Sean Crocker

Crocker was born Zimbabwe, in southern Africa, where his father, Gary Crocker, had gained national stardom and set numerous records playing for the Zimbabwe National Cricket Team.
After retiring from athletic competition, Gary and his wife Shelly bought a farm and started a family, first a daughter, Kristen, and then Sean. When Sean was just a few years old, Gary bought him a plastic golf club that he carried as he toddled around the farm in his diaper. Even at that age, Gary Crocker said Sean's athletic talents were already showing up.
Still, even as he watched his 2-year-old son smack shots with regularity, Gary Crocker said there was no thought or dream that golf would be in his future. "He had good hand-eye coordination so I cut down an old cricket bat of mine and let him try it," the senior Crocker says. "And sure enough, he smacked the first ball I pitched to him."
When he was old enough for school, Sean joined his sister at boarding school. The kids were dropped off on Monday morning and picked up Friday evening. Sean wasn't happy about being away from his parents or the farm and, as it turned out, his boarding school days didn't last long.
The family's life was turned upside down when political unrest threatened their safety to a point where they were virtually forced to give up their home. "It was extremely unsettling," Gary says. "They took our farm and froze our bank accounts, so we lost almost everything. We moved to the city and lived with Shelley's father, and really had no idea what the future would hold."
Initially, there was no real thought of heading to the United States, but by chance, they saw an ad that an immigration attorney had running in the paper talking about getting people to the United States. They made an appointment and thanks to his agricultural background, within four months Gary had a work visa.
They settled in Palos Verdes, California. Three months later, Sean (then 6) started his athletic career, but it wasn't golf, it was baseball. Despite having never played or even really seen any baseball, Sean was a natural. He also played soccer, but baseball fit him like a glove. He was a shortstop and pitcher and hit leadoff.
Young Sean did go to the golf course with his dad but it was never more than a hobby for him. Gary showed his son how to grip the club and taught him a few basics, but mostly he stressed etiquette and being cordial to others on the course.
In 2003, when he was 7, Sean got a taste of big-time golf when fellow Zimbabwean Nick Price invited him and his dad out to the Tiger Woods World Challenge at nearby Sherwood CC. Price and Gary Crocker knew each other through mutual friends.
"I got him in the locker room and showed him around a bit." Price said. ââ?¬Å?They had only been here from South Africa for a few years. He saw Tiger and I think it left an impression on him."
Price became something of a mentor as Sean progressed through the ranks, attending the University of Southern California and reaching the semi-finals of the 2015 US Amateur before losing to eventual champion Bryson DeChambeau. He made three European Tour cuts last season before leaving the amateur ranks and leaving USC in his junior year and in December was T-7th at the Australian PGA Championship.
In 2018 he was T-6th at the Singapore Open which got him his Open invite, his career-best finish was T-5th in the ISPS Handa World Super 8.