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Stricker eyes first 'home' victory

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Associated Press

The last time the PGA Championship was held at Whistling Straits in 2004, Edgerton native Steve Stricker didn't compete because he didn't qualify. This week, Stricker not only is a "hometown" favorite, but also is seen as a legitimate contender.

HAVEN — Steve Stricker can kill two birds with one stone this week at Whistling Straits.

He'll need many birdies to do so, however.

The 43-year-old Edgerton native has not won a PGA tournament in Wisconsin. He did finish second in the 1998 Greater Milwaukee Open, and he finished in a tie for third in the 1996 GMO.

Besides those two tournaments, however, his record at "home" is about as good as the Brewers have been at Miller Park this season.

He missed three cuts in the GMO or the U.S. Bank Championship, as the Milwaukee tour stop was called for its final years. His other finishes ranged from a tie for 10th to a tie for 63rd place.

Stricker also has not won a major tournament—the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open or PGA Championship.

On Thursday, he begins play at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. Stricker will be the "hometown" favorite.

It is a situation that he hasn't handled well.

"It was always hard to play in Milwaukee," Stricker said in an interview with Madison's Rob Schultz. "It was a tough week. I enjoyed it, but it was hard because people are coming there to see you play well."

In Milwaukee, Stricker was always THE man. The main names on the tour would usually bypass Interstate 94 to get a head start on the British Open, which was usually the next week.

Stricker has gotten tougher mentally during the past four seasons. That recovery came after a dreadful slump, which had the personable Stricker so far down that he was named Comeback Player of the Year in both 2006 and 2007.

That's a long climb.

Stricker has demonstrated he has both the game and the willpower to win on the Tour. He has won the John Deere Classic, which is now his "home" tournament in Silvis, Ill., two years in a row.

"Hopefully I can put that in my memory bank and use it for the PGA," Stricker said.

Winning this week next to Lake Michigan could add yet another deck chair on the Stricker cruise ship.

He is No. 4 in the world rankings. A PGA Championship title could vault Stricker to No. 1.

We all know the problems of ESPN's favorite son, Tiger Woods. (ESPN's favorite son 1A is still sitting in Mississippi, by the way).

Woods is ranked No. 1. Phil Mickelson could easily have bumped him from the top spot this past weekend, but he swallowed a golf ball or two en route to three-putting from four feet away and remained No. 2.

No. 3-ranked golf Lee Westwood is sidelined with a torn calf muscle, leaving the door open for Stricker to vault to the top of the rankings.

But that won't be his main objective this week. After having the bouncer deny him access to the 2004 PGA Championship at Whistling Straits because a lack of credentials, Stricker would love to give his longtime Wisconsin fans something to jump around about Sunday.

According to bodog.com, an offshore betting establishment, Stricker is the fifth betting choice. Mickelson is rated the favorite at 10-1, with Woods—are you serious?—second at 12-1.

Rory McIlroy is 16-1, Padraig Harrington is 20-1, and Stricker is 22-1.

Despite living in Madison, Stricker has less experience playing the bunker-laden Whistling Straits course than any of the golfers who played four rounds in the 2004 tournament.

He joined Mickelson and Vijay Singh—who won the 2004 title—in a practice round two Sundays ago.

"I hit it great," he said. "My game is good."

With every star from around the world in Sheboygan this week, his game will need to be good to contend.

But it would be great to see hunting season start on the 18th green Sunday. Two birds with one shot.

Tom Miller is a sports writer and page designer for the Janesville Gazette.