Stricker''s rebirth a testament to hard work

2008-04-07

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By John NestorPA SportsTicker Golf Editor

AUGUSTA, Georgia (Ticker) -- Steve Stricker has gone from down and out to a comeback player at the top of his game. Henow hopes to put it all together on one of golf''s grandeststages.

Stricker arrived at The Masters off the finest season of hiscareer. He also has authored a solid start to the 2008campaign and is in a rare position - he will be expected to be afactor this week at Augusta National.

Stricker''s best finish here is a tie for 10th in 2001. Hemissed the cut last season, but not finishing the weekend at TheMasters was the last thing on his mind just a few years ago.Back then he was almost finished as a professional player.

In 2005, Stricker was 162nd on the money list and lost his PGATour card. He rebounded in 2006 to finish 34th on the moneylist and earn the tour''s Comeback Player of the Year award. Hewon the award again in 2007, which is his best season to date.

Stricker won the Barclays - the first event in the inauguralFedEx Cup Playoffs - in August 2007 and climbed to No. 4 in theworld rankings. He has been playing too well for too long forit to be some fluke, he''s back and he is looking forward to thechallenges the season''s first major will present.

"It''s obviously great to be back here, from where I was four orfive years ago to be coming back here to Augusta is such aspecial place," Stricker said. "It''s an honor and privilege tobe back here and I look forward to the week."

Every player on the PGA Tour looks forward to Augusta - it isregarded as the real start of the season - but not everyone getsto play here. Even this year there are noticeable absences,including Davis Love III and Colin Montgomerie.

And Stricker could have stayed on the uninvited list as well,especially how he was playing as recently as 2005, but he founda way to make it back. There was no quick fix and it took time,but Stricker credits an old-fashioned solution for hisresurgence.

"Speaking personally, you know, I just - it took a lot of hardwork," Stricker said. "I think you''ve got to just put the timein and the effort in and kind of make a re-dedication to thegame and yourself."

Now Stricker has to re-dedicate himself to learning the ins andouts of Augusta''s greens. As Zach Johnson showed last season,the player that putts the best is going to have a great chanceof adding a green jacket to his wardrobe.

Stricker was sixth on tour in putting average last season and isa respectable 40th so far in 2008. He knows that he''ll have tofind a comfort level on and around the greens this week to be afactor.

"I''m going to try to spend a lot more time up around the greensand try to really think about where the hole locations are goingto be," Stricker said. "I want to try to figure out where Iwant to hit it for those hole locations, try to find the spotswhere you want to miss it.

"So you just need to do your homework, and that''s what I intendto do is try to spend a little bit more time and paying closerattention to the green areas and where I want to be on certainhole locations."

After a stretch of wet weather, Augusta is expected to berelatively dry this week, but whatever the conditions, Strickerknows a tough test lies ahead.

"If it stays soft, there could be some good scores," Strickersaid. "But it''s a difficult place. You''ve got to be firing onall cylinders to do it."

Just as Stricker has been doing for a good two years.