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Mark Craig

Another major, another crop of Tiger hunters

Mark Craig Minneapolis Star Tribune

Last updated Friday, August 14, 2009 - 1:29am

CHASKA, Minn. -- Tiger Woods was only 26 when he played here at the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National. But even back then -- long before he returned to Minnesota for this week's 2009 PGA Championship -- the search was on for the so-called young guns that would challenge his stranglehold on the PGA Tour.
Back then, my newspaper presented six players younger than Woods to watch. Justin Rose, Adam Scott and Sergio Garcia were 22. Charles Howell III and David Gossett were 23. Matt Kuchar was 24.
Woods had 33 PGA Tour wins and eight major victories back then. The others had a combined five PGA Tour wins and no majors.
"I haven't won a major yet, but I have top-10s in each," Garcia said at the time. "I'm only 22, so it's not too bad."

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PGA: Mind over matter can make major difference

Mark Craig Star Tribune (Minneapolis)

Last updated Wednesday, August 12, 2009 - 9:20pm

MINNEAPOLIS -- Count Padraig Harrington among the leading PGA Tour pros who consider a good sports psychologist on par with the right set of clubs.
"It ain't rocket science what they tell you, but if you have the acceptance that it can work, it works," said Harrington, the defending champion for this week's 91st PGA Championship at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minn. "If you're looking for an example, I'm not going to come up with anything awe-inspiring. It's not going to be some big secret that nobody else but me knows. But knowing it and having the discipline to follow it are two different things."
Harrington, who finished tied for second behind Tiger Woods at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, works with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Rotella. The two shared a house in 2007 when Harrington won his first major at the 2007 British Open at Carnoustie. And Rotella also walked Harrington's mind through the weeks he won last year's British Open and PGA Championship.

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