| Show Will This be Their Year The Globe asks II Will this be Phil year By Justin McBride McBride- Sports Editor The sports world is one of ups and downs streaks and slumps The streaks we hear about often be it in the newspaper on television television television sion or on sports radio You dont don't however hear much about the slumps So we at the Globe sports page decided that we would take a look at some of the greatest slumps in the sports world and ask Will this be their year This week we take a look at Tour golfer Phil You may have heard of Phil Hes He's the number I two golfer in the world behind Tiger Woods Hes He's won 21 Tour events since turning pro You may also have heard him called the greatest golfer never to win wm a major has come close on a couple of occasions the first in 1999 With his wife Amy expecting their first child was at Pinehurst playing in the US U.S. Open ready to leave the tournament should his wife go into labor kept his one stroke lead on Payne Stewart up until the last three holes shot his only bogy of the round on 15 then watched as Stewart birdied 17 and shot par on 18 to win by one stroke Some say that was distracted by the impending birth of his first child especially in thelast thelast the thelast last round Others say that his See YEAR N on page 9 YEAR continued from page 8 aggressive approach to the game is the reason he has yet to win a major But this year could be different I feel like the last two years my game has really been improving ing and I feel like I have been playing consistently well in the Majors said after the 2002 US U.S. Open where he placed second again in front of a very pro gallery at Bethpage So the question now is will this thisbe thisbe thisbe be year to win a Major Yes He has been playing playing playing play play- ing very well and his game is sharp He ranked 2nd in birdie average last year in eagle average and was ranked first overall Another factor that may play into hands this year is the fact that Tiger Woods has recently had surgery on his knee Tiger will likely not miss any Major tournaments but with Tiger only playing a limited number of tournaments which is REALLY limited this year considering considering considering con con- he only really plays in 20 tournaments a year anyway it may be the opportune time for and the rest of the tour to take advantage y Photo courtesy of |
