer Olympics, finishing tied for 10th overall.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tokyo 2020 - Golf - Round 4 Results |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/golf/results-men-s-individual-stroke-play-fnl-000400-.htm |website=olympics.com |access-date=4 August 2021 |archive-date=4 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804101130/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/olympic-games/en/results/golf/results-men-s-individual-stroke-play-fnl-000400-.htm |url-status=dead}}</ref> thumb|Sepp Straka during the 2025 Travelers Championship

In February 2022, Straka became the first Austrian to win on the PGA Tour when he won The Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. He shot a final round 66 to win by one shot over Shane Lowry.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/33387680/sepp-straka-rallies-5-honda-classic-becoming-first-austrian-win-pga-tour |work=ESPN |agency=Associated Press |title=Sepp Straka rallies from 5 down at Honda Classic, becoming first Austrian to win on PGA Tour |date=27 February 2022 |access-date=27 February 2022}}</ref> In August 2022, Straka tied for the lead with Will Zalatoris after 72 holes at the FedEx St. Jude Championship; on the third sudden-death playoff hole, he hit his tee shot into the water, and Zalatoris prevailed with a bogey.<ref>{{Cite news |title=2022 St. Jude Championship: How Will Zalatoris edged Sepp Straka in the most dramatic playoff of the season |url=https://www.cbssports.com/golf/news/2022-st-jude-championship-how-will-zalatoris-edged-sepp-straka-in-the-most-dramatic-playoff-of-the-season/ |access-date=2022-11-18 |work=CBS Sports}}</ref>

Early in the 2022–23 PGA Tour season, at the Sanderson Farms Championship, Straka lost another sudden-death playoff, this time to Mackenzie Hughes.<ref>{{Cite magazine |title=Mackenzie Hughes shows off some short-game magic to beat Sepp Straka in Sanderson Farms playoff |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/mackenzie-hughes-wins-sanderson-farms-in-playoff-sepp-straka |magazine=Golf Digest |first=Dave |last=Shedloski |date=2 October 2022 |access-date=2022-11-18}}</ref> In July 2023, Straka won the John Deere Classic for his second win on the tour.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Shedloski |first1=Dave |title=Sepp Straka's wild Sunday rally falls short of 59, but not of winning the John Deere Classic |url=https://www.golfdigest.com/story/sepp-straka-john-deere-classic-misses-59-wins-anyway-with-big-comeback-62 |magazine=Golf Digest |access-date=16 August 2023 |date=9 July 2023}}</ref> Following this, Straka finished a joint second in The Open Championship to Brian Harman, six shots back, marking his best finish in a major to date.

In September 2023, Straka played on the European team in the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Guidonia, Rome, Italy. The European team won 16.5–11.5 and Straka went 1–2–0 including a loss in his Sunday singles match against Justin Thomas.

In January 2025, Straka won The American Express by two shots over Justin Thomas.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Beacham |first1=Greg |title=Austria’s Sepp Straka cruises to a 2-shot victory over Justin Thomas at The American Express |url=https://apnews.com/article/golf-score-american-express-la-quinta-519370a287ca66106873f6497470b278 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=12 May 2025 |date=19 January 2025}}</ref>

In May 2025, Straka won the Truist Championship at Philadelphia Cricket Club for his second victory of the PGA Tour season.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Lentz |first1=Bob |title=Straka outduels Lowry to win Truist Championship at Philly Cricket for 2nd victory of the season |url=https://apnews.com/article/sepp-straka-truist-championship-pga-tour-philly-cricket-9589186d148b4a5d9ebce77ff0c1ff51# |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=12 May 2025 |date=11 May 2025}}</ref>

==Personal life== During his time at the University of Georgia, Straka was nicknamed "Ox" in reference to his large size at {{convert|6|ft|3|in}}, {{convert|220|lb}}, and his resemblance to John Candy's character Dewey Oxberger in the film ''Stripes''.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Valspar journal: Russell Knox cards an 'albatross' |url=https://www.tampabay.com/sports/2019/03/22/valspar-journal-russell-knox-cards-an-albatross/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fedich |first=Justin |date=2015-04-24 |title=From the Shermanator to Regis: Men's golf team bonds through use of inspired nicknames |url=https://www.redandblack.com/sports/from-the-shermanator-to-regis-mens-golf-team-bonds-through-use-of-inspired-nicknames/article_5ffb3d84-ea99-11e4-99da-bb84520f765b.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=The Red & Black}}</ref>

Straka's wife, Paige, attended Auburn University, and they met at the Auburn Sky Bar during an Auburn–Georgia football game. They married in 2021 and had their first child, a son, in 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |first=Sahil |last=Goswami |date=2025-05-11 |title=Sepp Straka and Wife Paige Are Rivals |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/article/sepp-straka-wife-paige-rivals-180000857.html |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Yahoo Sports}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mödl |first=Matthias |date=2025-01-21 |title=Wife danced in front of the TV and bought Coke |url=https://www.krone.at/3661761 |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Kronen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Farner |first=Keith |date=2022-03-01 |title=Sepp Straka, PGA Tour winner and former UGA golfer, says his marriage to Auburn grad has been great for the Dawgs |url=https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/news/college-football/sepp-straka-pga-tour-winner-and-former-uga-golfer-says-his-marriage-to-auburn-grad-has-been-great-for-the-dawgs/ |access-date=2025-05-21 |website=Saturday Down South}}</ref> They had a second child in 2025.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Schupak |first=Adam |title=Home with wife and newborn, Sepp Straka will be lone Euro Ryder Cupper skipping BMW PGA |url=https://golfweek.usatoday.com/story/sports/golf/ryder-cup/2025/09/03/ryder-cup-sepp-straka-home-wife-newborn-will-miss-bmw-pga/85956787007/ |magazine=Golfweek |date=3 September 2025 |access-date=2025-09-22}}</ref>

==Professional wins (5)== ===PGA Tour wins (4)=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" ! Legend |- style="background:#D6E8FF;" | Signature events (1) |- | Other PGA Tour (3) |} {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of victory!!Runner(s)-up |- |align=center|1 |align=right|27 Feb 2022 |The Honda Classic |−10 (71-64-69-66=270) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|IRL}} Shane Lowry |- |align=center|2 |align=right|9 Jul 2023 |John Deere Classic |−21 (73-63-65-62=263) |2 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Alex Smalley, {{flagicon|USA}} Brendon Todd |- |align=center|3 |align=right|19 Jan 2025 |The American Express |−25 (65-64-64-70=263) |2 strokes |{{flagicon|USA}} Justin Thomas |-style="background:#D6E8FF;" |align=center|4 |align=right|11 May 2025 |Truist Championship |−16 (63-67-66-68=264) |2 strokes |{{flagicon|IRL}} Shane Lowry, {{flagicon|USA}} Justin Thomas |}

'''PGA Tour playoff record (0–2)''' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Year!!Tournament!!Opponent!!Result |-style="background:#F2C1D1;" |align=center|1 |2022 |FedEx St. Jude Championship |{{flagicon|USA}} Will Zalatoris |Lost to bogey on third extra hole |-style="background:#F2C1D1;" |align=center|2 |2022 |Sanderson Farms Championship |{{flagicon|CAN}} Mackenzie Hughes |Lost to birdie on second extra hole |}

===Web.com Tour wins (1)=== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;" !No.!!Date!!Tournament!!Winning score!!Margin of victory!!Runner-up |- |align=center|1 |align=right|5 Aug 2018 |KC Golf Classic |−22 (64-65-64-69=262) |1 stroke |{{flagicon|USA}} Kyle Jones |}

==Results in major championships== ''Results not in chronological order in 2020.'' {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;" !Tournament !2019!!2020!!2021!!2022!!2023!!2024!!2025!!2026 |- |align=left|Masters Tournament |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T30 |T46 |T16 |CUT |T41 |- |align=left|PGA Championship |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |T66 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |78 |style="background:yellow;"|T7 |CUT |CUT |CUT |- |align=left|U.S. Open |T28 |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |CUT |T56 |CUT | |- |align=left|The Open Championship |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |style="background:#eeeeee;"|NT |style="background:#eeeeee;"| |CUT |style="background:yellow;"|T2 |T22 |T52 | |} {{legend|yellow|Top 10}} {{legend|#eeeeee|Did not play}} CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" = tied NT = no tournament due to COVID-19 pandemic

===Summary=== {| class=wikitable style=text-align:center !Tournament !! Wins !! 2nd !! 3rd !! Top-5 !! Top-10 !! Top-25 !! Events !! Cuts made |- |align=left|Masters Tournament || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 5 || 4 |- |align=left|PGA Championship || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 6 || 3 |- |align=left|U.S. Open || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 2 |- |align=left|The Open Championship || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 2 || 4 || 3 |- !Totals !! 0 !! 1 !! 0 !! 1 !! 2 !! 4 !! 20 !! 12 |} *Most consecutive cuts made – 4 (2019 U.S. Open – 2022 PGA) *Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (twice)

==Results in The Players Championship== {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;text-align:center;" !Tournament !2021!!2022!!2023!!2024!!2025!!2026 |- |align=left|The Players Championship |CUT |style="background:yellow;"|T9 |T65 |T16 |T14 |style="background:yellow;"|T8 |} {{legend|yellow|Top 10}} CUT = missed the halfway cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

==Results in World Golf Championships== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" !Tournament !! 2022!!2023 |- |align="left"|Match Play |T35 |T59 |- |align="left"|Champions |NT1 |colspan=1 style="background:#D3D3D3;"| |} 1Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic "T" = Tied NT = No tournament Note that the Champions was discontinued from 2023.

==Team appearances== '''Amateur''' *European Boys' Team Championship (representing Austria): 2011<ref>{{cite web |title=European Boys' Team Championship – European Golf Association |date=19 October 2015 |url=http://www.ega-golf.ch/page/european-boys-team-championship |access-date=22 January 2023}}</ref> '''Professional''' *Hero Cup (representing Continental Europe): 2023 (winners) *Ryder Cup (representing Europe): 2023 (winners), 2025 (winners)

{|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |+Ryder Cup points record !2023 !2025 !Total |- |1 |1 |2 |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{PGATour player|49960}} * {{EuroTour player|39309}} * {{OWGR|17511}} * {{Olympedia}} * {{Olympics.com|sepp-straka}} * {{Team Austria|sepp-straka/2789}}

{{navboxes|title=Sepp Straka in the Ryder Cup |list1= {{2023 European Ryder Cup team}} {{2025 European Ryder Cup team}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Straka, Sepp}} Category:Austrian male golfers Category:PGA Tour golfers Category:Olympic golfers for Austria Category:Golfers at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Golfers at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:Korn Ferry Tour graduates Category:Georgia Bulldogs men's golfers Category:Expatriate golfers in the United States Category:Golfers from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Austrian expatriate sportspeople in the United States Category:Golfers from Vienna Category:Sportspeople from Valdosta, Georgia Category:Sportspeople from Athens, Georgia Category:Austrian people of American descent Category:1993 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century Austrian sportsmen