Mike Souchak


Michael Souchak was an American professional golfer who won fifteen events on the PGA Tour in the 1950s and 1960s, and played for the Ryder Cup teams in 1959 and 1961.

Early years

Born and raised in Berwick, Pennsylvania, Souchak served two years as a gunner in the U.S. Navy. He then attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, where he played both golf and football, as an end and placekicker. He was inducted into the Duke Sports Hall of Fame in 1976.

Tour record-setter

In his first win at the 1955 Texas Open, Souchak set and tied several records. In the first round, he tied the tour's 18-hole record with a 60. This record was finally broken in 1977 by Al Geiberger's 59, and then lowered by Jim Furyk's 58 in 2016. This first round also included a record-breaking 27 on the back nine holes, a record that was tied by Andy North in 1975, Billy Mayfair in 2001 and Robert Gamez in 2004, and broken by Corey Pavin in 2006. He then finished with a 72-hole record of 257. This record stood until 2001 when Mark Calcavecchia shot 256 at the Phoenix Open. Justin Thomas lowered the mark again in 2017 when he shot 253 at the Sony Open in Hawaii.
Souchak's 15 PGA Tour wins came between 1955 and 1964, with his best year being 1956, when he won four times. He won three tour titles in 1959, and was on an early cover of Sports Illustrated in January 1956, for its preview of the Bing Crosby Pro-Am.

Near misses in majors

Souchak had eleven top-10 finishes at major championships, including third-place finishes at the U.S. Open in 1959 and 1960. Souchak led after 36 holes in 1960 with a new record score of 135, which was 7-under-par. But he struggled on the final hole of the third round making a triple bogey, and couldn't regain his composure. Arnold Palmer, who had been seven strokes behind entering the final round, shot 65 to win the championship.
Souchak played on the Senior PGA Tour from its inception in 1980 until 1990. His best finish was second place in his very first tournament, the Atlantic City Senior International in 1980.
Souchak moved from North Carolina to Florida in 1970 and became the first head pro at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club in Palm Harbor, and resided in Belleair with his wife Nancy. He had four children: sons Mike, Frank, and Chris Souchak and daughter Patti Taylor, as well as five grandchildren. He ran Golf Car Systems, a preventive maintenance firm, with his partner Bill Dodd until his death from complications of a heart attack in 2008.

Professional wins (19)

PGA Tour wins (15)

PGA Tour playoff record
No.YearTournamentOpponentResult
11955Thunderbird Invitational Fred Haas, Shelley MayfieldMayfield won with birdie on second extra hole after 18-hole playoff;
Mayfield: −3,
Souchak: −3,
Haas: −2
21957Thunderbird Invitational Jimmy Demaret, Ken VenturiDemaret won 18-hole playoff;
Demaret: −4,
Souchak: + 4,
Venturi: +5
31963Hot Springs Open Dave HillLost to par on second extra hole

Other wins (4)

This list is probably incomplete
CUT = missed the half-way cut

"T" indicates a tie for a place

R16, QF, SF = Round in which player lost in PGA Championship match play

Summary