Citizen Staff Writer
MATCH PLAY
1. Tiger Woods (USA)
Born: Cypress, Calif. Age: 33 Pro wins: 89 (PGA 65, Majors 14) Match Play: 31-6 Notable: Beat Stewart Cink to win 2008 Match Play. Won U.S. Open in June before knee surgery. Did you know? Top-paid athlete of 2007 with $122 million, including endorsements.
2. Sergio Garcia (Spain)
Born: Castellon, Spain Age: 29 Pro wins: 19 (PGA 8) Match Play: 8-7 Notable: Garcia surged to No. 2 after winning the HSBC Champions tournament in November. Did you know? Mar Garcia, his sister, was a UA golfer.
3. Padraig Harrington (Ireland)
Born: Dublin, Ireland Age: 37 Pro wins: 24 (PGA 14, Majors 3) Match play: 9-9 Notable: In 2008, won PGA Championship and second straight British Open. Did you know? His late father, “Paddy,” was a police officer.
4. Vijay Singh (Fiji)
Born: Lautoka, Fiji Age: 45 Pro wins: 57 (PGA 34, Majors 3) Match Play: 11-9 Notable: Won the 2008 FedEx Cup title; 14th in all-time PGA wins. Did you know? As a kid, Singh used coconuts for golf balls.
5. Phil Mickelson (USA)
Born: San Diego Age: 38 Pro wins: 41 (PGA 34, Majors 3) Match Play: 13-9 Notable: Led after first two rounds at Riviera this week; 500-plus weeks in Top 10. Did you know? ASU grad is righty but plays golf lefty.
6. Henrik Stenson (Sweden)
Born: Gothenburg, Sweden Age: 32 Pro wins: 11 Match Play: 11-2 Notable: Won 2007 Match Play title, defeating Geoff Ogilvy 2 and 1. Did you know? Reached No. 5 in rankings in 2007, highest for a Swedish player.
7. Robert Karlsson (Sweden)
Born: Katrineholm, Sweden Age: 39 Pro wins: 10 Match Play: 0-3 Notable: Won 2008 European Order of Merit title. Did you know? One of the tallest golfers on the European Tour at 6 feet 5 inches.
8. Geoff Ogilvy (Australia)
Born: Adelaide, Australia Age: 31 Pro wins: 5 (PGA 4, Majors 1) Match Play: 11-2 Notable: 2007 Match Play champ won this year’s PGA opener (Mercedes-Benz). Did you know? Owns MOJO (Australian) Pies in Scottsdale.
9. Camilo Villegas (Columbia)
Born: Medellin, Colombia Age: 26 Pro wins: 7 (PGA 2). Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Won his first PGA Tour title in September (BMW Championship). Did you know? One of Tour’s top drivers, averaging 302.1 yards last year.
10. Kenny Perry (USA)
Born: Elizabethtown, Ky. Age: 48 Pro wins: 13 (PGA 12) Match Play: 3-5 Notable: Jumped into top 10 with a win Feb. 1 at FBR in Scottsdale. Did you know? Helped the U.S. retake the Ryder Cup title for first time since 1999.
11. Anthony Kim (USA)
Born: Los Angeles Age: 23 Pro wins: 2 (PGA 2) Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Won his first two PGA events in 2008 and was key in U.S. Ryder Cup victory. Did you know? Wears trademark belt buckles with initials “AK.”
12. Lee Westwood (England)
Born: Worksop, England Age: 35 Pro wins: 29 (PGA 1) Match Play: 4-8 Notable: Finished third at 2008 U.S. Open. Did you know? Payed rugby, cricket and football before taking up golf and becoming a junior champion.
13. Ernie Els (South Africa)
Born: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 39 Pro wins: 60 (PGA 16, Majors 3). Match Play: 6-9 Notable: Won 1994, 1997 U.S. Open and 2002 British Open. Did you know? Won 1984 Junior World title over Phil Mickelson.
14. Jim Furyk (USA)
Born: West Chester, Pa. Age: 38 Pro wins: 22 (PGA 13, Majors 1) Match Play: 7-8 Notable: Ex-UA star won first major at 2002 U.S. Open. Did you know? His trademark looping golf swing begins with ball at heel of club.
15. Justin Rose (England)
Born: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 28 Pro wins: 7 Match Play: 4-4 Notable: Burst onto scene at age 17 at 1998 British Open, finishing tied for fourth. Did you know? Married Kate Phillips, an ex-British gymnast.
16. Rory McIlroy (N. Ireland)
Born: Holywood, Northern Ireland Age: 19 Pro wins: 1 Match Play: 0-0. Notable: His first professional win came Feb. 1 at Dubai Desert Classic. Did you know? Became youngest golfer to crack Top 50 last November.
17. Mike Weir (Canada)
Born: Sarnia, Ontario Age: 38 Pro wins: 13 (PGA 8, Majors 1) Match Play: 6-8 Notable: First Canadian to win a major (2003 Masters) and second left-hander, along with Phil Mickelson. Did you know? Graduate of BYU.
18. Adam Scott (Australia)
Born: Adelaide, Australia Age: 28 Pro wins: 14 (PGA 6) Match Play: 13-7 Notable: Took off after winning Tour Championship in 2006. Did you know? Compared to Greg Norman, whose former caddie joined Scott in 2004.
19. Martin Kaymer (Germany)
Born: Dusseldorf, West Germany Age: 23 Pro wins: 10 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Finished 2008 Dubai Desert Classic birdie-birdie-eagle but fell to Tiger Woods by 1 stroke. Did you know? Shot a 61 at 2007 Portugal Masters.
20. Steve Stricker (USA)
Born: Edgerton, Wis. Age: 41 Pro wins: 11 (PGA 4) Match Play: 9-5 Notable: Won the Match Play title in San Diego in 2001, defeating Pierre Fulke 2 and 1. Did you know? Voted Comeback Player of the Year in 2006.
21. Stewart Cink (USA)
Born: Huntsville, Ala. Age: 35 Pro wins: 12 (PGA 5) Match Play: 13-9 Notable: Fell to Tiger Woods 8 and 7 in the 36-hole final at last year’s Match Play event. Did you know? Reached as high as No. 6 in 2008.
22. K.J. Choi (Korea)
Born: Wando, South Korea Age: 38 Pro wins: 15 (PGA 7) Match Play: 6-6 Notable: First Korean to earn a PGA Tour card. Did you know? Was competitive power lifter, nicknamed “Tank,” before taking up golf.
23. Paul Casey (England)
Born: Cheltenham, England Age: 31 Pro wins: 8 Match Play: 5-6 Notable: Lost 2006 European Tour Order of Merit to Harrington in final event. Did you know? First to win three straight Pac-10 titles (1998-2000).
24. Miguel Angel Jiminez (Spain)
Born: Malaga, Spain Age: 45 Pro wins: 18 Match Play: 5-7 Notable: Had two wins in 2008, placing him on Europe’s Ryder Cup team. Did you know? Known as “The Mechanic” for his hobby of repairing high-end cars.
25. Trevor Immelman (South Africa)
Born: Cape Town, South Africa Age: 28 Pro wins: 10 (PGA 2, Majors 1) Match Play: 7-5 Notable: Won 2008 Masters despite double bogey on No. 16. Did you know? Missed start of 2008 with benign tumor near his rib cage.
26. Alvaro Quiros (Spain)
Born: La Linea de la Concepcion, Spain Age: 26 Pro wins: 5 Notable: Won 2009 Qatar Masters to break into Top 50. Did you know? Was longest driver on European Tour from 2006-08, averaging 310 yards.
27. Justin Leonard (USA)
Born: Dallas Age: 36 Pro wins: 12 (PGA 12, Majors 1) Match Play: 8-9 Notable: Biggest win came at 2007 British Open. Did you know? His 45-foot birdie putt in 1999 capped remarkable U.S. comeback win in Ryder Cup.
28. Zach Johnson (USA)
Born: Iowa City, Iowa Age: 32 Pro wins: 16 (PGA 4, Majors 1) Match Play: 5-4. Notable: Won 2007 Masters by 2 strokes over Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen, and Rory Sabbatini. Did you know? Played collegiately at Drake.
29. Ben Curtis (USA)
Born: Columbus, Ohio Age: 31 Pro wins: 3 (PGA 3, Majors 1) Match Play: 1-1 Notable: Won 2003 British Open, his first pro victory. Did you know? Tied for second at 2008 PGA Championship, earning U.S. Ryder Cup spot.
30. Robert Allenby (Australia)
Born: Melbourne, Australia Age: 37 Pro wins: 20 (PGA 4) Match Play: 8-8 Notable: Seventh at 2008 British Open, 2004 U.S. Open. Did you know? First to win Australian “triple crown” (Masters, PGA, Open), 2005.
31. Ian Poulter (England)
Born: Hitchin, England Age: 33 Pro wins: 9 Match Play: 10-6 Notable: Led 2008 Masters after first round, aided by ace on No. 16 at Augusta. Did you know? Radical dresser, known for flashy trousers and sunglasses.
32. Tim Clark (South Africa)
Born: Durban, South Africa Age: 33 Pro wins: 9 Match Play: 1-5 Notable: Best Major finishes: 2nd Masters, 2006; T3 U.S. Open, 2005; 3rd PGA Championship, 2003. Did you know? Played at North Carolina State.
33. Retief Goosen (South Africa)
Born: Petersburg, South Africa Age: 49 Pro wins: 29 (PGA 6, Majors 2) Match Play: 12-9 Notable: Ranked in top 10 from 2001-07 after winning 2002, 2004 U.S. Opens. Did you know? Survived lightning strike on course as boy.
34. Jeev Milkha Singh (India)
Born: Chandigarh, India Age: 37 Pro wins: 7 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: First Indian player on European Tour in 1998. Did you know? Son of famous Indian Olympic athlete Milkha Singh; played collegiately at Abilene Christian.
35. Ross Fisher (England)
Born: Ascot, England Age: 28 Pro wins: 2 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Won European Open in 2008 with wind-assisted 413-yard drive on No. 9. Did you know? Won a Jaguar in nearest-to-the-pin contest in 2006.
36. Luke Donald (England)
Born: Hemel Hempstead, Herffordshire, England Age: 31 Pro wins: 5 (2 PGA) Match Play: 6-4. Notable: Moved to No. 7 in rankings in early 2007. Did you know? Won NCAA title in 1999 while at Northwestern.
37. Graeme McDowell (N. Ireland)
Born: Portrush, Northern Ireland Age: 29 Pro wins: 4 Match Play: 1-2 Notable: Earned 2.5 points for Europe in 2008 Ryder Cup; finished fifth in Order of Merit. Did you know? Named top collegiate golfer, 2002, at UAB.
38. Andres Romero (Argentina)
Born: Tucuman, Argentina Age: 27 Pro wins: 8 (1 PGA) Match Play: 5-4 Notable: Made 10 birdies in final round of 2007 British Open to finish third. Did you know? Won first PGA event at 2008 Zurich Classic; nicknamed “Pigu.”
39. Stephen Ames (Canada)
Born: San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago Age: 44 Pro wins: 10 (PGA 3) Match Play: 3-4 Notable: Claimed first PGA win at 2004 Western Open. Did you know? Has dual citizenship in Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
40. Shingo Katayama (Japan)
Born: Chikusei, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan Age: 36 Pro wins: 26 Match Play: 2-7 Notable: All 26 wins came on Japan Tour; fourth at 2001 PGA Championship. Did you know? Called “Cowboy Shingo” for cowboy-style hat.
41. Rory Sabbatini (South Africa)
Born: Durban, South Africa Age: 32 Pro wins: 4 (all PGA) Match Play: 3-5 Notable: 12th on 2008 money list; tied for second at 2007 Masters. Did you know? One of two ex-UA Wildcats in Match Play (with Jim Furyk).
42. Aaron Baddeley (Australia)
Born: Lebanon, N.H. Age: 27 Pro wins: 6 (PGA 2) Match Play: 4-2 Notable: Battled Tiger Woods in last year’s Match Play quarterfinals, losing on second playoff hole. Did you know? Has U.S. and Australian citizenship.
43. Oliver Wilson (England)
Born: Mansfield, England Age: 28 Pro wins: 0 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Finished 11th in European Tour Order of Merit in 2008. Did you know? Became Europe’s first Ryder Cup player without having won a pro tourney.
44. Richard Sterne (S. Africa)
Born: Pretoria, South Africa Age: 27 Pro wins: 8 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: In 2008, fell to Hunter Mahan in first round of Match Play, won Sunshine Tour Order of Merit. Did you know? Is friends with icon Gary Player.
45. Dustin Johnson (USA)
Born: Columbia, S.C. Age: 24 Pro wins: 2 (PGA) Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Qualified by winning Pebble Beach last week. Did you know? Picked up second PGA Tour win in 36 career starts – quicker than Anthony Kim.
46. Stuart Appleby (Australia)
Born: Cohuna, Australia Age: 37 Pro wins: 13 (PGA 8) Match Play: 6-10 Notable: Won the Mercedes Championship three times. Did you know? Lost in a four-man playoff in 2002 British Open, his best major finish.
47. Sean O’Hair (USA)
Born: Lubbock, Texas Age: 26 Pro wins: 2 (both PGA). Match Play: 1-2 Notable: Won PGA rookie of year honors in 2005, earning $2.5 million. Did you know? Turned pro after junior year in high school under direction of dad.
48. Hunter Mahan (USA)
Born: Orange, Calif. Age: 26 Pro wins: 2 (PGA 1) Match Play: 1-1 Notable: His first PGA win, at 2007 Travelers, put him in top 100 of rankings. Did you know? Transferred from USC after one year to Oklahoma State.
49. Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa)
Born: Mossel Bay, South Africa Age: 26 Pro wins: 5 Notable: All five of his wins came on the Sunshine Tour. Did you know? Turned pro at age 19; member of South Africa’s World Amateur champion team in 2000.
50. Boo Weekley (USA)
Born: Milton, Fla. Age: 35 Pro wins: 2 (all PGA) Match Play: 2-1 Notable: Fan favorite reached Match Play quarterfinals last year and helped U.S. win Ryder Cup. Did you know? Boo comes from cartoon’s Boo Boo Bear.
51. Anders Hansen (Denmark)
Born: Sonderborg, Denmark Age: 38 Pro wins: 4 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Had six top-10 finishes in 2006, including third in Dubai. Did you know? Qualified for 2007 PGA Tour but couldn’t keep playing status.
52. Soren Hansen (Denmark)
Born: Copenhagen, Denmark Age: 34 Pro wins: 3 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Member of European Tour since 1999, with two wins. Did you know? Represented Europe in the 2008 Ryder Cup, but did not win a match.
53. Prayad Marksaeng (Thailand)
Born: Hua Hin, Thailand Age: 42 Pro wins: 7 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Won 2007 Volvo Masters of Asia. Did you know? Dedicated last season to Thai golfer Suppha-phorn Maphungphong, who died two weeks prior to start.
54. Lin Wen-Tang (Taiwan)
Born: Taiwan Age: 34 Pro wins: 6 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Moved up in rankings after wins at Asian Tour International and UBS Hong Kong Open in 2008. Did you know? His two brothers play with him on Asian Tour.
55. Mathew Goggin (Australia)
Born: Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Age: 34 PGA wins: 0 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Had five top-10 PGA finishes in 2008, including a second at Memorial. Did you know? Mother, Lindy, is three-time Australian Amateur champ.
56. Rod Pampling (Australia)
Born: Redcliffe, Queensland, Australia Age: 39 Pro wins: 5 (PGA 2) Match Play: 3-4 Notable: Second PGA win at 2006 Bay Hill Invitational lifted him to top 50 of rankings. Did you know? Tied for fifth at 2005 Masters.
57. Kevin Sutherland (USA)
Born: Sacramento, Calif. Age: 44 Pro wins: 1 Match Play: 8-2 Notable: Won 2002 Match Play title over Scott McCarron 1-up. Did you know? In 26 starts in 2008, he had two top-5 and six top-10 finishes.
58. Peter Hanson (Sweden)
Born: Svedala, Sweden Age: 31 Pro wins: 7 Match Play: 0-1 Notable: Finished in top 20 of European Tour Order of Merit in 2007 and 2008. Did you know? Finished 10th in last month’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.
59. Davis Love III (USA)
Born: Charlotte, N.C. Age: 44 Pro wins: 34 (PGA 20, Majors 1) Notable: Won 1997 PGA Championship. Did you know? His 20th career PGA win at 2008 Children’s Miracle Network Classic gave him lifetime tour exemption.
60. Angel Cabrera (Argentina)
Born: Cordoba, Argentina Age: 39 Pro wins: 20 (PGA 1, Majors 1) Match Play: 6-7 Notable: Won 2007 U.S. Open, beating Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by one stroke. Did you know? Nickname is “El Pato,” or The Duck.
61. Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark)
Born: Arhos, Denmark Age: 33 Pro wins: 3 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Won European Tour’s 2005 season-ending event, the Volvo Masters, by two shots. Did you know? Biggest win was Diageo Championship in 2003.
62. Pat Perez (USA)
Born: Phoenix Age: 32 Pro wins: 3 (PGA 1) Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Won first PGA event at Bob Hope Classic last month by 3, capped with eagle on final hole. Did you know? Played collegiately at Arizona State.
63. Charl Schwartzel (South Africa)
Born: Johannesburg, South Africa Age: 24. Pro wins: 4 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Won Madrid Masters in 2008, his third European title. Did you know? Won third straight Sunshine Tour Order of Merit in 2007.
64. Brendan Jones (Australia)
Born: West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia Age: 33 Pro wins: 10 Match Play: 0-0 Notable: Spent time on Japan Tour, where he won eight titles. Did you know? Has unenviable task of facing Tiger Woods in first round.
FIRST ALTERNATE
65. Richard Green (Australia)
Born: Williamstown, Australia Age: 37 Pro wins: 5 Match Play: 0-4 Notable: Lefty tied record at Carnoustie with 64 in 2007 British Open.