Haas, unlucky in Florida, is not fazed by drought
By Craig Dolch, PGATOUR.COM Contributor
BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Jay Haas has accomplished plenty in his 30-plus years as a professional golfer. He won nine times on the PGA TOUR and played on three Ryder Cup teams and one Presidents Cup squad. The best was yet to come.
Since joining the Champions Tour in 2004, he has won 12 more times, including a pair of majors, been Player of the Year twice and claimed the Charles Schwab Cup two times.
This week, he has a chance to accomplish something he hasn't done: Win in Florida. Haas enters the Allianz Championship at Broken Sound Club having never won in the Sunshine State in 112 career tries on both tours.
Not that Haas is losing any sleep over this.
When it was first pointed out to him at the Allianz Championship two years ago, Haas laughed it off. "Whoever looked that stat up," he said, "must have too much time on their hands."
But Haas later admitted he was a little taken back by this revelation. It probably didn't help that he received this news after the second round of the Allianz Championship (he eventually finished second, to Mark James).
"Look, there's a lot of states I've never won in," Haas said. "I won nine times on the tour, so it's not like I've won everywhere. But I will say that (statistic) gave me a little bit of a jolt because there are a lot of tournaments in Florida."
Such a scenario happens once in a while in golf. Who would have thought Tom Kite would never have won in his home state of Texas? Two years ago, Tom Watson also was 0-for-Florida during his Hall of Fame career -- then he won the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am near Tampa the last two years.
Upon more reflection, Haas can understand his inability to win in Florida.
"I grew up in the Midwest, where I wasn't used to playing in a lot of wind," said Haas, noting that most tour events in Florida are held in the spring. "Plus I was never comfortable putting on grainy greens."
These days, Haas seems at ease in most situations. He won twice last season, including the Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill -- which he ranks as one of the top accomplishments of his career -- and he was one more good week away from winning the money title and scoring title. Those honors narrowly went to Bernhard Langer, who also edged Haas out for Player of the Year in voting by his peers.
Haas would have become the first player in the Champions Tour's history to win POY three consecutive times. But he insists that's not what disappointed him.
"I was more disappointed in the way I played in the last event," said Haas, referring to a 16th-place finish at the Charles Schwab Cup. "If I played better there, a lot of those other things would have taken care of themselves."
Haas turned 55 last December, an age where many former Champions Tour stalwarts started to see a decline in their game. He thinks he can buck that trend because he's taken better care of himself.
Haas double-dipped on both tours after turning 50 before concentrating on the Champions Tour in 2006. Because he will serve as an assistant captain for Fred Couples on this year's Presidents Cup, he is open to the idea of playing in the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow, where he's a member.
"It would be nice to get out and see some of the guys," Haas said. "We have an off week (on the Champions Tour) and I only live 90 minutes away."
When Haas was ready to hit the road last week, a friend asked where he was headed. When Haas said "Florida," there was a little bit of a pause. Nothing else needed to be said. Haas smiled while recalling the moment.
"If I go the rest of my career without winning in Florida," Haas said, "it's not going to change the way I look at my career."
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