Vincent Publishing - Index

Vincent Publishing - 2008 Travelers Championship Magazine - Index

Curtis Strange, Paul Azinger, Peter Jacobsen, Nick
Price, Greg Norman and Phil Mickelson, there was
college to pursue.
That eventual TOUR career choice would come
soon enough for Mahan, but not before Oklahoma
State University would sharpen his game and let
him grow as a person.
Even in Stillwater, Oklahoma, coaches knew Mahan
was something special, said Sooner former assistant
coach and now head coach Mike McGraw.
“He was a U.S. Junior Amateur champion and
probably the No. 1-ranked player out of high school,”
said McGraw of Mahan, who was born in Orange,
California but after a year at Southern California
transferred to OSU.
“He was an extremely hardworking kid. He’d
practice until 15 minutes before dark, grab a pole,
and go fish for 15 minutes before going home. He
was extremely helpful with his teammates.”
McGraw, who succeeded OSU’s legendary coach
Mike Holder, saw a “very confident” Mahan, a player
who became a two-time, first-team All-American in
college.
“He felt like he could do a lot of great things in
professional golf, but he never talked about it,” said
McGraw, who watched Mahan leave OSU in 2003
to turn pro.
“He seems pretty shy to most people, but is a downto-earth
kid. The following fall after Hunter turned
pro, I heard the guys talk about him and how much
he meant to them. That’s when it was apparent to
me how much the kids missed his leadership.”
McGraw said just how important Mahan is to OSU
and how important OSU is to Mahan was evident
during the week of the 2007 Crowne Plaza
Invitational at Colonial Country Club at Fort Worth,
Texas.
The Sooners were in town for a tournament and
Mahan showed up to watch.
“He watched the whole round and had dinner with
us afterward,” said McGraw. “Once people get to
know him, they like him very much.”
That symbiotic love affair has been evident at the
Travelers Championship.
It’s grown as Mahan’s game has grown into what
everyone thought it would be – a potential
blockbuster.
Beginning in 2004, when Mahan tied for 21st in
Cromwell, he carved out a year with three top-10s
and more than $813,000 in TOUR earnings.
A year later there was a tie for 54th at the TPC, two
top-10s, and season earnings of $589,000. A trip
back to Qualifying School was ordered and Mahan
was successful in regaining his playing privileges.
By 2006 there was progress. The top-10 finishes
remained about the same (two) and his earnings
were at $1.107 million, aided by that T2 at Travelers.
Last year was Mahan’s breakthrough. He finally saw
the hard work pay dividends.
“It was a combination of things that fell together,” he
said of a 2007 season that netted him his maiden
career TOUR win, $2.858 million in earnings, and a
integral place on Jack Nicklaus’ winning U.S.
Presidents Cup team.
PHOTOS: (ABOVE) HUNTER
MAHAN TEES OFF ON #18 DURING
THE FOURTH AND FINAL ROUND.
Official Championship Magazine 29