Exempt status
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PGA TOUR: Top 50 in career earnings (thru 2020-21)
JOINED TOUR
PGA TOUR Victories (2)
- 2010 THE PLAYERS Championship
- 2014 RBC Canadian Open
Korn Ferry Tour Victories (2)
- 2000 BUY.COM Fort Smith Classic, BUY.COM Boise Open
International Victories (6)
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1998 New Brunswick Open [Can]
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1998 Canadian PGA Championship [Can]
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2002 Bell's South African Open [Eur]
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2005 South African Airways Open [Eur]
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2005 Barclays Scottish Open [Eur]
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2008 Australian Open
Additional Victories (3)
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1998 New Brunswick Open [Can]
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1998 Canadian PGA Championship [Can]
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2006 CVS Charity Classic [with Nick Price]
PLAYOFF RECORD
PGA TOUR (0-2)
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2009 Lost to Steve Stricker, Steve Marino, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
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2015 Lost to Bubba Watson, World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions
National Teams
- 2003, 2005, 2009 Presidents Cup
- 2002, 2005 World Cup
Personal
- Was the college teammate of fellow TOUR player Carl Pettersson at North Carolina State University.
- Recorded his first hole-in-one when he was age 8.
- Donated his first-place share of approximately $20,000 at the November 2005 Nelson Mandela Invitational to a deaf girl from the Carel du Toit School for the Hearing Impaired in Tygerberg, South Africa, who needed implant surgery. "It put into perspective what life is all about–and it's not about all those putts I'm able to put away or miss at the crucial stages of an event, but life in general," he said.
Special Interests
- Darts, pool, ping-pong, remote-control planes, fishing
Career Highlights
2018 Season
Due to an ongoing elbow injury, did not make a start on the PGA TOUR in the 2017-18 season. Will use a one-time Top 50 Career Money List exemption for the 2018-19 season.
2017 Season
Did not compete in a single event on the PGA TOUR, or any Tour, during the season.
2016 Season
Limited to just seven starts on the PGA TOUR due to injury. Made two cuts. Will play 2016-17 season on a Major Medical Extension, with 19 available events to earn 368 FedExCup points or $607,529 to remain exempt for the remainder of the season.
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CareerBuilder Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation: His last start of the season was a missed cut at the CareerBuilder Challenge.
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Sony Open in Hawaii: T13 at the Sony Open in Hawaii was his best result.
2015 Season
Made eight cuts in 13 starts in injury-plagued season, collecting one top-10 finish. Missed 22 weeks between the Sony Open in Hawaii and the Travelers Championship due to a left-elbow injury. Advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs, before ending his season at No. 121 in the FedExCup standings.
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The Barclays: Missed the cut at The Barclays.
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The Open Championship: Did not compete in The Open Championship at St. Andrews because he was not able to secure a visa.
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World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions: Entered the final round of the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in Shanghai three strokes back of the lead. Birdied three of the final five holes Sunday to get into a playoff with Bubba Watson. Missed his birdie effort on the first extra hole, then watched Watson win the tournament when he drained his 25-foot birdie effort.
2014 Season
Among three top-10 finishes in 14 made cuts was his second career PGA TOUR win. For the seventh time, played his way into the FedExCup Playoffs events. Despite a withdrawal from The Barclays, due to an injury, maneuvered his way through the BMW Championship before ending his season ranked 54th in the final FedExCup standings.
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Nedbank Golf Challenge: In early December in Sun City, South Africa, finished T7 at the Nedbank Golf Challenge with Jonas Blixt, Thongchai Jaidee and Louis Oosthuizen.
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The Barclays: FedExCup Playoffs began with a WD (elbow injury) from The Barclays after a opening-round 76. Withdrew the following week prior to the start of Deutsche Bank Championship with the same injury.
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RBC Canadian Open: Entered the final round of the RBC Canadian Open trailing Jim Furyk by three strokes and stumbled out of the gate with a bogey on the opening hole to fall four shots back. Rebounded with birdies on Nos. 6, 11, 12, 14, 15 and 17 (including a 5-under 30 on the back nine) to post a 5-under 65, good for a one-stroke victory over Furyk. Only other PGA TOUR title came at THE PLAYERS Championship in 2010, which also included a three-stroke, come-from-behind win. Recorded his title in his 284th start at age 38 years, 7 months, 10 days. Won in his 78th start since his first. The win came exactly 200 weeks since that win. Became the fourth South African winner of the RBC Canadian Open, joining Bobby Locke (1947), Nick Price (1991 and 1994) and David Frost (1993). Recorded the fifth come-from-behind victory in the last six years at the RBC Canadian Open. Ended the week with just two bogeys. Caddie was Jay Haas, Jr., formerly on the bag of his brother and 2011 FedExCup champion, Bill Haas. Posted his first professional victories on PGA TOUR Canada in 1998, at the 1998 New Brunswick Open and Canadian PGA Championship. Tied the lowest winning score at the RBC Canadian Open, originally set by Johnny Palmer (1952) and matched by Scott Piercy (2012).
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John Deere Classic: Following a 1-over 72 in the opening round of the John Deere Classic, rallied in the second and third rounds with a 63-64 performance. The 63 was his lowest score in the event in five starts. Saturday, was a perfect 14 for 14 in Fairways Hit and 18 for 18 in Greens in Regulation. Closed with a 3-under 68 to finish at 18-under, four strokes behind Brian Harman.
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The McGladrey Classic: Posted an 8-under 62 to finish T2 at The McGladrey Classic, one stroke behind champion Chris Kirk. The runner-up finish was the 12th of his career, which includes at least one runner-up finish for 10 consecutive seasons, dating to 2005. His 62 equaled his career-low round on the PGA TOUR, set most recently during the second round of the 2012 RBC Canadian Open.
2013 Season
Made 12 of 20 TOUR cuts, with three top-10s. Finished No. 80 in the FedExCup standings.
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Deutsche Bank Championship: Missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship to drop out of the Playoffs.
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PGA Championship: Recorded the only hole-in-one of the week at the 95th PGA Championship on Sunday. Finished T68. Used a 3-hybrid on the 220 yard par-3, 11th hole. It is his third career ace on TOUR.
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Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial: At the site of back-to-back runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009, finished T7 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, with four rounds in the 60s.
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Masters Tournament: Finished T11 at the Masters Tournament.
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World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: Second top 10 of the season was a T9 at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.
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Sony Open in Hawaii: Posted the lowest 72-hole total of his career when he finished with a 21-under-par 259, finishing second, three strokes behind Russell Henley at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Four-round total of 259 was the 14th-lowest 72-hole total in PGA TOUR history, giving him a runner-up finish for nine consecutive years (11 overall). It was his second runner-up effort at the Sony Open in Hawaii. He finished two strokes behind Mark Wilson in 2011.
2012 Season
Finished the season No. 56 in the FedExCup standings.
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BMW Championship: Finished T59 at the BMW Championship.
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Deutsche Bank Championship: Missed the cut at the Deutsche Bank Championship.
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The Barclays: Added a T10 finish at The Barclays, giving him top-15 finishes in his last four starts on TOUR.
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Wyndham Championship: Finished second at the Wyndham Championship for the 10th runner-up finish of his career. Made his seventh start at the Wyndham Championship. In last start at Sedgefield CC, finished T6 in 2008. Came into the week ranked 109th in FedExCup standings and moved to No. 54 entering the Playoffs. Was trying to join former teammate Carl Pettersson as the second winner of the Wyndham Championship from North Carolina State.
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Travelers Championship: Finished T4 at the Travelers Championship, with four rounds in the 60s (66-69-66-67). It was his first top-10 of the season and first overall since the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii (T2).
2011 Season
In August, International Presidents Cup captain Greg Norman named him assistant captain for the biennial competition in Australia.
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THE PLAYERS Championship: Battled tendinitis in his right arm throughout the early months of the season and was forced to withdraw with an elbow injury following an opening-round 2-over 74 at THE PLAYERS Championship. It was the final of just four starts during the season.
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Sony Open in Hawaii: Final-round, 6-under 64 at the Sony Open in Hawaii was the low final round and led to his ninth career runner-up finish. Finished two strokes behind champion Mark Wilson. He has posted at least one second-place finish each season dating to 2005.
2010 Season
Captured first career PGA TOUR title. Finished 24th in the final FedExCup standings.
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Nedbank Golf Challenge: He traveled to South Africa in December and picked up a runner-up finish at the Nedbank Golf Challenge. He finished at 9-under, a distant eight strokes behind Lee Westwood.
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Frys.com Open: In his first Fall Series start of the season, the Frys.com Open, managed T6 honors, his seventh top-10 finish of the season.
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THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola: Finished T13 in his fourth TOUR Championship.
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RBC Canadian Open: Again finished tied with Charley Hoffman, and seven others, at the RBC Canadian Open. Shot a 6-under 64 at St. George's G&CC in the second round before claiming that T4 spot.
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John Deere Classic: Fired 5-under 66s in the second and third rounds of the John Deere Classic to claim T7 honors with Charley Hoffman and Brendon de Jonge.
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THE PLAYERS Championship: Played the final 26 holes without a bogey on the way to victory at THE PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass. He set a Stadium Course record with the largest 36-hole comeback and won it with an 8-foot par putt on the final hole for a 5-under 67. He finished at 16-under 272 to beat Robert Allenby by one stroke. Made four birdies around the turn to surge past third-round leader Lee Westwood and Allenby, steadied himself on the 17th for a par, then finished off his weekend with a demonstrative fist pump when his par putt fell on the final green. Westwood fell away when he hit in the water on 17 and made double bogey. Allenby had the best chance to tie but narrowly missed an 18-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole, his 12-foot birdie putt on 17 was just short right and couldn't make birdie on 18. Clark won with a 66-67 weekend in which he made only one bogey–the 10th hole Saturday. It was the best weekend on the Stadium Course since Fred Couples shot 132 to win in 1996. The 36-hole comeback topped the record of six that Tiger Woods set when he won in 2001.
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World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: Posted a T9 at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, losing in the third round to eventual semifinalist Sergio Garcia. Used a yellow golf ball for the first time in his career.
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AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: Claimed a T10 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in his seventh start there.
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Bob Hope Classic: Had a final-round 65 to finish T2 at the Bob Hope Classic. Came to the final hole tied with Matt Kuchar and Bill Haas. Opted to lay up on the par-5 and played his third shot to 8 feet but missed the birdie putt. Haas birdied the hole in the next group to win. His T2 finish was the eighth in his PGA TOUR career and second at the Bob Hope Classic (T2 in 2005).
2009 Season
Pushed his streak to five seasons with at least one second-place finish, and had five top-10 finishes on the year en route to finishing No. 29 on the final money list. Has recorded seven second-place finishes in the last five years.
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Frys.com Open: Took advantage of a home game in Scottsdale at the Frys.com Open in the Fall Series. Four rounds in the 60s, highlighted by a second-round, 6-under 64, earned a T4. It was his third straight top-30 finish at Grayhawk since the event's 2007 inception.
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Presidents Cup: In his third Presidents Cup performance, he contributed two-and-a-half points to his International Team.
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Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial: Bogeyed final hole at Crowne Plaza Invitational to fall into three-way playoff with Steve Stricker and Steve Marino. Missed 7-foot birdie putt to win at first extra hole. Stricker won on second extra hole with birdie-3 after Clark's second shot struck the pin and caromed 20 feet away. It was his seventh career runner-up finish. Final round was the only round in the 70s all tournament by any player finishing in the top 10.
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THE PLAYERS Championship: Shot 69s in the second and final rounds to finish T9 at THE PLAYERS Championship.
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World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: After beating Tiger Woods, 4 and 2, in the second round of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, lost to Rory McIlroy, 4 and 3, in the third round to finish T9.
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The 50th Bob Hope Classic hosted by Arnold Palmer: Had five rounds in the 60s, including a 63 in the third round, to finish T5 at the 50th Bob Hope Classic.
2008 Season
Enjoyed another solid year, highlighted by three top-10 finishes.
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Australian Open Championship: Beat Mathew Goggin on the first playoff hole to win the Australian Open. Shot a final-round 67 to earn the playoff spot at Royal Sidney GC.
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Deutsche Bank Championship: Opened with 66-62 for the 36-hole lead at the Deutsche Bank Championship. In second-round, 9-under-62, made two eagles early in his back nine and reached 11-under through 16 holes. Finished bogey-bogey on Nos. 8-9, his final two holes. Finished T15.
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Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial: T2 at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in May. It was the sixth runner-up finish of his career. Fired a final-round 66 to tie eventual winner Phil Mickelson and Rod Pampling at 13-under par before Mickelson birdied the 72nd hole to win.
2007 Season
Limited starts due to bulging disk in his neck, but continued to play effectively.
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THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola: At the TOUR Championship, tied the East Lake GC record in the first round with an 8-under-par 62 (later broken by Zach Johnson's 60). Held the 18-hole lead and finished T7 to place 21st in the final FedExCup standings on the strength of five top-10s.
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BMW Championship: Shot a front-nine 29 (seven birdies, one bogey) in the final round on the way to a 67 and a T5 finish at the BMW Championship.
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U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee: At the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee, played in the final group on Sunday for the second consecutive week. Finished T2, four shots behind champion Joe Ogilvie. Former N.C. State golfer finished second in both events to former Atlantic Coast Conference college rivals Byrd (Clemson) and Ogilvie (Duke).
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John Deere Classic: One off the 54-hole lead of Nathan Green at the John Deere Classic, opening with rounds of 68-65-66. Held a four-stroke lead early on the back nine, but stumbled down the stretch with two bogeys to shoot 68 and finish T2, one stroke behind Jonathan Byrd.
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Masters Tournament: Held a share of the 36-hole lead at the Masters Tournament before finishing T13.
2006 Season
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Masters Tournament: In fifth career Masters appearance, holed out from a greenside bunker for birdie on the 72nd hole to finish second, his best finish in a major championship, two strokes behind champion Phil Mickelson. Briefly held the lead early Sunday in rain-delayed completion of third round.
2005 Season
Captured two international titles, played in his second Presidents Cup and participated in the TOUR Championship for the first time.
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The Presidents Cup: Posted a 2-2-1 record for International squad in second Presidents Cup appearance.
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The Barclays Scottish Open: Recorded a two-stroke victory over Maarten Lafeber and Darren Clarke at The Barclays Scottish Open.
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U.S. Open Championship: Finished T3 at the U.S. Open thanks to a pair of even-par 70s on the weekend.
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Bob Hope Chrysler Classic: Followed his win at the South African Airways Open Championship with a 30-hour journey from South Africa to Palm Springs, and finished T2 at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic.
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South African Airways Open Championship: Captured the South African Airways Open in his native country for the second time. Came into the final round in a four-way tie for first and final-round 6-under 66 was good for a six-stroke victory.
2004 Season
Continued strong play in his third full season as a TOUR member. Recorded six top-10s.
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Valero Texas Open: Best finish of the season was T5 at the Valero Texas Open.
2003 Season
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The Presidents Cup: Named to The Presidents Cup team by International Captain Gary Player. Trailed co-leaders Shaun Micheel and Chad Campbell by four entering final round, and 1-under-par 69 fell three strokes short of Micheel.
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PGA Championship: Third-place finish at PGA Championship.
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South African Airways Open Championship: In defense of first European Tour title, finished second to Trevor Immelman at the South African Airways Open in early January.
2002 Season
Took advantage of Major Medical Extension due to wrist injury that limited his 2001 campaign to three events. Had 26 events to earn $384,602 and almost doubled that with $632,609. Two T6 finishes jumped him up the TOUR money list from a bubble-position of No. 126 to No. 106 to clinch TOUR card for 2003. Captured the Southern Africa Tour order of merit based on five top-10s and one victory.
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Disney Golf Classic: T6 finish at Disney Golf Classic.
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Michelob Championship at Kingsmill: T6 finish at the Michelob Championship at Kingsmill.
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Compaq Classic of New Orleans: Collected his first top-10 finish in only his eighth professional TOUR start, a T9 at the Compaq Classic of New Orleans.
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Bell's South African Open Championship: Won the Bell's South African Open on the European Tour/Southern Africa Tour in January. Won the pre-qualifying tournament earlier in the week, becoming the first qualifier to win on the European Tour since Paul Lawrie captured the 1999 Open Championship.
2001 Season
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AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am: Withdrew after first-round 79 at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am citing an elbow injury, effectively ending season in which he played just three events.
2000 Season
Earned first TOUR card by finishing third on the Korn Ferry Tour money list. Captured two titles, at the Fort Smith Classic and Boise Open.
1999 Season
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NIKE TOUR Championship: Made the Web.com Tour Championship and finished T23 after opening with a 77.
1998 Season
Won back-to-back events on the Canadian Tour.
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Masters Tournament: Missed cut at his first TOUR event, the 1998 Masters, where he earned a spot via his 1997 U.S. Public Links title.
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Canadian PGA Championship: Won the Canadian PGA Championship, one of two back-to-back victories.
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New Brunswick Open: Won the The New Brunswick Open, one of two back-to-back victories.
Amateur Highlights
- NCAA East Regional Individual Champion (1997).
- Was T7 in 1998 NCAAs.
- Won 1997 U.S. Public Links Championship.
- NCAA East Regional Individual Champion (1996).
- 1997 ACC Player of the Year.
- Was T5 at 1996 NCAA Championship.
- 1996 CGAA National Freshman of the Year.
- Won 1997 Cardinal Amateur (Greensboro, N.C.) when he played 54 holes without a bogey and finished 15-under-par 195 for a tournament record.