Tyler Strafaci

Strafaci comes from a golfing family. His grandfather Frank Sr., won the U.S. Public Links in 1935 and the 1938 & '39 North and South Amateur championship. After his amateur career, he became the director of golf at Doral Country Club in Miami. Tyler's father, Frank Jr., had his own impressive golf resume, having qualified for seven different USGA events, three U.S. Amateurs, and four U.S. Mid-Amateurs. His mother Jill, was also a great golfer playing for the University of Florida women's team in the 70s before becoming an executive for the Miami Dolphins. So it was a no-brainer when Tyler was introduced to golf at age 6. He became an excellent junior golfer and had a great high school record. As a freshman at American Heritage, he helped lead the team to a state title in 2012, then again as a junior in 2014. He capped off his high school career by winning the individual state title in 2015 by seven shots.
He went to Georgia Tech in 2016 and established himself quickly as an invaluable part of the Yellow Jackets' lineup with a win in his first spring. But the weight of his own expectations slowed him down, and by summer 2019, Strafaci was burned out. He spent some time off and returned to the basics. His game heated up in July of 2020 when he won the North & South Amateur Championship at Pinehurst, N.C. He not only became the first Georgia Tech golfer to win the title in the 120-year history of the eve3nt, but he was able to put his name on the trophy his grandfather, Frank Sr., won in 1938 and '39. He did it with his father Frank, Jr. on the bag as his caddie. The following week Tyler won the Palmetto Amateur by a shot. His next start came the following month at the U.S. Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. He made it to the match-play rounds for the third time in four tries, but in the previous two times, he lost in the round of 32. This time he made it to the finals against Charles Osborne, who thanks to a great start was 5 up after the 12th hole. Over the course of the next five holes, Strafaci played them in three under and won four of the five holes. With a birdie at the 2nd hole in the afternoon round, he drew level with Osborne. The match went to the 36th hole level and Strafaci hit the par 5 in two and his birdie won the match 1-up. So 85 years after his grandfather won the U.S. Amateur Public Links the family captured another USGA title. It was an emotional moment for Tyler, who had his father on the bag while his mother and older brother Trent were in the gallery.
At the beginning of 2021, Strafaci decided not to play a fifth year for Georgia Tech. With his Business Administration degree in hand and four seasons of college golf already behind him, Strafaci was restless for something else. His four-year career included ten top-10s and a victory at the Valspar Collegiate in his freshman year. But he plans on waiting a bit to turn professional. Since he made the U.S. Walker Cup team, which is played the first part of May at Seminole, he wants to stay an amateur. It's important for him to play that event since it's eluded his family as grandfather, Frank Sr., and dad, Frank Jr., never made a U.S. team. So Tyler will be the first family member to play in the Walker Cup. After Seminole, Strafaci can turn pro and accept up to seven sponsor exemptions, not including the starts he'll receive for winning the U.S. Amateur (he gets up to 12 total starts as a non-member). A new rule also will let him play the U.S. Open as a professional.
Has not played in any amateur events since finishing T-12th at the Azalea Invitational on November 1st, 2020.