1999 U.S. Ryder Cup team
D a v i d D u v a l
| Age: 27 |
| PGA Tour victories: 11 |
| Majors: None |
| World ranking: 2 |
| Ryder Cup appearance: 1st |
| Ryder Cup record: 0-0-0 |
| 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 British 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: British Open ('96) |
| World ranking: 23 |
| Ryder Cup appearance: 3rd |
| Ryder Cup match record: 3-2-2 |
| Backspin: Winner of the 1996 British 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: British Open ('97) |
| World ranking: 12 |
| Ryder Cup appearance: 2nd |
| Ryder Cup match record: 0-2-2 |
| Backspin: Winner of four tournaments, including the 1997 British Open. He lost to Paul Lawrie in a three-way playoff in
this year's British Open. He came from five strokes behind
in the final round to register his last three victories -- Kemper Open and British 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), British 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
British 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 British 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 Sunday. 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 three this year. |
|
|
