Steve Stricker is Simply the Best

Golf writer Andy Reistetter is on site at TPC Boston in Norton, Massachusetts, and is providing daily reports covering both inside and outside the ropes.

Steve Stricker took command of the PGA TOUR Playoffs for the FedExCup with a birdie-birdie finish and a win at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

Knowing where he stood on the 17th fairway, he needed two birdies and the now three-time winner on this year's tour made those two birdies happen on the final two holes at TPC Boston.

Stricker burst back onto the world golfing scene when he won the first PGA TOUR playoff event ever at The Barclays at Westchester CC back in 2007.

His comeback was so strong, so inspirational that he was named Comeback Player of the Year for a second consecutive time in 2007.

After not getting it done at the Bob Hope Classic shooting a Sunday 77 and missing out on a playoff with Phil Mickelson a few weeks later with a bogey on the last hole at the Northern Trust Open, there were doubts early in the season about Stricker's ability to close out a tournament.

He got it done at Colonial at the end of May dusting off Tim Clark and Steve Marino with a birdie on the second playoff hole. But there were still doubts with Stricker losing the lead and having to chip in on No. 17 to get into the playoff and win the tournament. Tim Clark should have with a birdie on the first playoff hole.

Then he won a tournament near his home state of Wisconsin the week before the British Open, outlasting and beating everybody by three strokes after shooting 68-64 on a Sunday 36-hole finale.

"The John Deere Classic really gave me a lot of confidence and it showed that I could finish off a tournament."

After missing a make-able par putt on the last hole at last week's first playoff event that would have forced a playoff with winner Heath Slocum, the now ranked No. 2 golfer in the world didn't look back.

Instead of bogeying to lose he birdied to win, laboring it out in style for the Labor Day Monday finish at the Deutsche Bank.  

"I had the opportunity to do that (finish off and win another tournament), and I did it. I made a birdie at 17, hit a couple good shots at (the par-5) 18 when I had to, and you know, slowly I've been gaining confidence when I'm under the gun."

A parade of contenders for the title came to the 18th tee with a chance to win the tournament.

But Stricker, playing in the last group with Retief Goosen, had one key advantage throughout the afternoon over all of them: more holes to play.

Even Tiger Woods had a chance to win this one, or so we thought.

Woods was thinking a round in the low 60s would get him into the Top 10. After starting 6-under par the first seven holes, including a holed iron shot from the fairway for eagle on No. 6, everyone else was thinking 59 and maybe another "W" for Tiger.

"Certainly from where I was at, I couldn't win the tournament, even if I shot 60 or something like that. I was so far back, these guys are—no wind, soft greens, and pretty benign pins, they'll go low."

Bogeys on Nos. 11 and 17 offset four backside birdies as Tiger settled for a 63 final round and 12-under for the tournament. He missed his Top 10 prediction by a stroke, finishing tied for 11th.

A 59 would have elevated him to 16-under and a second place tie with Scott Verplank and Jason Dufner.

One stroke behind was Masters Champion Angel Cabrera, three-time Major Champion Padraig Harrington, and long-hitting Dustin Johnson.

TPC Boston's reachable, though potentially tragic, finishing hole coupled with playoff elimination as the field size reduces to 70 for the BMW third playoff event this week really made for an exciting finish.

How does Stricker internalize winning three tournaments in one year and finally winning one with Tiger Woods in the field for the first time in his career?

"It means a lot. It solidifies myself, solidifies my chances of winning the FedExCup. It ensures that I'm going to be in that Top 5 (after the points reshuffle going into the TOUR Championship at East Lake)."

"I can control my own destiny come that last TOUR Championship, and that's what my goal was coming into these first three events was just to make sure that I played well and remained in the Top 5 so I could have a chance to win it all."

Stricker is a dynamic and inspirational leader. His golfing skills speak for themselves.

How does one get out of a hole?

Stop digging, keep a positive attitude, and work your butt off.

"You know, when I didn't win early in the year at LA and the Bob Hope, I was starting to—you get doubts. I mean, it's just normal, I guess. I doubted myself; I doubted whether I had the ability to win again. And that's just natural."

"But I figured if I just kept putting myself in those positions with opportunities to win that a break would go my way or I'd pull off the shot that I needed to to win the tournament."

"So I still kept a very positive outlook. I still thought—I didn't look at those tournaments as a negative. I didn't feel like—I didn't beat myself up over those events. I thought the Bob Hope was a little fluky. I just kind of blew it off, even though it hurt. LA hurt a little bit more because if I make par I'm in a playoff with Phil on the last hole."

 
"So really when I finally won at Crowne Plaza and hit the shot on the second playoff hole and ended it like that, that boosted my confidence, and slowly and surely, my confidence was getting better with the more times I got into contention."

 
"It's just a process with me. It always has been. It's a process with me no matter what I do, whether I didn't keep my card at the end of the 2005 season, you know, it was a process for me to start working at it and gain momentum to—you know what I'm saying, I need those steps, those ladders to build on, and that's what I've felt like it's been for me this year with the confidence and being in contention a lot."

Another guy on the comeback trail is Padraig Harrington, who suffered an unlucky double bogey on the 12th hole yet had a make-able eagle putt at No. 18 to tie the clubhouse leaders and eventual second place finishers Dufner and Verplank.  

"I'm disappointed with today's (finish) because it was in my control. I was leading the tournament, and going into the back nine it was mine to lose, and I lost it."

Padraig may think he lost it but everyone knows Steve Stricker won this one with two birdies on the final two holes.

His buddy Jerry Kelly, who finished tied for 11th with Tiger, was waiting to offer his hearty congratulations.

Stricker is simply the best and now the leader of the FedExCup points race!

Andy Reistetter is a freelance golf writer. He follows the PGA TOUR volunteering and working part time for NBC Sports, CBS Sports, and The Golf Channel. Having attended the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, Honda Classic, WGC-CA Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard, Masters Tournament, Verizon Heritage, Zurich Classic of New Orleans, THE PLAYERS Championship, U.S. Open at Bethpage, AT&T National, British Open at Turnberry, PGA at Hazeltine and The Barclays last week this is Andy's 14th event of the season.  

He resides in Jacksonville Beach, Florida near the PGA TOUR headquarters and home of The PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach. He enjoys pursuing his passion for the game of golf and everything associated with it. He can be reached through his website www.MrHickoryGolf.net or by e-mailing him to [e-mail]