Ben Curtis

In 2003, followed Francis Ouimet (1913) as the second player to win a major championship in his first attempt. Curtis captured the Open Championship at Royal St. George's in Sandwich, England. Ranked No. 396 in the world at the start of the week and only was in the field through his tie for 13th in the Western Open two weeks previously. Curtis held off the world's best to finish at one-under-par 283, winning by a shot from Thomas Bjorn and Vijay Singh. He was the first player to win the Open Championship on his first start since Tom Watson at Carnoustie in 1975. Marked another memorable day in 2003, when he was married on the Saturday of the WGC-NEC Invitational in his home state of Ohio. Was not in the field until his Open Championship triumph, but continued with the wedding a couple of hours after completing his third round. A rookie on the PGA Tour after finishing T-26 at the 2002 Qualifying Tournament, Curtis competed on the Hooters Tour in 2001-02. A member of the winning U.S. team at the 2000 World Amateur Team competition in Germany. Semifinalist at the 1999 U.S. Amateur. A three-time Ohio Amateur champion, including a 15-stroke victory in 2000. Formerly the world No. 1-ranked amateur by Golfweek before turning professional in 2000. An All-America selection at Kent State. Became interested in golf through his grandparents, who owned a public golf course in Ostrander, Ohio. Member of the 2008 U.S. Ryder Cup team.
2011 Notes: Failed to record a top-10 finish for the first time since joining the PGA Tour in 2003. In 23 starts, a T12th at the Northern Trust Open represented his best outing.
2012 Notes: Started the year partially exempt on the PGA Tour but that changed when he won the Valero Texas Open, then finished T2nd at the Players Championship. Went on to his second biggest earning year (best, 2008, $2.6 million) of his career with $2.5 million.
2013 Notes: Made the cut in 10 of 20 starts on the PGA Tour, with three top-25 finishes along the way. Best finish of the season was a T-17th at The Greenbrier Classic in early July. He didn't make it into the FedEx Cup playoffs finishing 153rd. Went to play in the Web.Com Tour playoffs but only played in one event missing the cut at the Nationwide Children's.
2014 Notes: Only has one top-ten, T-6th at the Memorial. Was unable to finish better than T-47th at the Wyndham Championship in his last bid to get inside the top 125, finishing 131st in FedExCup standings and 130th on the official money list. Was not able to regain his card through the Web.com Tour Finals, missing the cut in the first three events.
2015 Notes: Made just three cuts in 14 starts and was unable to post a top-25 finish for the first time since joining the PGA Tour in 2003. Best finish was a T-29th at the Sanderson Farms Championship in his second start of the season.
2016 Notes: Played in 9 Korn Ferry Tour events he only made one cut, T-45th at the Ellie Mae Classic. Also played in 6 PGA Tour events only making one cut, T-47th at the John Deere Classic.
2017 Notes: Missed the cut at the Puerto Rico Open and withdrew from the Valero Texas Open, hasn't played since.