Started the 2001 season in 73rd place on the Official World Golf Ranking, but made huge strides during the campaign, ending the year in 18th position. Won his first tournament, the 1994 Texas Open on the US PGA Tour, but had to wait seven years to repeat the feat. In fact, he did so twice in 2001, capturing the FedEx St Jude Classic and the Invensys Classic in Las Vegas to finish ninth on the money list with $2,795,477. Started golf at the age of four and set his sights on a career on the US PGA Tour when only 12. One of the few players to use the two-handed 'baseball' grip.