The phrase nicest guy in golf is way overused but the one we don’t hear quite so often is “genuine” and in the case of Steve Stricker, genuine is right on. Steve is a mid-western boy through and through. And as much as external forces try to tug him away, Madison Wisconsin, his hometown, is where he wants to be and where we caught up with him.

STEVE STRICKER Player Stats

Professional

PGA TOUR Victories
(11) 1996 Kemper Open, Motorola Western Open. 2001 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. 2007 The Barclays. 2009 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, John Deere Classic, Deutsche Bank Championship. 2010 Northern Trust Open, John Deere Classic. 2011 the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, John Deere Classic.

International Victories
(2) 1990 Victoria Open [Can]. 1993 Canadian PGA.

Other Victories
(1) 2009 Shark Shootout [with Jerry Kelly].

2011 Highlights – Steve Stricker
Only player on TOUR to record multiple wins in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Is also the eighth player since 1983 to win multiple events in at least three consecutive seasons. Made all 19 of his cuts for the second consecutive season and enters the 2012 season with 42 consecutive made cuts.

Opened with three rounds in the 60s, including a third-round 8-under 65, to share the lead with Jonathan Byrd and Robert Garrigus heading into the final round of the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. A 2-under 71 left him T4, four strokes out of the playoff eventually won by Jonathan Byrd.

Finished T9 at the Sony Open in Hawaii for his eighth top-15 finish in 12 starts at the event. In 46 rounds, he has failed to produce a score of par or better just five times. Was one of two (Matt Kuchar) players to post top-10 finishes in each of the Hawaii events.

Claimed third top-10 finish of the season, at the Shell Houston Open, finishing T4 with rounds of 67-69 on the weekend.

Won the Memorial Tournament by one shot over Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe. Joins Rocco Mediate (2010 Frys.com Open), Jonathan Byrd (2010 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open) and Richard S. Johnson (2008 U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee) as the last four players on TOUR to make an ace during a tournament and go on to win. Becomes the 13th player since 1983 to record eagles on a par-3, par-4 and par-5 in the same week (in stroke-play events on TOUR) and the first in Memorial Tournament history. Is the 14th player since 1983 to have three eagles in a week at the Memorial. No one has recorded four in one tournament at Muirfield Village GC. Was the only player in the field to post all four rounds in the 60s (68-67-69-68) at the 2011 event. Has converted six of 12 third-round leads/co-leads on TOUR, including four of his last five. Has now held the outright lead five times on TOUR after 54-holes and has converted each into victory.

In July, birdied his 72nd hole from the fringe from 25 feet in dramatic style to claim his third straight win at the John Deere Classic by a stroke over Kyle Stanley. He also he became just the 17th different player to win a TOUR event in three consecutive years.

Finished T12 at the PGA Championship after matching the all-time low round in a major championship with a first-round bogey-free, 7-under-par 63. It marked the 25th time that score has been recorded in a major championship. It was the third time he had shot 65 or better at the PGA Championship, joining Nick Price, Gary Player and Jeff Maggert as the only players who have shot 65 or better three times in PGA Championship history.

Withdrew from the BMW Championship due to neck and shoulder pain that caused weakness in his left hand. Despite the WD, qualified for the next week's TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, one of three players to qualify all four years during the FedExCup era along with Phil Mickelson and Hunter Mahan.

Playing in his fourth Presidents Cup team for the United States, compiled a 2-2-0 record, including a singles victory over Y.E. Yang.