PGA Golf Player Profiles

Tiger is considered one of the most dominant athletes of all time. His ascension to the throne of the PGA Tour was all but expected when Tiger turned pro in 1996 after attending Stanford University for only two years. The 6-foot-1, 185 pound Woods is supposedly able to bench up to 315 pounds.

Woods has been shattering PGA Tour records for years. He was the hands down Rookie of the Year in 1996 and has been the PGA Tour Player of the Year eight times. Tiger has also accumulated a whopping 79 professional wins including a stunning twelve victories in major tournaments. He has won the coveted green jacket four times at the Masters Tournament.

With the smoothest swing in the game, Tiger also approaches the game with power and a focused determination that known no rival in golf. Tiger has been known to have the best iron play of any golfer today, but his recoveries from the rough and bunkers are also brilliant. Woods is avidly known as the best putter on the tour.

On the final day of every tournament he plays in, Tiger can easily be identified because he always wears a red top with black pants. He is also signed to a lucrative deal with Nike.

Aptly named “Lefty”, Phil has been one of the best golfers on the tournament. Though you would hardly call him an athlete by looking at him, the man affectionately known to some as “Lumpy” is the best golfer in the world not named Tiger.

The American born player had been scrutinized for not being able to win the ‘big one’, but finally silenced the doubters by winning the Masters in 2004. He went on to win the 2005 PGA Championship and the 2006 Masters as well. In total Phil has won 37 professional tournaments.

Phil has recently demonstrated unrivaled grace and respect for the game of golf. At the Ford Championship at Doral, Phil gave a man $200 after his tee-shot broke the man’s watch. Gracious acts such as these are one of the reasons Phil is one of the most adored golfers on the tour.

The man known as Lefty is always a threat to win and has improved his game by massive strides since working with stroke coach Butch Harmon.

Vijay hails from Fiji and is easily one of the most dangerous golfers in the world. He is an ultra competitive veteran who has notched 54 professional wins and three victories at the majors. He was also the Rookie of the Year in 1993 and was PGA Player of the Year in 2004.

His name actually translates in to “Victorious Lion”, which is as true to his game as it could be. Vijay is known for his meticulous preparation and his devotion to developing his game. He can be found at the range hours before and after tournaments tinkering with all aspects of his game.

In the media, Singh is probably best remembered for criticizing the PGA Tour which allowed female golfer Annika Sorenstam to play on a male tour. Though he has been the center of controversy a number of times, Singh is one of the most approachable and genuine champions on the tour.

Singh has been a mainstay at the top of the golf rankings for the past decade and will continue to do so, even at the tender age of 44.

The 37 year old golfer from Pennsylvania is probably best known for his unconventional, somewhat ugly, golf swing. Despite his unorthodox methods, Furyk has propelled himself to 20 professional wins, including a win at the U.S. Open in 2003.

Furyk’s lifetime coach has been his father, Mike Furyk. This has largely been pointed to as the reason for his unusual swing, which is described as a looping golf swing. However, at 37, it does not look like anyone will be teaching this dog any new tricks.

2007 has been a difficult season for Furyk and his unconventional swing, but he remains in the top 10 on the money list. More importantly, he has is ranked second behind Tiger in Official World Golf Rankings.

The Australian youngster has exploded on to the scene with 12 professional victories since entering the tour in 2006. Though he has never won a major, Scott is roaring through the 2007 season and has been a fixture of the top 10 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Scott is widely seen as the natural successor to Greg Norman, who was also Australian. This sentiment was cemented when Norman’s father caddied for Scott in 2004. Though Adam has had a rough go of it in 2007, many are banking on his potential which has been flashed in many tournaments.

Adam Scott has a number of big tournaments on his resume. He has won the Deutsche Bank Championship, the Player Championship, the Nissan Open and the Tour Championship. He also frequents the European Tour.

Choi is South Korea’s most successful professional male golfer ever. After dominating on the Asian Tour, Choi earned his pro card in 1999 and became the first Korean to earn a PGA Tour card. He currently holds 13 victories in professional play, including six PGA Tour wins.

Known in Korea as Choi Kyung-Ju, his nickname is also “Tank”. He earned this when he was a power lifter in his native Korea. At the age of thirteen, he was able to squat 350 pounds, while weighing 95 pounds. That power has transcended in to his golf game as well.

Most notably, Choi became the first winner of the AT&T National, a tournament hosted by Tiger Woods. He also won the Memorial Tournament earlier in 2007. With big wins already on his season resume, Choi is a threat to the field anytime he sets up shop in the tee box.

Els has been a fixture of the golf world for quite some time, having entered the PGA Tour in 1989. The South African is known as “The Big Easy” because he stands at an imposing 6-foot-3 but possesses one of the more fluid and effortless golf swings in the game.

With 55 professional wins, including three Major Championships, Els is one of the finest golfers of all time. He is also one of the most consistent. Until the 2007 Masters, where he missed the cut, Els was the tour-leading consecutive cut streaks player on the PGA and European Tours.

Els is perhaps known best for his globe trotting willingness to travel across the world to play in a variety of golf tournaments. In doing so, it has reduced the number of times Els has been able to appear in North American tournaments which has irked the PGA Tour in the past.

Els has had a quiet 2007 thus far, remains in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings. He has been a fixture of the top 5 for the past twelve seasons.

The American Johnson from Iowa City is winner of twelve professional tournaments in his nine year career as a pro. He is also the winner of the 2007 Masters, where he outlasted Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Rory Sabbatini. The victory catapulted him in to the top 15 of the Official World Golf Rankings.

What Johnson lacks in power, he makes up for with tremendous accuracy and a solid nose for the green. His short game is well above average and his putting is superb. If he can develop a longer opening drive, he will be able to compete in the more difficult and lengthy tournaments of the season.

The only Swedish player to rank in the top 15, Stenson is also a nine year veteran with nine professional wins on his record. Though he has never won a major event, Stenson resides seventh on the Official World Golf Rankings and nineteenth on the money list.

Known for his long drives and power, Stenson drives the fairway with relative ease. His putting is well above average. The Swede is a typical long baller who has trouble with his short game at times.

He put himself on the map this year by winning the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, an event which had been dominated by Tiger Woods. You can bet on seeing more of Henrik in the upper echelon of the PGA Tours big tournaments towards the end of the 2007 season.

Ogilvy hails from Australia, though he lives in Arizona these days. He is best known for winning the 2006 U.S. Open. Leading heading in to the final hole, Phil Mickelson had a virtual meltdown on the eighteenth hole to hand Ogilvy the win.

Ogilvy is a power hitter with great accuracy. His short game is also very good and his putting is substantially much better then most professionals. His major weakness seems to be

Despite his consistent play, Ogilvy has only won a few major events. He consistently finishes well in major tournaments, but may lack that killer instinct to close out the win. The man from down under certainly has the skill set to succeed on tour, but will need to be more focused and fierce if he hopes to win another big one.

Harrington hails from Ireland, and is a fixture of the European Tour. Since turning pro in 1995, Padraig has won 18 professional tours, though only two of those have come on the PGA Tour. After a scorching hot and successful amateur career, Padraig turned pro and quickly won the 1996 Spanish Open in his first year as a pro.

Since then he has become the most consistent second-place finisher in all of golf, which is not the greatest reputation to have. His game is not marked by any one tangible skill, other then his tremendous consistency. Harrington has excellent placement, and plays exceptionally in the wind.

At the major championships, Harrington has been able to hang tight at times, but will sometimes fall off the face of the planet in tournaments. His highest placing thus far were fifth place finishes at the U.S. Open, British Open and the Masters. He has been tortured at the PGA championships.

Because he spends most of his time in Europe, Padraig is a good bet on the European tour and is reliable for a top five finish in most tournaments. He is always a threat at the British Open, though he has not won a major yet.

Luke Donald earned his pro card in 2001 at the tender age of 23. Since then, the young man from England has made quite a name for himself on the PGA Tour. He has won five professional events and placed as high as third at the Masters in 2005 and the third in the PGA Championship in 2006.

Very much unlike most Europeans, Donald attended Northwestern University on a golfing scholarship. His most notable NCAA achievement was winning the individual NCAA Men’s Title in 1999, beating the scoring record held by Tiger Woods.

Donald lacks the power of some of the top-10 golfers, but his accuracy more then makes up for it. Closer to the green, however, Donald is razor sharp. His putting and short game are exceptional.

One thing is for sure about Luke – he is as sharp on the greens as he is apt to lining his wallet with green. Donald currently ranks 11th on the World Money Leaders rankings. He was one of only a handful of pros to earn $1 million in his rookie year.

Donald can be found on a slew of PGA Tours and usually stays away from the European Tour because he is vulnerable to the gusty winds. He often tries to power his way down fairways which affects his accuracy. Longer tournaments seriously hurt Donald as well.

The thirty year old South African turned pro in 1998 and has picked up four professional wins. Known for us his astute putting, Sabbatini is a sniper once he reaches the green. Getting there, however, is a whole other question.

Sabbatini is currently sixth on the World Money List rankings, largely due to his stunning play at the Masters in 2007. He finished in second place, losing to eventual winner Zack Johnson.

Sabbatini has come on strong in the past two years. He won the Nissan Open in 2006 and won the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in 2007. He is a strong bet to place high if the course is tight and angular, and does not favor players with a long drive.

Goosen is often lost in the shuffle of big names in golf, but he should always be considered as a top dog. He has been a mainstay in the top-10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for years and has been one of the more consistent golfers in the world over the years.

Since turning pro in 1990, Goosen has won 30 professional events. His biggest wins have come at the U.S. Open in 2001 and 2004. He has finished in the top three at the Masters four times and in the top ten at the Open and the PGA Championship four times.

Goosen takes a step back in the rankings because he has not won a PGA Tour event since 2005, but his excellent play at the 2007 Masters should put everyone else on notice for the season. Goosen is typically one of those players that people forget about when picking tournament favorites.

The South African ranks 11th on the World Rankings and 37th on the 2007 Money List.

Angel has been the top ranked Latin American golfer in the world for quite some time. That is not saying much, but it gives his native Argentina something to cheer for besides soccer.

Cabrera is pure power. Just like the fat guys in video game golf, Cabrera has long drives and an often inaccurate and frustrating short game. His style of play is more suited to the PGA’s longer courses, but Angel spends most of his time on the European Tour.

In total, Cabrera has won 14 professional tournaments. His only PGA Tour was the 2007 U.S. Open victory where he held off Retief Goosen and Tiger Woods to win at Oakmont, the most vicious golf course in the world.

Cabrera is difficult to figure out as a player. He is suited for the PGA Tour with his long, powerful drives (America loves muscle and power), but he resides mostly on the European Tour. Cabrera belongs in the top-15 on BetUS.com’s rankings because of his outstanding victory at the U.S. Open, but do not expect too much from Angel for the rest of the season.

Stricker has been hurt in recent years because of the tours favoring long drivers instead of accurate placement. Since 2005, the shift has been made to favor golfers who place well out of the tee box. The 2007 season has seen Stricker mount a serious comeback effort as he has roared back in to the rankings.

Turning pro in 1990, Stricker has won five tournaments in his career. The last victory came at the 2001 World Golf Championship-Accenture Match Play Championship. Between 2002-05, his career seemed to take a nose dive. But the beautiful thing about golf is that it never goes out of style, and a player can reach his prime at any given age.

The forty year old Stricker is a short game specialist, whose accuracy and putting are among the PGA Tours best. The 2006 Comeback Player of the Year has had a strong 2007 season thus far. He placed thirteenth at the U.S. Open and is a consistent top-10 finisher in most tournaments.

Keep an eye on Stricker in the coming weeks. He currently ranks 11th on the FedEx Cup Standings and is making a quiet march to cap his 2007 season with strong play at the FedEx Cup.

In a game known for its etiquette, tradition and history, something has to be said about the young Spaniard that most fans of golf refer to as “an idiot”. Known for his bad habits, such as incessant grip waggling, Garcia has slugged his way to sixteen tournament victories.

First known for his unconventional swing, Garcia had his swing reconfigured in 2002 to become less “loopy”. But Garcia is notorious for his ill fated putting game, which has been his main downfall at majors and big tournaments. Sergio is also a victim of his own passion, as his emotions can get the best of him at the worst of times.

Garcia has placed well at many majors throughout his career, but has never managed to win one. He has placed in the top-10 twelve times, and is best known for dueling Tiger Woods in the 1999 PGA Championship.

While the 2006 season was miserable for Garcia, the 2007 season has not gone as planned. He is currently best known for spitting in to one of the holes as he retrieved his ball at a recent tournament. When questioned by the media his response was, “I hit the middle.”

No wonder so many golf fans dislike Garcia.

Casey is probably best known for the manner in which he lost his Titlist sponsorship. While playing for the 2005 Ryder Cup team, the Englishman emphatically stated that “Oh, we properly hate them. We wanted to beat them as badly as possible.” The statement was later misconstrued by the Mirror, which dubbed Casey as Anti-American.

Casey has eight professional wins since becoming a professional golfer in 2000. All of his wins have come on the European Tour. His play in Majors has not been anything spectacular, although he did finish tied for tenth in the 2007 U.S. Open and the 2007 Masters.

Because he plays on the European Tour so much he is only ranked 45th on the Money List, but he sits at eighteenth in both the Official World Golf Rankings and the FedEx Cup Standings.

The 2006 PGA Rookie of the Year has been steamrolling through the competition on his way to making a proper name for himself amongst golf’s elite players. Born in Cape Town, South Africa, Immelman is of smaller statue then some of the other golfers around (5-foot-9 and 170lbs.). Still his accuracy and putting are outstanding assets to his game, which lacks general power.

Immelman was off to a scorching start in 2007 until a stomach virus threw him off course. After a few top-10 performances, Immelman has failed to make the cut in four of his last six tournaments. The majors have not been favorable to the young man either, though he did finish fifth at the Masters in 2005.

It remains whether or not Immelman can recover from the affects of his mid-season illness. If he can return to the form that made him the 2006 Rookie of the Year, then his surefire skills et will be a threat when the FedEx Cup Playoffs role through.

The thirty-five year old from Gothenburg, Sweden has been playing on the European Tour for eleven seasons. He has eleven professional victories since turning pro in 1993 and is currently one of the best golfers on the European Tour.

Fasth came fourth at the U.S. Open and then followed that up with a great victory at the 2007 BMW International Open. Fasth has done well enough to finish in the top-20 on the Official World Golf Rankings and is currently 20th overall on the FedEx Cup Standings.

A rose by any other, is named Justin. And he’s a golfer. Where has he been since his stunning chip in for birdie at the 1994 British Open? Well that is quite a long story now isn’t it.

The lanky Englishman from London saw his game flush right down the loo after he turned pro in 1998. Since then he has rebuilt a swing criticized for being irrational and inaccurate, while compiling an assortment of victories that have pegged him as a top-20 golfer in the world. Yes, it’s been quite a ride.

The good thing for Rose is that he is only twenty-six. The six-foot-three golfer has almost no power in his swing, which is strange considering how much torque he should be able to generate. His putting is masterful, however, and his short game is accurate and sharp.

Rose finished in the top-10 at the Masters and at the U.S. Open this season and will hope to continue his strong play through the final pair of majors and the FedEx Cup. With the thorn out of his side, Rose should blossom in to the top-10 pro he was born to be (sorry I could not resist).

David Toms is a southern boy from Louisiana and has been a pro since 1989. The PGA Tour professional has amassed twelve wins, all of them coming on the PGA Tour. His most notable victory is his 2001 victory at the PGA Championships.

Toms exercises solid placement and consistent putting ability. He is considered a straight, down hill type golfer who falls prey to courses with sharp angles and weather variables. Still, he has managed a consistent and successful career.

The 2007 season is off to a roaring good start for Toms. He placed ninth at The Masters and tied for fifth at the U.S. Open. It should also be pointed out that his 2001 victory at the PGA Championships has the lowest absolute total of any major winner in golfing history.

Toms has placed in the top six in his last three starts and is riding a wave of momentum heading in to the second half of the season. He is in the top 25 of both the money list and the world rankings.

Falling to 23 in the World Golf Rankings, Cink’s 2007 season has been marred by disappointment. He tied for seventeenth at the Masters and then failed to make the cut at the U.S. Open, albeit on the most difficult course in the world. The big man from Alabama has 11 professional wins in his 12 year professional career.

Cink is one of those rare big men who compliments his powerful drives with a consistent and accurate short game. At 6-foot-4 and 205 pounds, there is no doubt he can whack the ball a country mile, but having the delicate touch for a short game is difficult to find. Unfortunately, his sand saves are terribly ugly to watch sometimes.

Steward Cink plays his best golf on the PGA Tour and in America. His major play in the states has been much better then his Open Tournament play, where he has never finished in the top-10 and has failed to make the cut for the past two seasons.

Nick O’Hern is an Australian born golfer from Perth. He has taken a rather backwards approach to entering the PGA Tour. He began on the European Tour after turning pro in 1994 but never managed to win a tournament. He migrated to the PGA Tour of Australia where he enjoyed four victories.

He began playing on the PGA Tour, and in the States, after he broke in to the Official World Golf Rankings top-20. Since then he received his PGA Tour card after playing for the International Team at the 2005 Presidents Cup.

O’Hern is probably best known for beating Tiger Woods in match play more then once. He is the only player to have such a distinction on his record. What he lacks in power he makes up for with a great short game and fantastic putting. He is atrocious in the sand.

Since most of his golf is played overseas, O’Hern is never really a factor at the major tournaments, and he remains a virtual unknown to the fans in America. But if he proceeds to continue his strong play in 2007, you may see him at the FedEx Cup Playoffs where he could end up shocking some people.

For an American golfer, there is no better place to be born then Augusta, Georgia. Charles Howell III was just so lucky. Since joining the PGA Tour in 2001 he has won two tournaments and was also the 2001 PGA Rookie of the Year.

Though he has never played considerably well at any of the four majors, Howell did win the coveted Nissan Open in 2007 and has catapulted himself in to sixth on the FedEx Cup Standings.

For a guy that is only 155 pounds, Howell sure generates a whole lot of American muscle. His drive is by far his best asset, but he will have to secure his short game and hone in his accuracy if he hopes to crack the top-10 Official World Golf Rankings.

Howell is young, and with power to boot and youth on his side, he is a player to certainly keep your eye on. Howell is best suited to American courses devoid of wind and water. His sand play is decent and his putting is about average, but the longer the course, the better for Howell.

Verplank is an American golfer from Dallas, Texas. The forty-seven year old has seven wins in his PGA career and is probably best known for scoring a hole in one at the 2006 Ryder Cup against Padraig Harrington. It was the first and only hole in one during the Ryder Cup.

The 2007 season has been a breakout season for the accurate and steady golfer. With a win at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship this year, Verplank finds himself in the top point getters for the FedEx Cup Standings.

His game is noted for its accuracy and steady play. He reads fairways and greens very well and is a patient man who plays a level headed game. His power is lacking and therefore leaves him too distant from the pin to notch under-par scores.

Verplank has alligator blood. He will hang around in the top-10 of the leader board waiting for others to make mistakes. He has finished in the top-10 in his last four tournaments and is poised for a great finish. The FedEx Cup Playoffs is designed for players with his steady game.

Aaron Baddeley was one of Australia’s hottest young prodigies. That is, however, until Adam Scott came along. Still, Baddeley is a fine young golfer having only joined the PGA Tour in 2000. He has won five events and is slightly younger then Scott at 26.

Baddeley is erratic at best. He has struggled with consistency his entire career. At the 2007 U.S. Open, the Australian-American was leading heading in to day three, but then finished 13th after the final day.

Baddeley has all the skills of a world class golfer. His power is excellent and his short game and putting are well above average. His accuracy will evolve with time, but there is little doubt in his tangible skills.

His mind is another question though. Can he stay focused and consistent and overcome poor play in the middle of a round? Baddeley will have to stay consistent for the rest of the season. As the thirteenth ranked player in the FedEx Cup Standings, his toughest challenge is on the horizon.

At the age of 36, Appleby has posted an excellent career thus far. The Australian turned pro in 1992, joined the PGA Tour in 1996 and has won thirteen professional tournaments. He has placed well at the majors, finishing as high as second in 2002 at the Open, though he has never won a major.

Appleby emphasizes power and makes precise reads on greens. He has a great all around game that is suitable for play on all types of courses. With his continued development, even at his age, he is a threat whenever he steps on to the course.

His career took a hit when his wife was unexpectedly killed in a car crash in 1998. The emotional trauma and toll on his psyche obviously slowed his career down slightly, but he rebounded in top form and has steadied his career, game and personal life.

Appleby has had a decent 2007 season and is in the top-35 of the FedEx Cup Standings. He has yet to win a tournament this year, but has placed well in several tournaments. His last victory was at the Mercedes Championships in 2006.

Another Australian makes the top-30 as Robert Allenby arrives at the twenty-ninth spot. Born in Melbourne in 1971, Allenby turned pro in 1992 and has since won twenty professional tournaments.

Since joining the PGA Tour in 2000, Allenby has steadily climbed the ladder. His play at this years majors has been less then memorable as he failed to make the cut both times. He has played steady, however, and is in the top-20 for the FedEx Cup Standings.

Allenby relies on his curiously accurate long game to reach the greens. His short game and putting are average, but his long, powerful drives make him suitable for play in North America.

He will have to show fierce focus in closing out tournaments if he hopes to be in the big money by season’s end.

The young South African golfer has been a pro since 2001 and has won five events while being a main fixture on the European Tour. He is a diminutive in stature, but that has not sopped him from making great strides in improving his game.

This season he has finished in the top five of his past seven European Tour events and leads the entire tour in scoring average. He has only been on the major stage once, so his play at this year’s Open Tournament will be a big deal.

Sterne has learned to favor accuracy over distance, and he is rapidly improving his game to the point that he will go from being the best player you have never heard of, to a house hold name by next season.