Backspin: After gaining a reputation for second-place finishes, Duval, whose
father plays on the Senior PGA Tour, has won 11 Tour events in the past two years,
including four this year. He had the best scoring average (69.13) on the PGA Tour
last year when he set the money earnings record with $2.59 million; shot a 59
to win this year's Bob Hope Classic, becoming only the third player to break 60
in a Tour event and the first to do so in the final round.
J i m F u r y k
Age: 29
PGA Tour victories: 3
Majors: None
World ranking: 14
Ryder Cup appearance: 2nd
Ryder Cup match record: 1-2-0
Backspin: Winner of three tournaments in past four years, his combined 25
top 10 finishes in 1997 and 1998 were the best on tour. In 1997, he set the PGA
Tour record for most money won without a victory, $1.6 million. Noted for his
unorthodox swing and cross-handed putting style, he is considered one of best
putters on tour. He tied for 10th at last month's Open and tied for 17th at the
U.S. Open.
T o m L e h m a n
Age: 40
PGA Tour victories: 4
Majors: Open ('96)
World ranking: 23
Ryder Cup appearance: 3rd
Ryder Cup match record: 3-2-2
Backspin: Winner of the 1996 Open and the Tour Championship, he has an excellent
record in major championships with a second and two thirds in the U.S. Open and
a second and third in the Masters. A "late bloomer," he bounced around various
tours around the world in the 1980s before establishing himself on the PGA Tour
with nine top-10 finishes in 1992. He is currently returning to form after shoulder
surgery in November and has four second-place finishes this year.
J u s t i n L e o n a r d
Age: 27
PGA Tour victories: 4
Majors: Open ('97)
World ranking: 12
Ryder Cup appearance: 2nd
Ryder Cup match record: 0-2-2
Backspin: Winner of four tournaments, including the 1997 Open. He lost to
Paul Lawrie in a three-way playoff in this year's Open. He came from five strokes
behind in the final round to register his last three victories -- Kemper Open
and Open in 1997 and Players' Championship in 1998.
D a v i s L o v e
I I I
Age: 35
PGA Tour victories: 13
Majors: PGA Championship ('97)
World ranking: 3
Ryder Cup appearance: 4th
Ryder Cup match record: 5-8-0
Backspin: Son of a famous teaching professional, he has won 13 times in 14
years on the PGA Tour, including the 1997 PGA championship, his first major title.
He has finished in the top 20 in 12 of his last 18 major championships, including
second in the Masters this year and in 1995.
J e f f M a g g e r
t
Age: 35
PGA Tour victories: 2
Majors: None
World ranking: 20
Ryder Cup appearance: 3rd
Ryder Cup match record: 4-3-0
Backspin: Winner of this year's Andersen Consulting World match play championship,
where he beat Tiger Woods in the quarterfinals for only his second Tour victory.
His 13 second-place finishes are most on tour since 1993. He tied for seventh
in the U.S. Open in June. He also was the leading money winner and player of the
year on Ben Hogan mini-tour in 1990.
P
h i l M i c k e l s o n
Age: 29
PGA Tour victories: 13
Majors: None
World ranking: 11
Ryder Cup appearance: 3rd
Ryder Cup match record: 4-1-2
Backspin: A former outstanding college golfer, he has won 13 U.S. tour events,
including the 1991 Northern Telecom Open as an amateur. He was the first golfer
since Jack Nicklaus to win 10 U.S. Tour events by the age of 26. He has won at
least one Tour event in each of past six years, and was runner-up to Payne Stewart
in this year's U.S. Open.
M
a r k O ' M e a r a
Age: 42
PGA Tour victories: 16
Majors: Masters ('98), Open ('98)
World ranking: 9
Ryder Cup appearance: 5th
Ryder Cup match record: 4-7-1
Backspin: His victories in last year's Masters and Open made him the oldest
player to win two majors in one Year and earned him Player of the Year honors
with the PGA Tour, PGA of America and Golf Writers' Association of America. One
of only five golfers to win tournaments in the United States, Europe, Japan, Australia
and South Africa. He has won Pebble Beach Pro-Am five times.
S t e v e P a t e
Age: 38
PGA Tour victories: 6
Majors: None
Word ranking: 32
Ryder Cup appearance: 2nd
Ryder Cup match record: 0-1-1
Backspin: Winner of six events on PGA Tour, including last year's CVS Charity
Classic, he has four top five finishes this year, including a tie for fourth in
the Masters. Somewhat injury-prone, he broke each wrist in separate accidents
in 1996; was injured in team car accident during 1991 Ryder Cup and did not play
in the singles match on final day.
P
a y n e S t e w a r t
Age: 42
PGA Tour victories: 11
Majors: PGA Championship ('89), U.S. Open ('91), PGA Championship ('99)
World ranking: 7
Ryder Cup appearance: 5th
Ryder Cup match record: 8-7-1
Backspin: Won his second U.S. Open, and third major championship, at Pinehurst
in June. He also has two seconds on the PGA Tour this year. Has 11 victories on
PGA Tour, plus three international titles. Known for his classic swing and the
gaudy bloomers he wears at every tournament.
H a l S u t t o n
Age: 41
PGA Tour victories: 10
Majors: PGA Championship ('85)
World ranking: 15
Ryder Cup appearance: 3rd
Ryder Cup match record: 3-3-3
Backspin: He was one of the young stars of the 1980s, winning four tournaments
between '82 and '86, including the 1983 PGA championship, but fell into hard times
in early '90s but has returned to form in recent years. Winner of 1980 U.S. Amateur,
he won twice on Tour last year; was joint seventh in this year's U.S. Open and
joint 10th in Open.
T
i g e r W o o d s
Age: 23
PGA Tour victories: 11
Majors: Masters ('97), PGA Championship ('99)
World ranking: 1
Ryder Cup appearance: 2nd
Ryder Cup match record: 1-3-1
Backspin: Considered one of the most naturally talented players in golf history,
Woods was PGA Tour Player of the Year in 1997, when he won four events, including
the Masters and followed up with the U.S. PGA championship. Winner of record three
consecutive U.S. Amateur championships; besides Masters and the U.S. PGA, winner
of nine other U.S. tour events, including four this year.
