A frustrating 2002 for Tom Lehman

Ask Tom Lehman about his year and he just shakes his head.

It's been that kind of year for one of golf's top players.

No victories. Three top-10 finishes. Eight times in the top 25.

An uncharacteristic 67th on the money list. A high finish of a tie for seventh in a regular tour event (he was tied for fifth in the World Match Play).

That pretty much tells the tale.

"A frustrating season," Lehman said on Monday while appearing at the Tommy Bahama Coconut Classic at Pelican Marsh Golf Club in North Naples. "I'm really disappointed with the way I played overall.

"The nice thing about the way I'm playing is that no matter where I point, I can improve.

There's not one part of my game that I'm happy with.

There's plenty of room for improvement."

Lehman, 43, had finished no lower than 33rd on the money list since getting back on the PGA Tour in 1992 and was in the top 30 — good enough to make the season-ending Tour Championship — 10 times since 1992. He was the tour's leading money winner in 1996 with two wins and two second-place finishes.

There were some personal highlights for Lehman. He was one of those who came out to support the University of Minnesota golf teams when they were headed to the chopping block for budget reasons. The Golden Gophers men's team then won the NCAA title last spring.

"That was a story," said the Minnesota native and University of Minnesota alum. "It's a great bunch of young guys. I'm really proud of them. That probably did more for golf in Minnesota than anything in the last five or six years, just by them winning."

Lehman also got to play in the PGA Championship in his native state, at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska. He felt he played well, but finished tied for 29th.

"Playing up there was a thrill," he said. "It was kind of a continuation of my season. It's like I hit the ball great, and I didn't make any putts at all. I finished 29th. I literally got the worst out of my game every day."

Lehman, a member of the victorious 1999 U.S. Ryder Cup team, watched with interest as the Europeans rallied in singles, much as the U.S. team he was on did, to win at The Belfry last month.

"The last day, I thought the Europeans came out with the right strategy and just got things going," said the three-time Ryder Cup player. "Sports is all about who has the momentum.

You can't afford to let anybody get going the way they got going. I'm not sure if (U.S. team captain) Curtis (Strange) could have done anything to stop it. I probably wouldn't have put my best guy out last, that's all."

Strange has received some criticism for putting his better players out toward the end in singles, with top-ranked Tiger Woods teeing off last.

Lehman was in the area for the first time since the early 90s, when Gateway Golf & Country Club hosted a Ben Hogan Tour stop. That tour's now known as the Buy.com Tour. Next year, Lehman wants to get back to where he's accustomed — the top of the PGA Tour.

"I still think I'm capable of playing tournaments and being a factor on the tour," he said.

"This year I was absolutely an also-ran. I never had a chance to win once and that's frustrating."

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