Furyk relieved after Florida win

Home

bruced
March 22, 2010

Jim Furyk is the 13th different winner in 13 US Tour events so far this year – and very relieved to be so.

Jim Furyk is the 13th different winner in 13 US Tour events so far this year – and very relieved to be so.
The 39-year-old had his first victory on the circuit since the 2007 Canadian Open when he won the Transitions Championship in Florida by a shot from Korean KJ Choi.
Furyk was three ahead with four to play, but in a shakey finish, he bogeyed the 15th, salvaged pars at the next two and then did well just to bogey the last after a near-shank from the trees.
“Nerves got me, to be honest with you,” admitted the former world number two. “I have a habit of making it tough for myself – the only time I haven’t was the US Open.”
He shot a closing 69 for 13 under par, while Choi’s 67 was not quite enough to give him a third victory in the event.
Luke Donald came joint sixth, halfway leader Padraig Harrington joint eighth and Justin Rose tied for 13th – not enough to take him into the world’s top 50 a week before they earn invitations to The Masters.
Furyk did finish last year with a win at the Chevron World Challenge in California, but that did not count as his 14th Tour title.
“It’s not really a monkey off my back from a perspective of ‘boy, I can’t wait to not answer that question again’,” he said.
“It’s just that I want to go out and win a golf tournament. That’s what we play golf for. That’s what I practise hard for – and I haven’t been able to do that in two and a half years.
“You want to kind of reap your reward at the end, but this game will try your patience.
“I’ve had quite a few opportunities to win and sometimes I’ve hit poor shots or I’ve played poorly. There’s other times like the Memorial last year where I cleared everyone in the field and got beat by Tiger.
“I feel like my confidence is growing and building and it may not be exactly where I want it or on top of the world, but I feel like I’m climbing back up the mountain.”