WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, West Virginia -
For the weekend golfer, the links are a way to get away from it all, and,
yes, sometimes even the family, but one veteran PGA Tour player, is using the
aid of a family member on the Old White.
As a new tour pro in the early 90s, Steve Stricker
didn't have to look far for a course guide. He used his wife Nicki for four years
on the bag. Now, the couple is at it again, thanks to the Greenbrier's family
scene.
"Its nice to get back out here. We always talk
about it, doing once or twice a year," said Stricker. "We just
thought it would be a good fit. We had somebody come help us with our kids. It
just seems like a good family spot to be."
"I don't do a lot," she said. "He does
most of the yardages, reads his putts. (I'm) pretty much there for moral
support than anything."
Nicki has been around the links her whole life. Both her dad and brother had
stints on the PGA Tour and she tries to help out when asked.
"If that makes it a little bit easier for him. If
he asks me to watch something he knows that I know the language. Obviously seen
him swing at it," said Nicki.
The 12-time winner was going to skip this week's event but he views it as a
perfect time to move up the charts.
"The Ryder cup team is picked at the end of the
year," Stricker said. "(I'm) outside the top eight right now so I'd
like to play my way on there and so that means getting my game going and making
a good stretch run here down the end."
While Nicki will be aiding Steve, she said her husband knows his own game.
"Even if it were Thursday, I probably wouldn't
say anything either. He's been doing this for a long time. Knows his game. If I
got an opportunity to save him one shot a round I think I'd be doing a good
job."
The 45-year old will go for his second win of the
season at his first Greenbrier Classic.
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