Top-20 American players to watch out for in 2012: Part-15
Continued from: http://www.senore.com/Top-20-American-players-to-watch-out-for-in-2012-Part-14-a120724
He broke into the coveted top-ten on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR), whereas the climax of his career came in the year 2003, when he lifted the US Open title by overtaking Stephen Leaney by three strokes.
2004 turned out to be a disastrous year for the veteran as he played only fourteen events on the tour, owing primarily to his Cartilage damage in the wrist.
He returned to top form the next year, landing the Cialis Western Open title, defeating the rampaging Tiger Woods by two strokes.
He won another two events the following year, the Wachovia Championship and the Canadian Open, to climb back to the top on the OWGR and landed the revered Vardon Trophy for the same year. He also climbed to a career high on the money list in 2006.
Furyk started off the year with consecutive disappointments and failed to make the cut in seven of his 26 starts.
He jolted back to top form in March in 2011 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, where he finished for a joint ninth.
His best performance for the year came at the President’s Cup in November, where he won all his rounds, including the treacherous Four-Ball and proved elementary in the US victory over the International Team.
Furyk missed the cut at the US Open at Congressional and fell for disappointing finishes in the rest of the major events.
The 41-year-old American is best known for the weirdest swing in the sport. He takes a jab at the ball from the edge of his club and at times from the toe. That forces him to move the club closer to his thighs, something which is quite impossible for the other golfers.
Although weird with his swing, Furyk is also known for the highest precision in his drives which has helped him perform well on the professional circuit.
Furyk earned a massive $1,529,690 on the tour in 2011, pulling in 11 top-25 finishes with a scoring average of 70.57. He will be more than willing to land more titles starting next year.
Gary Woodland
Official World Golf Rankings: 52
FedExCup Rankings: 17
PGA Tour wins in 2011: 1
Ranked 588th at the end of 2010, Gary Woodland played remarkably well in the 2011 season to surge in the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR) and has improved his positions both on the FedExCup points table as well as the OWGR.
Turning professional in the year 2007, Woodland had to face terrible times at the start of his career, where he struggled to keep up with the pace on the Nationwide Tour.
He played several events during 2007-2008 on the tour but with little luck. He entered the Qualifying rounds for the 2009 PGA Tour card, finishing for a joint 11th, a position good enough to help him earn a PGA Tour card.
Tags: