Frankie Capan III Facts: 15 Things You Didn’t Know About The Korn Ferry Tour Pro

The Korn Ferry Tour player is building a solid reputation in the game, helped by an excellent performance at the 2024 US Open

Frankie Capan III takes a shot at the US Open
Frankie Capan III is one of golf's rising stars
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Frankie Capan III may have headed into the 2024 US Open without a particularly big profile, but his performance more than hinted that could well be a thing of the past before much longer.

The American carded an impressive one-over 71 at Pinehurst No.2 in the opening round before following that up with an even better display in the second round, with 70 to ensure he comfortably made the cut by four shots, ahead of the likes of Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, who failed to make it to the weekend.

While Capan III’s performance on an extremely challenging course made people sit up and take notice, it’s not the first time he has achieved success there, while he has been quietly building an impressive career in recent years.

Here are some facts you may not know about the 24-year-old.

1. Capan III was born on 9 November 1999 in North Oaks, Minnesota

2. In his early years in Minnesota, Capan III played ice hockey. However, it wasn’t for a great love of the game, but to improve his golf swing during the winter months when he couldn’t make the course.

In a post on alabama.fanworld.com, he wrote: “Unfortunately, there was just no way I could play all year long unless I wanted to trudge through three feet of snow in 10-degree weather. As a result, I also played hockey. But in all honesty, it was mostly to work on my golf swing. As I found out, there are a ton of similarities. Who would have guessed, huh?"

3. Because of the need to play golf all year round, his family eventually relocated to Arizona, where Capan III attended Northwest Christian School, while returning to his home state during the summer months

4. In 2012, he was a standard bearer at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale

5. While in high school, Capan III valeted cars for six months at Silverleaf Golf Club, and has recalled parking cars for Adam Hadwin and Jon Rahm during his time in the role

6. He began his collegiate career at the University of Alabama before heading to Florida Gulf Coast for his final two seasons

Frankie Capan III at the Memorial Health Championship

Frankie Capan III is in his second season on the Korn Ferry Tour

(Image credit: Getty Images)

7. He won the 2016 AJGA Puerto Rico Junior Open, which earned him a place in the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open later that year. However, he missed the cut by one shot in his maiden PGA Tour start

8. Among his other achievements as an amateur were victories at the 2017 US Amateur Four Ball at Pinehurst No.2, while he was the individual Division III State Champion the same year. In  2020, he won the Minnesota State Amateur.

9. He began his collegiate career at the University of Alabama before heading to Florida Gulf Coast for his final two seasons

10. Capan III turned professional in 2022

11. He earned partial exemption status to the Korn Ferry Tour for the 2023 season

12. His mom, Charlynn caddied for Capan III through all three stages of Q-School

Frankie Capan III and his mother Charlynn at Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament

Frankie Capan III had his mother Charlynn on the bag for him at the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament

(Image credit: Getty Images)

13. His Major debut came at the 2023 US Open after he came through final qualifying, but he missed the cut at Los Angeles Country Club

14. In his second season on the Korn Ferry Tour, Capan III made headlines when he hit a 58 in his first round of the Veritex Bank Championship in Texas, beating Scottie Scheffler’s course record

Frankie Capan III holds his scorecard after his 58 at the Veritex Bank Championship in Texas

Frankie Capan III shot 58 in the Veritex Bank Championship in Texas

(Image credit: Getty Images)

15. Later in 2024, Capan III qualified for the US Open for the second straight year, again through final qualifying. He didn’t even seem fazed by his 36-hole marathon on “golf’s longest day,” commenting afterwards: “I could probably do a workout right now and feel just fine!”

Mike Hall
News Writer

Mike has over 25 years of experience in journalism, including writing on a range of sports throughout that time, such as golf, football and cricket. Now a freelance staff writer for Golf Monthly, he is dedicated to covering the game's most newsworthy stories. 

He has written hundreds of articles on the game, from features offering insights into how members of the public can play some of the world's most revered courses, to breaking news stories affecting everything from the PGA Tour and LIV Golf to developmental Tours and the amateur game. 

Mike grew up in East Yorkshire and began his career in journalism in 1997. He then moved to London in 2003 as his career flourished, and nowadays resides in New Brunswick, Canada, where he and his wife raise their young family less than a mile from his local course. 

Kevin Cook’s acclaimed 2007 biography, Tommy’s Honour, about golf’s founding father and son, remains one of his all-time favourite sports books.