Tyler Creavy Continuing Legacy of Golfing Family

The Creavy name carries weight, built by generations before him. But it’s 15-year-old Tyler who is carving out his own legacy, swinging with the talent of his lineage and the passion to make his own mark in history.

 “He has always been super into golf. We have photos of Tyler when he was 18 months hitting the ball over the fence in his playroom” said mother Leigh Anne (Creavy), the 1998 U.S. Girls’ Junior champion.

Fast forward 15 years, and a much older Tyler Creavy is preparing to make his USGA championship debut at the 77th U.S. Junior Amateur at Trinity Forest Golf Club and stroke-play co-host Brook Hollow Golf Club, a stage both his parents and extended family know all too well.

Leigh Anne won her Girls’ Junior title at historic Merion Golf Club and later played on the victorious 2002 USA Curtis Cup Team. His father, Tom Creavy, now a noted golf professional, competed in two USGA amateur championships, including a U.S. Junior Amateur in 1988.

Diving deep into the family tree, Tyler’s great-great-uncle, Thomas Creavy, won the 1931 PGA Championship when it was still a match-play competition, defeating Gene Sarazen in the semifinals and Denny Shute in the final, one that was refereed by nine-time USGA champion Bob Jones. His great-grandfather, Joe, competed on the PGA Tour in the 1930s and was instrumental in the founding of the LPGA. Tyler’s great-great-uncle, Bill Creavy, was a longtime club professional, and another great-uncle, Jack, competed in the 1935 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.

Tyler qualified for the U.S. Junior Amateur in South Hadley, Mass., after shooting 67 to earn medalist honors. His sister, Riley, five years his junior, served as his caddie, while 13-year-old brother, Patrick, opted for a range session with mom instead. Tyler scheduled his Junior Amateur qualifier in Massachusetts to coincide with the family’s Father’s Day weekend plans with Tom’s relatives.

Tyler, however, had some doubts heading into the qualifier. Leigh Anne said he had just come off a challenging round at an American Junior Golf Association tournament. Luckily for Tyler, his father steps into roles far beyond just being “dad.” He also plays the role of coach. Leigh Anne noted that having his father as his instructor gives Tyler confidence, knowing that if his swing falters, he can quickly find a cure.

Tom Creavy has served as the teaching professional at Metrowest Golf Resort, in Orlando, Fla., since 1996. Over the years, he has worked with players such as U.S. Women’s Open champion Se Ri Pak and Beatriz Recari. Tom also works with a number of touring pros and elite amateurs. Tyler’s success, he explained, isn’t about having a perfect swing, but rather focused on a solid short game as well as getting plenty of competitive reps.

“When you look at the best players in the world, the guys who win the U.S. Opens and majors, they don't hit it perfect, but they make par from bad places,” said Tom, who played collegiately at Stetson University. “They make par from the trees and the bunkers. They get up and down [for par] from 80 yards. If you can’t do that, you’re never going to be a great player.”

With years of competitive experience behind them, Tom and Leigh Anne have learned how to pass their knowledge on to Tyler in a way that keeps the pressure low and the joy high. For Tom, the key has been helping Tyler fall in love with the game, not just perform in it, something both parents came to understand through their own time competing.

As a rising high school sophomore, Tyler is already ahead of the curve by qualifying for his first U.S. Junior Amateur. He’s two years younger than his dad was when he first qualified at 17, proof that the next Creavy generation is making its mark.

“At the Junior Am, everyone has the talent, it comes down to who plays the smartest,” said Tom as he helped prepare Tyler for the championship.

During Tyler’s freshman year of high school, he transferred to The First Academy in Orlando, a private Christian school with an excellent golf program, one his parents say was the key to jumpstarting his success.

“The coaches there are just really supportive,” said Leigh Anne, who starred at Duke University. "It’s just a really good foundation for him. After he transferred [to The First Academy], we saw him practicing more and working on his craft.”

Creavy’s growing list of accomplishments includes his first Futures Junior Tour win at Marsh Landing Country Club in February, where he secured the title with a birdie on the first playoff hole. He’s also posted several strong finishes this season, including a tie for second at the FJT Candler Hills Open in February and a T-6 at the FJT Eagle Ridge Open in April. In August of 2024, he added another highlight to his résumé by winning the Bay Hill Junior Club Championship, site of the PGA Tour’s annual Arnold Palmer Invitational, and where his family has a membership.

But Tyler didn’t immediately fall in love with the game. Before he got interested in swinging golf clubs, he was swinging bats, shooting hoops and playing football.

One evening after school last year, Tyler was shooting hoops at the local YMCA when he unexpectedly ran into his favorite player: four-time major champion and 16-time PGA Tour winner Scottie Scheffler. The 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, on a date with his wife, Meredith, was in town for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, and after snapping a photo with Tyler, he went on to win the tournament. Just four months later, Tyler returned to Bay Hill and captured the Bay Hill Junior Championship title.

Two champions, one course.

Maybe that moment at the Y brought a little shared luck.

After all, Leigh Anne won the 1998 U.S. Girls’ Junior at Merion just nine years after his father, Tom Creavy, competed in the 1989 U.S. Amateur at the same venue. Leigh Anne said she entered that championship believing she had what it took to win. 

“I remember going out with my friend Roxanne two weeks before the Girls’ Junior started and I told her, ‘I’m playing in a big tournament, and I think I'm going to win it,’” she said.

And that’s exactly what she did. Today, she and Tom instill that same mindset in Tyler, encouraging him to trust in his game and remember that he earned his spot through hard work and perseverance.

Leigh Anne went on to compete in 13 USGA events, including three U.S. Women’s Opens, five U.S. Girls’ Juniors, four U.S. Women’s Amateurs and a Curtis Cup, while Tom competed in a U.S Junior Amateur and U.S. Amateur.

 “I always tell Tyler that the pinnacle of golf is playing in a USGA event,” said Leigh Anne. “I played in three U.S. Women’s Opens and I’ll never forget the locker room, the courtesy car; I mean the carpet is just rolled out for you. It's just like you're a tour player.”

While Tyler’s father may not be a USGA champion, he achieved a notable milestone by defeating Tiger Woods, 3 and 2, in the semifinal of the 1993 Monroe Invitational at Monroe Golf Club, in Pittsford, N.Y. Neither could have predicted that, decades later, they’d find themselves on the other side of the ropes, this time as parents, watching their sons compete. Or the fact that Tyler will compete in the same U.S. Junior as Woods’ 16-year-old son, Charlie.

“Sometimes you can put so much pressure on yourself and it's such a mental game that I didn't know if I wanted my kids to do this, but they’ve chosen it,” said Leigh Anne.

On Monday at 12:41 p.m. at stroke-play co-host Brook Hollow Golf Club, Tyler Creavy officially gets his USGA moment.

And two proud parents will be watching.

Taylar Paige is a USGA communications/content summer intern. Email her at tpaige@usga.org.