PGA sentimental favorite Stricker a serious contender

HAVEN, Wis. - Steve Stricker remembers the last time Whistling Straits hosted a PGA Championship.

It was in 2004.

The Wisconsin native remembers that because he was sitting at home watching the first major his state had hosted in 71 years on television, having failed to qualify while in the midst of a downward spiral that at one point had him ranked 337th in the world.

"It was difficult," Stricker admitted. "My game wasn't in any (shape) to be put on display, so I watched the tournament from home. I remember watching what happened with the playoff and everything.

"It was kind of a shot in the arm, though, showing that I needed to get better and needed to put some extra work in. But it was tough watching and not being a part of."

My how times have changed for the University of Illinois alum and Wisconsin native.

Not only does he come into this week's PGA Championship as the hometown favorite, he also comes into it as the fourth-ranked player in the world and a serious contender to win his first-ever major, seeing as the top two players in the world - Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson - each are having their issues, and No. 3 Lee Westwood pulled out of the tournament with a leg injury.

"There is no doubt about it, this is probably as wide open a major as we have seen in a long time," said Stricker.

One of his youngest rivals agrees.

"Major championships have become a lot more wide open the last couple of months," said 21-year-old Rory McIlroy. "There's going to be a lot of guys here thinking that it's the right time for them to break through, and I'm definitely one of those guys."

And so is Stricker, though he's finding that trying to temper his enthusiasm this week has been quite a task.

"Do I feel extra expectations? Yeah, I do," said Stricker, who has won twice on Tour this season, including at the John Deere Classic. "I feel them more so from myself.

"Like I do every other week, I want to play well. But I really want to play well here. You know what I mean?"

He's not alone in that sentiment. His two practice rounds this week have been virtual lovefests. Everywhere he's gone on the soggy going at Whistling Straits, it has been nothing but applause and well wishes for the Edgerton, Wis., native who now lives in Madison.

Heck, he has even taken a page from Arnold Palmer's book. While back in the day the King's followers were known as "Arnie's Army," this week has featured kids decked out in T-shirts reading "Stricker's Soldiers."

"I talked to a couple of kids and signed a couple of shirts; that's pretty cool to see some of the stuff they have going on," said Stricker, who could take over the No. 1 spot in the rankings with a victory if Woods finishes outside the Top 24 and Mickelson out of the Top 3. "I don't get that at any other Tour event ... ever, so it's pretty neat to see."

Stricker, who is known as one of the truly nice guys on Tour, is also one of the most emotional, so imagine, just imagine what it might be like for him should he be presented with the Wanamaker Trophy come Sunday evening.

"I don't think I would shed a tear here, I really don't," he said with a laugh. "No, you know, obviously it would be an unbelievable feeling and result if I were to win here being in my home state and with family and friends around.

"I'm just trying to take a step back and trying to enjoy it more than anything. I've had another good, solid year and hopefully I get off to a good start tomorrow and get it rolling."