The history of sports in Northern Kentucky goes back a long way. A very long way. Decades. Centuries.
We know you’ve seen these lists before, but this is a different and unique way of presenting our “50 sports icons in Northern Kentucky” as we’ll provide you one per day over the next 50 days.
Hall of Fames are everywhere in NKY, the Northern Kentucky Sports Hall of Fame, High School Athletic Directors Hall of Fame, NKU, Thomas More and local high schools all have something to recognize their past.
We’ll preface this series by saying this, some of you may disagree with who should or shouldn’t be in the top 50 and that’s fine. Plenty are in the Hall of Very Good, but we feel these 50 are the one’s who stuck out to us.
Sports Editor Evan Dennison spoke and conferred with several local NKY sports history buffs to get their opinions and lists of their own and who should be “locks” for the 50 sports icons. We compiled each list and came up with the 50 of our own (maybe cheated a little by putting families in as one) to present over the next 50 days.
Hope you enjoy as summer time rolls on!
The 18th of the 50 sports icons is Steve Flesch, a Covington Catholic grad who is the most accomplished golfer from NKY.
STEVE FLESCH
Steve Flesch, a Covington Catholic and University of Kentucky alum, stands as northern Kentucky’s most accomplished professional golfer. The Union resident has earned over $18.3 million in his career, making the cut 297 times in 464 PGA events, according to Spotrac. A left-handed golfer who initially played right-handed before returning to his natural side, Flesch turned pro in 1990 and spent several early years abroad, notably finishing in the top 10 of the Asian Tour Order of Merit in 1993, 1994, and 1996.
He earned his PGA Tour card in 1998 and quickly made an impression, winning Rookie of the Year honors. His PGA Tour career includes four victories and strong major performances—fifth at the Masters, sixth at the PGA Championship, seventh at the U.S. Open, and 20th at the British Open. One of just five left-handers to win on the Korn Ferry Tour, Flesch has proven himself across multiple levels of professional golf.
Now 54, he competes on the PGA Tour Champions, where he’s added to his win total with titles at the 2022 PURE Insurance Championship, the 2022 Mitsubishi Electric Classic, and the 2023 Ascension Charity Classic. His combined total of professional victories stands at 11. Between his competitive years, he also served as a golf analyst for Fox Sports and the Golf Channel.
In 2007, Flesch was inducted into the Kentucky Golf Hall of Fame, a fitting honor for a career that continues to elevate the profile of northern Kentucky golf.
See the 50 sports icons on a day-to-day basis over the next 50 days
— Day 1: Dave Cowens
— Day 2: Shaun Alexander
— Day 3: Homer Rice
— Day 4: Dicky Beal
— Day 5: Jared Lorenzen
— Day 6: Jim Bunning
— Day 7: Tom Ellis
— Day 8: Nate Dusing
— Day 9: Jim Connor
— Day 10: Steve Cauthen
— Day 11: Irv Goode
— Day 12: Stan Steidel
— Day 13: Kenney Shields
— Day 14: David Justice
— Day 15: Morgan Hentz
— Day 16: Eddie Arcaro
— Day 17: Nancy Winstel
— Day 18: Steve Flesch
— Day 19: Donna Murphy
— Day 20: Randy Marsh
— Day 21: Mike Yeagle
— Day 22: Derrick Barnes
— Day 23: Dale Mueller
— Day 24: Dave Faust
— Day 25: Kirsten Allen
— Day 26: The Oldendick family
— Day 27: Martin “Mote” Hils
— Day 28: Nell Fookes
— Day 29: Owen Hauck
— Day 30: Becky Ruehl
— Day 31: Tom Thacker
— Day 32: Sydney Moss
— Day 33: Bob Schneider
— Day 34: The Walz family
— Day 35: John Toebben
— Day 36: Pat Scott
— Day 37: Bob Arnzen
— Day 38: Joan Mazzaro
— Day 39: Frank Jacobs
— Day 40: Adrienne Hundemer
— Day 41: The Draud family
— Day 42: Bill Krumpelbeck
— Day 43: The Molony family
— Day 44: Allen Feldhaus
— Day 45: The Maile family
— Day 46: Maureen Egan Corl
— Day 47: Bill Aker
— Day 48: Maureen Kaiser
— Day 49: John Brannen
— Day 50: Mike Bankemper