Stuart Hall
Stuart Hall is a regular contributor to GolfBrief.
Stricker's struggles continue
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/1364/1/Stricker039s-struggles-continue/Page1.html
By Stuart Hall
Published on 06/12/2008
http://www.golfbrief.com/articles/1364/1/Stricker039s-struggles-continue/Page1.html
Stricker's struggles continue
SAN DIEGO — Steve Stricker must have had a sense of déjà vu during Thursday’s opening round at 108th U.S. Open.
When Stricker was last at the U.S. Open — the ’07 version at Oakmont — he briefly held the final-round lead with Stephen Ames when he made birdie at the sixth hole. His round unraveled from there, shooting 42 on the back nine for a 76 and a T-13 finish.
On Thursday, at Torrey Pines Golf Course’s South Course, Stricker opened with two birdies on the back nine, added consecutive birdies at 15 and 16, and made the turn at 4 under to lead.
“The start was really good,” he said.
But just like the back nine at Oakmont, his round unraveled. He double bogeyed his 10th hole, the par-4 first, and followed with consecutive bogeys at the second and third. Suddenly he was back to even and freefalling.
“For awhile there I was thinking about jumping in the canyon,” Stricker said. “It was a good start and then a bad back side. Actually, I don’t know. Just some holes jumped up and caught me.
“[After the double bogey] it was the next two that bothered me the most. No. 2, after pulling my 3-wood left, knocked it up there to 3 feet and lipped out that. Then had a par putt [at No. 3] after I hit a poor 9-iron into three and then was lucky to make four.”
Stricker, 41, took two weeks off prior to arriving at Torrey Pines in an attempt to recharge his battery. He had missed the cut in his previous four starts, and he understands how quickly confidence can leave a player.
“That’s what I need to concentrate on,” said Stricker of trying to focus on the outward nine 32, instead of the inward 41. “I feel like I’m close to playing really well again. I just have to sort out a few things to put me over the top. I definitely have to look at the round as a positive.”
And that’s how his season began, on a high note.
He opened the season with a playoff loss at the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii and T-4 finish at the Sony Open. He continued to play well throughout the West Coast and Florida, totaling four top-10 finishes. But since his T-6 at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, Stricker has made only one cut, a T-11 at the Shell Houston Open.
Adding to Stricker’s frustration is a hitch in his swing and an intense desire to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He currently sits 10th in points. Any other year that would automatically qualify him for the squad, but this year only the top eight will qualify, leaving U.S. captain Paul Azinger with four wildcard selections.
“There are a couple physical feelings that I have going on in my swing that I’m fighting against,” Stricker said. “And it’s been hard to … I’ve lost some confidence a little bit over the last couple months, but it is what it is. It’s just the nature of this game.”
That doesn’t make it any easier for Stricker to stomach.
When Stricker was last at the U.S. Open — the ’07 version at Oakmont — he briefly held the final-round lead with Stephen Ames when he made birdie at the sixth hole. His round unraveled from there, shooting 42 on the back nine for a 76 and a T-13 finish.
On Thursday, at Torrey Pines Golf Course’s South Course, Stricker opened with two birdies on the back nine, added consecutive birdies at 15 and 16, and made the turn at 4 under to lead.
“The start was really good,” he said.
But just like the back nine at Oakmont, his round unraveled. He double bogeyed his 10th hole, the par-4 first, and followed with consecutive bogeys at the second and third. Suddenly he was back to even and freefalling.
“For awhile there I was thinking about jumping in the canyon,” Stricker said. “It was a good start and then a bad back side. Actually, I don’t know. Just some holes jumped up and caught me.
“[After the double bogey] it was the next two that bothered me the most. No. 2, after pulling my 3-wood left, knocked it up there to 3 feet and lipped out that. Then had a par putt [at No. 3] after I hit a poor 9-iron into three and then was lucky to make four.”
Stricker, 41, took two weeks off prior to arriving at Torrey Pines in an attempt to recharge his battery. He had missed the cut in his previous four starts, and he understands how quickly confidence can leave a player.
“That’s what I need to concentrate on,” said Stricker of trying to focus on the outward nine 32, instead of the inward 41. “I feel like I’m close to playing really well again. I just have to sort out a few things to put me over the top. I definitely have to look at the round as a positive.”
And that’s how his season began, on a high note.
He opened the season with a playoff loss at the Mercedes Championship in Hawaii and T-4 finish at the Sony Open. He continued to play well throughout the West Coast and Florida, totaling four top-10 finishes. But since his T-6 at the World Golf Championships-CA Championship, Stricker has made only one cut, a T-11 at the Shell Houston Open.
Adding to Stricker’s frustration is a hitch in his swing and an intense desire to make the U.S. Ryder Cup team. He currently sits 10th in points. Any other year that would automatically qualify him for the squad, but this year only the top eight will qualify, leaving U.S. captain Paul Azinger with four wildcard selections.
“There are a couple physical feelings that I have going on in my swing that I’m fighting against,” Stricker said. “And it’s been hard to … I’ve lost some confidence a little bit over the last couple months, but it is what it is. It’s just the nature of this game.”
That doesn’t make it any easier for Stricker to stomach.