Everybody knows about Sergio Garcia. Here’s a look at the other young players who could be the main challengers to Tiger Woods and Garcia.
Charles Howell III
Age: 23
Birthplace: Augusta, Ga.
Resides: Orlando.
Collegiate highlights:
Attended Oklahoma State. Won the 2000 NCAA championship with a record score of 23 under.
2002 record:
$891,302 in earnings. Has three top-10 finishes, including a tie for fourth at the Sony Open.
Pro highlights:
Won 2001 rookie of the year honors with $1,520,632 in earnings. Posted five top-10 finishes. Lost in a playoff to Shigeki Maruyama in the Greater Milwaukee Open.
Finished second on tour in greens in regulation at 73.5 percent.
Also gaining attention for following in the Jesper Parnevik-fashion mode by wearing some funky clothes. If Howell truly hits it big, lime green pants could be back in style.
Quotable:
“I think if people aren’t saying good things they don’t think you’re any good. I know that I still have to practice and work hard. I have to keep my goals and the things I’m trying to do ahead of me. Tiger set a really high goal out there and a high standard to go after.”
David Gossett
Age: 23
Birthplace: Phoenix
Resides: Germantown, Texas
Collegiate highlights:
Attended Texas, where he was the 1999 Big 12 player of the year. Won the 1999 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach.
2002 record: $435,848in earnings. Finished second in the Buick Classic with his sister Joni as his caddie.
Pro highlights: In only his 12th start as a professional, Gossett won the 2001 John Deere Classic. Closed with a 66 to become the first player on a sponsor’s exemption to win since Tiger Woods at the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational. The victory gives him exempt status on tour through 2003.
Quotable:
“I reflect on the John Deere and try to gain confidence from that. I feel very fortunate that the first time I had a chance to win a PGA Tour event, I was able to capitalize. It’s so competitive and the players are great. To shoot a 66 in the final round was a big confidence boost.”
Luke Donald
Age: 24
Born: Hempstead, England
Resides: Evanston
Collegiate highlights:
Attended Northwestern. Won the 1999 NCAA championship. Won the Big Ten individual title in 1999 and 2000.
2002 record: $346,520 in earnings. Finished tied for 18th in first U.S. Open.
Pro highlights: Turned pro last August. Qualified for the tour this year through Q-school. Has been in the money in 12 of 17 tournaments. Best finish is a tie for 13th in the Sony Open. Shot a 65 in the first round of the Buick Invitational.
Quotable: “I was looking forward to the Open. I have a good game for the Open, and all the majors. I prefer courses where par is a good score. Finishing 18th gave me a lot of confidence.”
Matt Kuchar
Age: 24
Birthplace: Winter Park, Fla.
Residence: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Collegiate highlights: After winning the 1997 U.S. Amateur and then posting strong showings in 1998 Masters and U.S. Open, Kuchar resisted the pressure to turn pro, returning for his final two years at Georgia Tech. Was a two-time first-team All-American selection.
2002 record: $1,052,086 in earnings. Won the Honda Classic.
Pro highlights: After deciding to stay in school, he struggled with his game for a couple of years. Even after graduating in 2000, he decided to remain as an amateur, briefly taking a job in finance. He then decided to give pro golf a try. He was rewarded when he finished second in the 2001 Texas Open. The confidence he gained from it set up his victory at the Honda.
Quotable: “People were saying, `Don’t do what Matt Kuchar did [by staying in school]. This is the wrong thing. You don’t want to be like him.’ But now that I’ve done it this way, maybe there are kids out there who say, `You know, I want to do it that way. I think that’s the cool way to do it.'”
Bryce Molder
Age: 23
Birthplace: Harrison, Ark.
Resides: Conway, Ark.
Collegiate experience: Attended Georgia Tech. A four-time first-team All-American, joining an elite list that includes only David Duval, Phil Mickelson and Gary Hallberg.
2002 record: Has earnings of $290,600. Played in the final group at the Compaq Classic in the fourth round. Wound up finishing tied for ninth.
Pro highlights: After failing to get through Q-school, Molder has made the most of his sponsor’s exemptions this year. Several strong showings gave him the opportunity to join the PGA Tour as a Special Temporary Member. This status allows him unlimited exemptions for the remainder of the 2002 season.
Quotable: “My goal coming out of college was to have a PGA Tour card (within 1 1/2 years). I know this is a long process, and a lot of it is just playing good at the right time. Some of that is luck. I feel the way the tour is set up, if you’re good enough to play, you’re going to make it eventually.”
Justin Rose
Age: 21
Birthplace: South Africa
Residence: Hampshire, England
College: None. Turned pro at age 17 after finishing fourth in the 1998 British Open.
2002 record: Becoming a dominant force on the European Tour, winning the Dunhill Championship and the Victor Chandler British Masters.
Pro highlights: His controversial move to turn pro seemed to be a mistake when he struggled for the first couple of years. Finally, he experienced a breakthrough in 2001, picking up his first two titles. Now with two more championships this year, the 21-year-old seems poised to be one of Europe’s best players for years to come.
Quotable: “I don’t regret anything I’ve done. There’s no doubt about that. I feel like I’m a better player due to everything that has gone on. I feel a lot tougher. I can take anything that anybody throws at me.”
Adam Scott
Age: 21
Birthplace: Adelaide, Australia
Residence: Hope Island, Australia
Collegiate highlights: Attended UNLV, but dropped out after 18 months. “It didn’t help my golf staying at school,” he said.
2002 record: Won the Qatar Masters on the European Tour and finished ninth at the Masters in Augusta.
Pro highlights: He decided to turn pro in June 2000 after being ranked as the No. 2 amateur player in the world. While still an amateur, he shot a 63 in the Greg Norman Holden International in Australia. Made his mark by winning the 2001 Dunhill championship. Then showed his true potential with a strong finish at Augusta.
Quotable: “I think winning for the second time (after his victory at Qatar) is almost harder than winning for the first. I said at the beginning of the year that I would like to have a multiple-win season in Europe. Now I can really go and dig my heels in.”
Ty Tryon
Age: 18
Birthplace: Raleigh, N.C.
Residence: Orlando
Collegiate highlights: Going into his senior year of high school. If he goes to college, he won’t be able to play because he has turned pro.
2002 earnings: Missed the cut in all four tournaments.
Pro highlights: Exploded onto the scene in 2001 when at 16 he made the cut in the Honda Classic. Then he was the first-round leader at the B.C. Open, eventually finishing in a tie for 37th. However, his controversial decision to turn pro hasn’t gone as planned. He has failed to make any money this year. His season has been complicated by a spring bout with mononucleosis, keeping him on the sidelines since March.
Quotable: Fellow Orlando resident Scott Hoch says, “I told him not to come back until he was ready. He can get a medical exemption [for 2003]. There’s no hurry. Make sure he’s healthy. If comes back, and he’s not ready, he could make the problem worse.”
