A Conversation With Woody Austin

Woody Austin, who turns 44 in January and has been the epitome of a PGA Tour journeyman since his 1995 rookie year, just completed a season that made him one of golf's biggest newsmakers of 2007.

The Tampa native, now living in Kansas, shot a final-round 62 at Memphis to claim his third career tournament title. At the PGA Championship, he shot 6-under, including a final-round 67, to finish second to Tiger Woods. Playing on his first U.S. national team, Austin made a splash at the Presidents Cup, with a tumble into a water hazard and outstanding play to inspire an American victory.

And last week, the man who leads the world in self-criticism capped his remarkable year by dropping a 35-foot birdie putt on the final hole as he and partner Mark Calcavecchia won Greg Norman's Merrill Lynch Shootout in Naples.

Now, he looks forward to beginning the 2008 season in January with the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Maui, where only last year's winners are invited to play.

The Tribune's Mick Elliott got these answers from the Chamberlain High graduate.

A great putt for another win. How's that feel?

Well, you know, winning is great. I haven't won enough to think that it certainly comes easy, so I know how important it is, whether it's a two-man team tournament or what have you. Things have to go your way, and you have to play well. Fortunately, I had a perfect partner this week and we jelled really well.

You kind of became the world's sweetheart after the Presidents Cup. How has that changed your life? You kind of could walk around semi-anonymous, and then all of a sudden ...

I'm still pretty anonymous. The only time I'm ever noticed is actually at the golf tournaments. The only thing that changes is, I get called more names now. I get ridiculed or harassed even more. I'm still not recognizable off the golf course, not where I'm from anyway.

Lots of accomplishments for you this year, and an invitation into a postseason event just caps it off?

This is the first time I've gotten into any sort of Silly Season tournament in - like I said, when I finally got the call during the Presidents Cup, it's like I finally arrived after 13 years where I'm good. If Greg told me all I had to do was dive in the water before to get in, I would have done it a long time ago.

A great season?

Absolutely. And, again, not trying to harp on our positions as far as age and whatever, but when you get - especially the way the game is changing, when it's changing to the Bubba Watsons and the power and whatever. It's great for guys that really still remember how to play golf in an aspect of feel and control, can still play the game. Any win is a great win.

Who's your coach?

I'm my coach. I'm self-taught. That's why I don't have a coach. I grew up on Babe Zaharias Golf Course in Tampa. It has no driving range. I learned the game by playing rounds of golf. When I started playing in eighth and ninth grade, I would go out on Saturday and Sunday and play as much holes as I could play because that was how you learned. There was nowhere for me to hit balls.

Would you like to play more Silly Season events; is it significant to be invited into offseason specialty events?

I've always wanted to play. It would be nice fro me to play in a couple, because this time of year I don't get to play too much in Kansas. It's a little too cold and way too windy for me. So it's nice for me to get out of here. The wife said it was 32 degrees and sleeting, so I don't get a chance to prepare for the beginning of the year. So it's nice to play in one of these events, because this is the only preparation I've got for Maui. I'll show up at Maui after three weeks off, so it's nice to get some preparation in. That's why I've always struggled at the beginning of the year. I never get enough time to prepare.

You left the family in Kansas while you were in Florida?

Well, our whole family is going to Maui, so keep them in school and they'll be there at Maui. So it's just not feasible for them to come down for the weekend.