Golf

Furyk hopes surge hasn't crested yet

By BOB HARIG
Published September 12, 2006

Jim Furyk was developing this disturbing knack for coming close. When he finished second earlier this year to Aaron Baddeley at the Verizon Classic, it was another in a long list of high finishes without a victory.

Then he soon rebounded to win the Wachovia Championship. And on Sunday, he won the Canadian Open, his second victory of the year and one that turns all the close calls into a positive rather than a negative.

Furyk, who is second to Tiger Woods on the money list and moved into second Monday in the Official World Golf Ranking, ahead of Phil Mickelson, now has 10 top-four finishes in 21 events. It is just the second time in his career that he has multiple victories in a season, the first coming in 2003, the same year he won the U.S. Open. Furyk now has 12 career victories.

"I've just kind of found a way to get the ball in the hole and score and hang around," said Furyk, who opened the Canadian Open with a 63 and shot a final-round 65.

But he admits the year could have even been better.

He has finished in the top four in six of his past seven events, including a tie for second at the U.S. Open, where he missed a 5-foot par putt on the final hole that would have put him in a playoff; a fourth at the British Open and a third at the Bridgestone Invitational.

"We talked about the last seven events I've been in the top four six times, so I guess if my approach were better I'd have more than one win in one of those," he said. "I think everyone goes through streaks and times where hopefully you get on a good run, you close out some tournaments, you get some wins, but it's a humbling game.

"It's been a great year, and I still have some events left, so hopefully I can keep riding the wave and finish it out well."

And there is no time to rest. One of those events is this week's HSBC World Match Play Championship in England, where Furyk is one of 16 players in the field, along with Woods. Furyk is seeded third and will take on Robert Karlsson on Thursday. All of the matches are 36 holes, and it should put Furyk in a good frame of mind for next week's Ryder Cup, where he is expected to partner with Woods.

"There's going to be a lot of pressure at the Ryder Cup, and any time you can put yourself in contention, get comfortable, do something well, I'll take that experience with me and will it help out at the Ryder Cup," Furyk said. "Hopefully it will help a lot."

Wie's woes: Michelle Wie is getting to the point where her forays into men's events are going to do her more harm than good. Wie, who it must be remembered is just 16 years old and a senior in high school, nevertheless looked way out of her league last week in Switzerland, where one of her corporate sponsors, Omega, gave her a spot in the European Masters. She finished last, shooting 78-79, and appeared rusty after not competing for a month and having just started school a week prior.

So why was she there? Was it to get exposure for a company paying her big endorsement bucks? Or was it to pursue her stated goal of competing against men?

Wie has competed in 10 men's events, missing the cut nine times. She made the cut this year at an event in Korea.

"I feel sorry for her," said Nick Daugherty, one of her playing partners in Switzerland. "Her ball flight is not suited for a course like this and she is a much better player than her score suggests."

Wie will try again this week at the 84 Lumber Classic on the PGA Tour.

Match Play pairings: Woods has not played in the World Match Play in England since losing in the final to Mark O'Meara in 1998. He has a first-round match against Shaun Micheel, who finished runnerup to him at the PGA Championship. Other first-round matches are defending champion Michael Campbell vs. Simon Kahn; David Howell vs. Colin Montgomerie; Retief Goosen vs. Paul Casey; Adam Scott vs. Mike Weir; Ernie Els vs. Angel Cabrera; and Luke Donald vs. Tim Clark.

Woods and Furyk will join their U.S. teammates in Ireland next week for the Ryder Cup, as will Europeans Montgomerie, Howell, Casey and Donald. They will return to England for the WGC American Express Championship, where Woods aims for his sixth straight PGA Tour win.

Around golf: Annika Sorenstam was unable to overtake Cristie Kerr on Sunday at the John Q. Hammons Hotel Classic, but she surpassed $20-million in career earnings, the first LPGA Tour player to do so. ... Bradenton's Paul Azinger, who is playing on a one-time exemption for being among the top 50 all-time in earnings, tied for 11th at the Canadian Open to move from 126th to 115th on the money list. ... South Africa's Trevor Immelmann tied for fifth in Canada to move to sixth on the money list and could become the first rookie to finish in the top 10 since Jerry Pate was 10th in 1976.

[Last modified September 12, 2006, 01:02:40]