Somewhere in America, whether tucked away in a garage or rusting in a junkyard, there sits a yellow sports car that served as a trade chip in one of amateur golf’s most unexpected outcomes.
The sleek roadster – a 2011 Nissan 370Z – was originally intended to serve as a motivational enticement for Steven Fox from his father should he pull off the unimaginable in winning the 2012 U.S. Amateur Championship.
“After I got through the qualifier, my dad said, ‘Congrats. Let’s put something on it,’” Fox said. “He had just bought this sports car, and he said he’d give it to me if I won the Am.”
It seemed like a safe bet for Fox’s dad, Alan, given the fact his son was a relative unknown among amateur golf’s hierarchy. He had recently completed his junior year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, barely making it through qualifying to advance to the championship outside of Denver at Cherry Hills Country Club.
Fox debated even making the trip out west from his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee, just north of Nashville, but figured it would provide some quality time with his father regardless of the results.
“I wasn’t a favorite at all and felt lucky to be there,” Fox said. “I snuck into match play by surviving a 17-for-14 playoff that went four holes, and then I had to play the No. 2 seed that afternoon. But I always loved match play growing up, and it just happened to be my week.”
The unlikely sequence of upsets culminated when the 63rd-seeded Fox defeated Michael Weaver of Fresno, California, in the final by draining an 18-foot birdie putt on the 37th hole, becoming the lowest seed to win the U.S. Amateur since the USGA began seeding stroke-play qualifying in 1985.
Another improbable story could be created this week when the 124th U.S. Amateur is played at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minnesota.
“After I won, my dad said, ‘A bet’s a bet, and you won. Here’s the keys to the car,’” Fox said. “I knew that was a bad idea to take it back to college. It would have come back with dings and scratches, and I probably would’ve gotten a few speeding tickets. Then my dad said, ‘What if I buy you the trophy instead?’ So, they bought me a replica of the Havemeyer Trophy for my birthday the following year,” Fox said.
Fox’s father served as his son’s caddie in every round through the opening 18 holes of the 36-hole championship final. That amounted to 180 holes including two practice rounds, and both agreed that a change should be made before the afternoon round. So, Fox recruited his assistant coach at UTC, Ben Rickett, for the final 19 holes.
“When I told my dad I wanted Ben to be on the bag, it was a relief for him,” Fox said. “He had blisters on his feet and was hurting. When I caddied for Bryce Lewis at last year’s Am at Cherry Hills, I was 32 at the time and I still had a tough time carrying the bag. I understand what my dad was feeling when he was 53 and doing it for a solid week. He was happy to be on the other side of the ropes.”
“I would do it all over again. I would change how I approached playing and being in the gym more and work a little harder at it. But I also think that wasn’t what I was meant to do.” – Steven Fox
Fox had not considered pursuing a career in professional golf, but that changed after winning the Amateur.
“I remember talking to [UTC teammate and future PGA Tour winner] Stephan Jaeger in our apartment and I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Fox said. “I figured I might as well give it a shot after I won, and I’m happy I was able to play professionally for seven years.”
Fox competed in 10 events on the PGA Tour, including the U.S. Open, the Masters and the Open Championship in 2013. He spent one full season on the Web.com Tour (known today as the Korn Ferry Tour), and had 35 starts with the PGA Tour Latinoamérica, highlighted by a runner-up finish among five top-10s, before walking away from his professional pursuits in 2020.
“I would do it all over again,” Fox said. “I would change how I approached playing and being in the gym more and work a little harder at it. But I also think that wasn’t what I was meant to do.”
Fox was able to secure his amateur reinstatement last summer, but he doesn’t have plans to become a weekend warrior on the mid-amateur circuit.
“I just want to play in some member-guest events and a handful of select tournaments like the Lupton Memorial at the Honors Course,” Fox said. “I’m a member there, and I’d like to see my name up on the wall in the pro shop at some point.”
Fox and his wife, Desiree, have two sons – Mason, 5, and Maverick, 2. He has a successful career in commercial real estate in the burgeoning Nashville market and is thriving in his new life beyond professional golf.
“I knew there was something else out there for me,” Fox said. “Golf was just part of my life, but it wasn’t going to be my entire life. Golf has been phenomenal for work. It’s been phenomenal in allowing me to travel the world and play at Augusta, go to the U.S. Open and compete in the Open Championship. I have had a blessed life, and I wouldn’t change a thing.”