JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — First there was a sore throat and a cough.
Then a fever as high as 103 degrees.
Next came Pericarditis, irregular heartbeat, jaundice, high white and red cell blood counts, high liver function tests, an inability to eat solid food and the loss of nearly 30 pounds from an already slim build.
Steve Stricker had a long list of ailments beginning last fall after he led the U.S. to a Ryder Cup victory in his home state of Wisconsin. It lasted into the early spring and doctors couldn’t pinpoint anything.
The only thing they knew was that it wasn’t COVID-19, it wasn’t cancer and it wasn’t the Crohn’s Disease and liver transplant that contributed to the death of his older brother Scott in 2014.
But after six months away from golf, a variety of antibiotics and more rest than he wanted, Stricker was able to return to play on the PGA Tour Champions in May.
Call it a new lease on life. Call it relief that he got his health back. But one thing’s for certain: Since returning, Stricker has played some of the best golf of his career this season.
Attacking the par-5s and making only one bad swing on the final hole when it didn’t matter, Stricker broke a five-way tie for the most victories on the Champions Tour by winning his fourth title this season, the Constellation Furyk & Friends on Sunday, by two shots over Harrison Frazar and three over tournament host Jim Furyk at the Timuquana Country Club.
Stricker slams door on the field
Stricker (69) had a streak of 46 bogey-free holes in a row going back to the front nine of Friday’s first round and finished at 14-under 202. Frazar (65), a Monday qualifier, birdied four of his first five holes and wound up getting as close as anyone to Stricker, who began the day with a three-shot lead over Furyk (69) and Mike Weir (75).
Steve Stricker celebrates with the trophy after winning the 2022 Constellation Furyk & Friends at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
“I felt like if I could go around here and not make a bogey today and take care of the par-5s, birdie two or three of them, shoot 3-under par or 4-under par, it was going to take a really special round [to catch him],” he said, standing by his wife of nearly 30 years, Nikki, who has been his caddie this season. “I didn’t make a mistake really until the last shot out of the fairway and at that point I figured it was over. It was a good day … a tough day when you have a three-shot…
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