Backspin: Stricker's career defined by comebacks

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I'll get into the British Open and Rory McIlroy in the Back Nine, but what Steve Stricker did on Sunday was just the latest chapter in a career that continues to amaze.

Eight of his 11 victories on the PGA TOUR have come since he turned 40. That's not quite Vijay Singh-esque, but with Stricker's simple swing and incredibly good putting stroke, the John Deere Classic won't be his last victory.

At 44, Stricker certainly isn't young, but he has an opportunity to play himself into the World Golf Hall of Fame -- a win at this week's British Open, or any major, would certainly go a long, long way -- much the way Singh has in the second half of his career.

"It's hard to win golf tournaments," said Stricker, who moved to No. 2 in the FedExCup standings and became just the third player since World War II to win a tournament in three consecutive years. "It's hard to keep staying positive and to keep up when things really aren't going your way."

But that's what Stricker has done throughout a career in which he's twice been named the Comeback Player of the Year.

You get knocked down, you pick yourself back up. That's what Stricker has done time and again.

He even did it Sunday after his once five-shot lead vanished on the back nine at TPC Deere Run.

"I didn't get down, and [caddie] Jimmy [Johnson] was right there telling me the whole time, it's not over yet; just keep plugging," Stricker said. "You never know what's going to happen. And sure enough, he was right. Just play it all the way out and see what happens."

The same could be said of Stricker's career.

Stock up

Luke Donald: No player has ever won the Scottish Open and then gone on to win the British Open. Don't be surprised if Donald is the first to pull it off. Donald has eight top-10s in 10 starts on TOUR this year. FedExCup rank: 4 (3 last week) Jason Day: In five of his last seven starts, Day has finished in the top 10. More importantly, he's finished second in each of the last two majors. There's no reason to think Day can't compete at Royal St. George's. FedExCup rank: 15 (15 last week). Charles Howell III: Anyone notice Howell's last three starts? T3, T3, T5. He's a combined 33 under in those three starts. Even though he doesn't exactly have a good track record at the British Open, it should at least give him confidence. FedExCup rank: 23 (30 last week)

Stock down

Stewart Cink: Is it just me, or does that British Open Cink won seem like an awful long time ago? He's played well at times this year, but Cink has missed his last two cuts (including last week at the John Deere Classic) and missed the cut in each of the last two major championships. FedExCup rank: 67 (65 last week). Phil Mickelson: We have no idea just how much the psoriatic arthritis is affecting Mickelson, but in another year that he could have owned he's struggled to be consistent. Now comes Mickelson's ultimate kryptonite: The British Open. He has has just one top-10 in 17 starts. FedExCup rank: 9 (8 last week). Paul Casey: In his last three starts on the TOUR, Casey has missed the cut each time. He hasn't fared any better across the pond this year, either. Casey's been working on a lot of things in his swing with Peter Kostis and just hasn't been able to make it click on the golf course. FedExCup rank: 146 (144 last week)

THE BACK NINE: 9 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. As well as Steve Stricker played last week, carrying that momentum across the pond to a course he's never played is going to be awfully difficult. "Hopefully, I can get some sleep," Stricker said afterward. "That just wore me out, I know that. The weather, the roller coaster ride, the emotions of winning, not winning, then back to winning again. But I'm excited about going over there. I'll be tired. And we'll be right back at it [Monday]."

2. Stat That May Only Interest Me: In 10 career starts at the John Deere Classic, this was only the second time Stricker, who has won the John Deere three times now, has recorded all four rounds in the 60s (66-64-63-69). The other time was in 1997, when he finished tied for seventh.

3. Stats That May Only Interest Me II: Stricker is currently the only player to have multiple wins each of the last three years on TOUR. He's also 6-for-6 in his career when holding the outright lead after 54 holes.

4. I have more about this in my British Open preview story, but Rory McIlroy's game is, generally speaking, more suited for American-style courses than it is links courses. He hits the ball higher than almost anyone and that obviously doesn't play well in the wind. That said, he's played his fair share of links golf and I do think he'll win one, if not multiple, British Opens in his career. When you shoot 80 in the second round at St. Andrews and still finish third, that says an awful lot. McIlroy's game travels well; it's just an oddity that he hits the ball so high for a kid who grew up playing in Northern Ireland. And remember, McIlroy carded a course-record 61 at Portrush as a 16-year-old, and of course had the 63 last year at St. Andrews.

5. For all the talk about how the last 11 major championships have been won by 11 different players, a reader on the Geoff Shackelford blog made a very good point: It's happened eight times since 1934 when the Masters became one of golf's four majors. In other words, golf is cyclical -- a point that a few players like Geoff Ogilvy have driven home in some recent conversations I've had about the topic. The perspective was just skewed for about 15 years because of a certain former No. 1.

6. Colin Montgomerie and Lee Westwood were critical of Rory McIlroy's decision to not play between his U.S. Open victory and this week's British Open with Monty saying he thinks McIlroy will be "mentally tired" and Westy adding that he wouldn't take that approach. Of course neither has won a major championship, so I'm not really sure about the criticism -- or the necessity of it.

7. McIlroy's response to said criticism, via the Belfast Telegraph: "My answer (to these people) is simple. I wanted to get everything out of the way so that when I did start playing again I could just concentrate on golf. Because of what happened at Congressional and the way it became such a big deal I wanted to get everything out of the way and sorted so that when I did start playing again I could just concentrate on golf."

8. Royal St. George's has received heavy criticism for its quirkiness and the likelihood that it will produce an unexpected winner, but as Scott Michaux pointed out in the Augusta Chronicle, that's mostly a myth based on Ben Curtis' victory in 2003. And all you have to do is look at the list of past winners there, which includes Gene Sarazen, Harry Vardon, Walter Hagen, Henry Cotton, Bobby Locke, Sandy Lyle and Greg Norman, among others.

9. I think come Sunday night we'll be talking about the 12th straight different major winner.

Forward Spin

The last time the British Open was held at Royal St. George's, Ben Curtis was your winner. Will there be another unexpected champion this year? Who knows. That's the beauty of the British Open. And from all accounts Royal St. George's is playing firm and fast with very little rough. Looking at the forecast, it doesn't appear weather will be much of a factor, but that can change quickly on the Southeastern coast of England. Who do I like? I think this is the major Luke Donald finally wins. Even as it moves to a new date in July, the annual event at Annandale Golf Club still endures. They've played this event since 1986, and its modest yardage allows even the shortest of hitters (Fred Funk won it twice) to contend. Keeping it in the fairway is critical, but bomber Bill Haas has owned this place for the last few years. Haas is at the British Open this week, but former winners Heath Slocum and Will MacKenzie are back in the field.

Next Kodak Challenge hole

NEXT WEEK: Viking Classic HOLE: The par-5, 532-yard 18th at Annandale Golf Club ABOUT THE HOLE: Water comes into play on every shot at this hole, but don't expect PGA TOUR players to be shy here -- especially if they need an eagle or birdie. The green is big enough to hold a 3-wood or long-iron second shot. Kodak Challenge standings