By SCOTT HAMILTON
shamilton@beaufortgazette.com
843-986-5533
After spending the past 15 years as a regular on the PGA Tour, Jim Furyk says his unusual golf swing is old news. Now he simply wants to be known being a consistent golfer.
“I think if you look at my record over the years that I’ve been on tour, the consistency is something I’m definitely proud of,” Furyk said. “I’ve had a lot of good years, and it’s lasted for a good stretch, but I’m hoping to make that last a lot longer. Still got a few good ones out here I think.”
Still that swing — a motion that’s tough to describe even by those with a mastery of the movement’s technical terms — is there every time he tees it up. It’s a novelty for those seeing it for the first time, especially golf fans abroad. However, it’s the results, the 38-year-old Furyk says, people should instead notice.
During his time on tour, Furyk has indeed been a steady force on weekends. He’s accumulated 13 wins, including the 2003 U.S. Open, and has earned his way onto the U.S. Ryder Cup team six times while also making five Presidents Cup appearances.
But things have otherwise slowed down away from Hilton Head Island. He hasn’t won a tournament since the 2007 Canadien Open. His best finish through six events this season was third in last month’s WGC-CA Championship. Part of that could be lingering rust resulting from a longer layoff than normal, as Furyk opted to begin his season a bit slower than in the past due to an extended schedule last year.
He could get back on track this week at Harbour Town Golf Links, a short course that might play to Furyk’s strengths.
The course’s tight fairways and tiny greens have been friendly to a steady ballstriker such as Furyk, a self-professed shorter hitter on a tour of bombers. Though he has yet to claim a tartan jacket at the Verizon Heritage, Furyk has still been strong at Harbour Town. In his past six appearances in the Heritage since 2002, he has five top-15 finishes, including three top-fours. Furyk finished fourth to repeat winner Boo Weekley last year, two years after coming in second in 2006 and tying for second in 2005.
“I wish I hit it farther, I’ll promise you that,” Furyk said. “But it’s not going to happen. I’m only going to get shorter probably from here on out. I think the glaring weakness for me is that I’m very average length. I don’t hit the ball that far. Most of the guys I play with hit it past me. My strengths have to be in other things, and I have to beat those guys in other areas, if that makes sense.
“I don’t go to a lot of golf courses where I feel it’s just a bomber’s paradise and I’m at a severe disadvantage,” he added. “I try to put myself in positions where I feel like I have the best opportunities to win. But you know, any player that has a good record has confidence that he can win on any golf course.”
