Furyk's rhythmic swingtime blend

Andy Farrell talks to the unorthodox golfer progressing towards a major breakthrough

HE IS golf's answer to the South African spinner Paul Adams. He is America's equivalent of Eamonn Darcy. His swing has been described in many ways, once as if someone was trying to swing a club in a telephone box. But ask Jim Furyk which description he likes best and he replies: "Effective".

It must be because these days he is being questioned more about his highly consistent performances and why the 28-year-old has not been able to add to his two US Tour victories, despite 19 top-10 finishes in the last season and a half.

He has an answer for that, too. "I have been playing very solid, consistent golf," he said. "If I keep putting myself in position, a win will come. I'm not too worried. I feel I've been beaten [more] by other people playing really well than by myself and then there are other times when I've finished in the top 10 but not had a chance to win."

That has been the case with Furyk and recent major championships, but his record in the game's toughest tests is still highly impressive. He has been fifth in the last two US Opens, was fourth at The Open at Royal Troon, sixth at the US PGA Championship last August and fourth at this year's first major, the US Masters at Augusta two months ago.

The 1997 US Open at Congressional climaxed in a four-way battle between Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie, Tom Lehman and Jeff Maggert, but who was the next in line? Furyk. It was the same at The Open, where the main placings were disputed by Justin Leonard, Darren Clarke and Jesper Parnevik.

But Furyk's determination and strength of mind drives him on. At Augusta, he started with a first-round 76 and yet fought his way back into the tournament. "I don't hit the ball long; I don't hit a draw and I don't hit high, soft iron shots so it gave me a lot of confidence the way I came back from that start."

He just likes the challenge of playing in major championships. "I always think the British Open and the US Open courses suit my game best. You need a bit of experience to play the links courses at the British but I enjoy going over and playing them. At the US Open, you know you have to keep the ball in play and when I am playing well, that's what I do.

"The courses are always similar to the ones I grew up playing in Pennsylvania. They date from the early part of the century and they are tight and you need to keep the ball under the pin. It makes me feel comfortable and I enjoyed Oakland Hills and Congressional. Although it is very tough and very punishing, it always puts me in a good frame of mind."

As for any expectations to win a major soon, Furyk says: "I don't feel any sense of urgency. No one is going to put any more pressure on me than myself. I am not one to worry about things I can't control, like what people write. I have high expectations for myself. In order to play the Tour you have to be very driven and self-motivated. Both my parents were like that and I have learned a lot of values from them."

Furyk's father, Mike, is a golf professional turned salesman who was not inclined to indulge his son's enthusiasm for golf until it became overwhelming at the age of 12. "I was a club pro until Jim was eight and I didn't like the way the business restricted my life so I actually tried to discourage Jim about golf," Furyk Snr admitted. The father has been the son's only coach. "If I had an instructor who was not as close to me I wouldn't question things as much. But, on the other hand, I'd probably be a better listener," Jim said.

It was Furyk Snr who introduced his son to putting cross-handed from an early age, since both Arnold Palmer and Gary Player had told him that if they were starting afresh that is what they would do, and he was the one who decided to stick with that swing.

"When Jim first picked up a club that was his natural swing," Mike Furyk said. "As he hit the ball fine, instead of trying to alter it we just tried to refine it. It may look different, but from the top down through to impact, it is as good as any swing there is." The loop at the top of Furyk's backswing is actually getting smaller as his swing becomes less unorthodox. "I've never been in a media room when someone hasn't commented on the swing," he said. "It doesn't bother me."

At Furyk's pre-tournament press conference last week at the Buick Classic, the subject had not come up until someone asked: "Jim, are you finding you get asked less about your swing and more about your performances these days?"

Back came the answer: "I was until you asked that."