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By TOM HOUSENICK; Times Leader Sports Writer
Thursday, January 14, 1999 Page: 1C
Like many professional golfers, Ted Tryba doesn’t talk of success on the
PGA Tour in terms of money earned.
The Hanover Township native speaks only of results.
“That’s why we’re all out here, to win,” Tryba said. “It’s great to win
that first time. But, once you’ve won, you want to get back there again.
That’s my goal.”
Tryba, winner of the 1995 Anheuser-Busch Classic in Williamsburg, Va., got
close to the top at the end of 1998. The former Hanover Area High School and
Ohio State University standout, who turns 32 on Friday, had a season-best
finish with a tie for fourth at the B.C. Open and a tie for 11th at the Westin
Texas Open- both in September- and a tie for 15th at the Walt Disney World
Classic in October.
Tryba is hoping to carry that momentum into 1999, beginning with his debut
today through Sunday in the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club in Hawaii.
The 1999 PGA season began last weekend with the Mercedes Championship, also
in Hawaii, in which only 1998 tournament winners were invited. David Duval,
runner-up to Mark O’Meara in the 1998 Player of the Year balloting, won the
Mercedes by nine strokes.
Though Tryba was 67th on the money list in 1998, he was happy with the way
he finished the season. A new putter and subtle adjustments to his swing
apparently paid dividends.
One of the most active players on the tour, Tryba played in 32 events last
year and 34 in 1997. His doesn’t plan to cut back this season.
“What else am I going to do?” he said. “I play golf for a living, and I’m
not married.”
Tryba, an Orlando, Fla., resident, had eight top-20 finishes in 1998. By
finishing in the top 125 on the money list, he earned exempt status for 1999,
which means he retained his Tour card.
There is more prize money this year than ever before, thanks to larger
purses and more events. There is more than $130,000,000 at stake, an increase
of about 25 percent from 1998. And several new World Golf events debut this
season on the official money tournament schedule.
In addition to his one tour victory, Tryba finished second once- at the
1995 Walt Disney World/Oldsmobile Classic.
After the Sony Open, Tryba’s next shot at victory is the Bob Hope Chrysler
Classic (Jan. 21-24). Then comes the Phoenix Open (Jan. 28-31) and the AT&T
Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Feb. 4-7).
The B.C. Open, in Endicott, N.Y., is Sept. 16-19. Starting in 2000, the
tournament will be played in July, coinciding with the British Open.
Other regional PGA stops this year are the Kemper Open in Potomac, Md. (May
27-30); The Memorial in Dublin, Ohio (June 3-6); and the Buick Classic in Rye,
N.Y. (June 24-27).
PRO GOLF
online…
For links about the links, visit:
http://www.leader.net/
Ted Tryba