Steve Melnyk

Steven Nicholas Melnyk (born February 26, 1947) is an American former professional golfer and golf sportscaster best known for his success as an amateur golfer. Melnyk won both the U.S. Amateur and British Amateur.

Early life Melnyk was born in Brunswick, Georgia. He is of Russian ancestry. Melnyk attended Glynn Academy in Brunswick for his high school education.

Amateur career Melnyk attended the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, where he played for coach Buster Bishop's Florida Gators men's golf team in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) competition from 1967 to 1969. He was a two-time All-American at Florida, and was the number one golfer on the 1968 team that won their first NCAA Division I Golf Championship. Melnyk graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor's degree in industrial management in 1969.

Melnyk won the 1969 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club, shooting a 2-over-par 286 to beat Vinny Giles by five shots at stroke play. He claimed the British Amateur with a 3 & 2 victory over fellow American Jim Simons at Carnoustie Golf Links in 1971. Melnyk also had wins at the Western Amateur and Eastern Amateur and played on the 1969 and 1971 Walker Cup teams. He won the 1965 Georgia Open as an amateur. He was low amateur in the 1970 British Open (tie for 41st) and at the 1971 Masters Tournament (tie for 24th).

Professional career In 1971, Melnyk turned professional after his British Amateur win and started playing on the PGA Tour. He did not find the success he had as an amateur carried over to his professional career. He never won a tournament on the PGA Tour but he did place second four times: the 1973 Phoenix Open, 1974 Houston Open, 1979 First NBC New Orleans Open and 1981 Pensacola Open. His best finish in a major was a tie for 12th at the 1972 Masters Tournament. He did win the 1972 Masters Par 3 Contest.

At the 1982 Phoenix Open, Melnyk slipped and broke his right elbow. While recuperating from the injury, he became an on-course reporter for CBS Sports. He resumed playing later that year and both played and reported through the 1984 season when he retired from playing. He stayed with CBS until 1992, when joined ABC Sports. He retired from television in 2004, after 22 years as a reporter and analyst for CBS Sports, ABC Sports and ESPN. He has also designed or co-designed several golf courses.

Reinstated amateur status In the late 2000s, Melnyk retired from professional golf and broadcasting. He regained his amateur golfer status and continued to play. As of 2011, he remained actively involved as a University of Florida alumnus and serving a ten-year stint on the board of directors of the Gators athletic boosters, including a term as its president. Both sons played collegiate golf at the University of Florida. Butler later became a golf agent for the sports management company Wasserman, and founded his own agency in 2025, with clients such as Ludvig Åberg and Sepp Straka.

Melnyk was previously married to Jacksonville native Laura Price.

Awards and honors In 1970, Melnyk was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great." In 1992, he was inducted into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame. In 2000, Melnyk was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

Tournament wins 1965 Georgia Open (as an amateur) 1969 U.S. Amateur, Western Amateur 1970 Eastern Amateur 1971 British Amateur

Results in major championships

LA = Low amateur CUT = missed the half-way cut "T" indicates a tie for a place

U.S. national team appearances Amateur Walker Cup: 1969 (winners), 1971