TOP 20 IN THEIR 20s: Jeff Quinney  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 three weeks. 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. Get to know No. 18: Jeff Quinney
The elite group of U.S. Amateur winners is chock full of legendary golfers. From Bobby Jones, Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus to current TOUR stars Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, it's a veritable "Who's Who" in golf.
Jeff Quinney added his name to the hallowed ranks in 2000 with a dramatic win over James Driscoll at Baltusrol Golf Club. After a solid morning round in the final match, Quinney's game deserted him in the afternoon and he watched Driscoll climb back into contention to send their match to overtime. Play was halted for the night after the second hole in sudden death and a tired Quinney -- who'd had to take out Matt Weibring and Lucas Glover in his first two matches that week -- underwent a sleepless night. "I wanted to kill every pillow that was on my bed," Quinney said in 2000. "...I had a dream, probably three or four dreams, of three different competitions we had. I mean there was one where I lost, one where I won. It was -- it was a tough night." Despite -- or perhaps because of -- the nerve-wracking way that the U.S. Amateur concluded, so far that's been the highlight of his young career. That, and playing in major championships with Woods and Vijay Singh. But the 29-year-old from Eugene, Ore., has plenty more exciting experiences to come. If anyone ever came from athletic stock it's Quinney. His three older brothers played varsity sports in college and his father played basketball at BYU. In fact, young Jeff was the MVP of his high school basketball team but pursued his golf interests at Arizona State University. "When I was in high school, I didn't take golf that seriously. I played basketball and golf six months out of the year, then chose to go to Arizona State where I could play twelve months out of the year in the best facilities, the best program probably in the nation," Quinney said in 2000. "And [my game has] improved every year. Just slowly. It's kind of gradually rose. I think it's going at a steady pace that I like." The steady pace continued after Quinney's college career concluded. First he hit the Canadian Tour and finished No. 2 on the Canadian Tour Order of Merit after two victories in 2002. His first Nationwide Tour victory came in 2004 at the Oregon Classic in front of family and friends. By 2007, he found himself on the PGA TOUR and topped the $1.5 million mark in his rookie campaign. At the start of the season, Quinney contended on Sunday in the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, the Buick Invitational and the FBR Open before finishing T4, T7 and in third place, respectively. He nearly took home the FBR Open title -- home, in this case, sitting just miles away in Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. -- but lost to Scottsdale neighbor Aaron Baddeley when Quinney bogeyed the final two holes. "Obviously it didn't end the way I wanted it to, but all in all I'm pretty happy with the performance. I was sleeping on the lead the last couple days and it was a lot of pressure and I'm happy how I handled the whole situation," Quinney said after his final round. "I basically locked up my TOUR card for next year and it's barely even February. "...You know, I'm still a very confident player. I'm not going to let this bring me down at all. I can learn from it and just get better next time." Just one week later, Quinney posted his fourth straight top-10 performance. In his first start at THE PLAYERS Championship, he tied for sixth. Missed cuts plagued him in late summer but by the Fall Series he was able to string together several strong finishes. Though he flirted with victory several times in 2007, Quinney didn't capture a title. But rest assured No. 57 on the 2007 TOUR money list will be back with more top-10s in 2008. Who will be No. 17? Hint: This big driver taught himself the game as a youngster by hitting wiffle balls at a 5-ft. circle in his dirt driveway. |
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