Steve Stricker will attempt this week to do something only four other men have done: win the same PGA Tour-recognized tournament in four consecutive years. The Wisconsin native consulted the only living member of that quartet for advice in winning a the John Deere Classic for the fourth year in a row.
Stricker asked friend Tiger Woods for advice on how to secure the four-peat.
"He said some nice things, but also made a point," Stricker said Wednesday at the John Deere Classic. "(He) threw me a jab saying only one of us has won four tournaments in a row. So he gets his point across, but yet he was really nice and tried to provide some support for me to do it again."
Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational from 2000-03 and the Buick Invitational from 2005-08. He also won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in four consecutive starts from 2005-07 and again in 2009. He missed the '08 edition due to injury.
The only other men to accomplish the feat are enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame: Young Tom Morris (British Open, 1868-1872), Walter Hagan (PGA Championship, 1924-27) and Gene Sarazen (Miami Open, 1926, 1928-30).
Stricker admitted he feels uncomfortable with the amount of attention paid to him for his run in Silvis, Ill., but got a taste of the experience last week at The Greenbrier Classic grouped with Woods for the first two days.
"I played with Tiger last week, and I mean that's a different fish bowl," he said. "That's a big fish bowl. But you know, it's always fun to do every once in a while."
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