Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies
BOB HARIGTheir golf game seems to get better with age. Is it a number that can lead to victory in the year's second major?
To win the U.S. Open typically requires precision, patience and pars. You need to keep it out of the rough, avoid getting ruffled, and not fret over a lack of red numbers.
If the first half of the PGA Tour season is any indication, however, you might add a few other criteria: graying hair, extra wrinkles and loads of golf experience.
The 40somethings have made a loud statement heading into the 103rd U.S. Open this week at Olympia Fields Country Club in suburban Chicago. Already this season, players in their 40s have won five tournaments.
In fact, there have been more players in their 40s to win this year than in their 20s. If you consider three-time winner Davis Love, 39, it really gets lopsided.
"You can't put a price on the experience factor, because it's huge," said Kenny Perry, 42, who won consecutive events, the Colonial and the Memorial, and this week will try to become the 25th player to win three consecutive PGA Tour starts. "I've been out here a long time, and I know these golf courses, what pins to hit at or not. And it's rare I'm going to come across a putt I haven't already had."
Last year, the tour had 18 first-time winners, suggesting a trend of fearless newcomers taking on the elite. That has been far from the case.
This year, there have been just two first-timers (Ben Crane and Steve Flesch), while four 40somethings have won: Vijay Singh, 40; Scott Hoch, 47; Fred Couples, 43, and Perry. Compare that with just three in their 20s: Tiger Woods, Crane and Rory Sabbatini, who won the Capital Open on Monday.
Throw in strong performances by Jay Haas, 49; Nick Price, 46; Jeff Sluman, 45; Bob Tway, 44, and Mark Calcavecchia, 42, and the old men are having quite a year.
There are 14 among the top 50 in the most recent world rankings who are 40 or older and nine of them are among the top 30 money winners.
"People talk about all the money we're playing for," said Price, a three-time major-championship winner. "Well, I'm not hitting balls this week thinking about how much money I'll make this week. I'm hitting balls because I feel I have a chance to win."
The 40somethings credit desire for most of their success. "I think you have to have a passion and a love for the game at this age to go out and compete against these young kids," Sluman said. "So I think there is a whole bunch of little reasons that go into the whole recipe of guys being able to continue to play well. And when you see somebody else doing it, you say why can't I? And I really think that has an affect on a lot of guys."
Sluman, who played at FSU and won the 1988 PGA Championship, went eight years without winning but has four victories since turning 40. Hoch, best known for losing the 1989 Masters by botching a 2-foot putt in a playoff against Nick Faldo, has eight consecutive $1-million seasons. Loren Roberts was winless until age 38 and has knocked off six victories since his 40th birthday. His win at last year's Texas Open at age 47 made him the oldest on tour since Tom Watson won the 1998 Colonial at 48.
"There are a lot of reasons, but I still think if a person has got a desire, I think your body can only start giving out when you get to your mid 50s in golf," Price said.
Said Funk: "If the desire is there, and you have the work ethic, age is not really a factor in golf."
Some success may have to do with the Champions Tour, which provides an incentive for players to continue competing throughout their 40s. Although there any number of examples of players who tapered off as they approached the magical age of 50, there isn't much letdown out of someone like Haas, who will have a tough choice to make next year when he's eligible for senior golf.
Many players point to Hale Irwin for inspiration. Last week, the Champions Tour's all-time victory leader (37) celebrated his 58th birthday; he leads the money list. The last time the U.S. Open was played in Chicago, Irwin became the tournament's oldest champion at age 45. He has a special exemption to this year's second major.
"Look at what Hale Irwin has been able to accomplish on the senior tour," Sluman said. "And the quality of play. I think you see that as you get into your mid 40s, and late 40s, you realize it really isn't the end of the road. There is a reason to still work hard on your game and stay competitive."
There is no doubt, however, that equipment is a big factor. While it has changed the way young players approach the game, it also helps the older ones. For example, Haas had 256 yards per drive when he was in his late 20s. Now, with a Titleist driver and the Pro V1 ball, he's hitting 278 yards.
"I think the equipment is helping us a lot," said Singh, who is eighth in driving distance with an average of 300.2 yards. "I don't feel like I have lost any distance. I feel like I've gained distance. I thought when I got older the golf courses would play longer, but they are actually playing shorter. That shows you how much of a difference equipment makes."
Will those over 40 have an impact this week? They might need reading glasses to add up the strokes, which so far this year have not discriminated because of age.