TOP 20 IN THEIR 20s: No. 7  Editor's Note: Our "Top 20 in Their 20s" series continues as PGATOUR.com counts down the top golfers on the PGA TOUR aged 20-29 over the next week. The list is based on 14 statistical categories, including TOUR wins, Official World Golf Ranking, percentage of time spent in the top 10 throughout their career and 2007 FedExCup performance. Who is No. 7? Jonathan Byrd.
Who are the only American players under the age of 30 with multiple wins on the PGA TOUR? The answer may come as a surprise. Until mid-July 2007, Jonathan Byrd and Charles Howell III were tied for that distinction with two wins apiece. But Byrd pulled away from Howell with a narrow win over Tim Clark at the 2007 John Deere Classic to take the honor all his own.
"We have different games. He's had more success than I have on certain levels, played on the Presidents Cup team," Byrd said of his multiple-win counterpart Howell. "I don't think about trying to keep pace with really anybody out here, other than maybe my closest friends...we kind of talk back and forth when other guys are playing well. But even those guys, we all have different games and we're all at different stages of our career. All I can do is concentrate on what Jonathan Byrd is doing and not really worry about anything else." A third round 65 at TPC Deere Run helped lead him to his third career win and propelled Byrd in the top 30 on the FedExCup list, a spot he remained in throughout the season. The 29-year-old's win also gave him an invitation to the Masters in 2008 and an unexpected trip to the British Open mere days after his victory. A superstitious Byrd didn't even have his passport with him in Silvis, Ill., for fear of jinxing his Open Championship chances. "I was supposed to go to the qualifier for the British, [but] missed the cut in Hartford (the Travelers Championship in late June) and pretty much my caddie talked me out of it," Byrd explained after his win in Illinois. "He said 'Hey, why don't we just go to the [AT&T National], play John Deere, play in Milwaukee, play those weeks and build some confidence.' I listened, and I pretty much threw the British out of my head." Cancel that proposed trip to the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, held the same week as the British Open. Byrd and his veteran caddie Mike Hicks, who once caddied for Payne Stewart, booked a flight to Carnoustie Golf Links after Byrd's confidence-boosting win.
The Clemson University Tiger burst onto the TOUR scene as a rookie in 2002 and, in just his 32nd start, defeated David Toms by one stroke at the Buick Challenge. A clutch eagle-birdie-birdie-birdie-eagle stretch by the consistently solid putter during the fourth round tied that season's best five-hole stretch. After making more than $1.4 million in back-to-back seasons, Byrd struggled with hip injuries and was forced to undergo surgery in February 2004. He battled back with a win at that year's B.C. Open but struggled in 2005 and notched just one top-10 finish all season. In 2006, a fully-recovered Byrd came back with an impressive showing, matching his career-best record of five top 10s. Then came 2007, where Byrd managed to rack up some impressive statistics in addition to a victory. He finished second on TOUR in putting average, sixth in sand saves and third in birdie average. Even missing four cuts in 2007 couldn't put a damper on his comeback. "There's a big difference between finishing Top 30 on the Money List and not winning, or having a great career and not winning much. I'd much rather be erratic and miss cuts here and there and win golf tournaments. That makes the job more fun. ...When you're not winning and just making good checks, this job gets boring. We're out here to win golf tournaments." And we suspect we'll see more wins from the soaring Byrd pretty soon. Who will be No. 6? Hint: This golfer grew up in Augusta, Ga., and was a member of Augusta Country Club, which is adjacent to Amen Corner. |
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