Winning on the PGA Tour is certainly one of the hardest things to do in the world of sports. At any time, there are over 100 of the best golfers in the world vying to take home one prize. When you add in things like weather, difficult courses, and the fact that golf swings and putting strokes can be so fragile, it makes winning on Tour all the more difficult. The pressure of getting that first win is a weight that many players, rookies and veterans alike, would like to get off of their shoulders. Tour players not only have to learn to play good golf, they have to learn to win. 
The Tour Spot has been keeping a watchful eye on a couple players that have shown how close they are to winning on Tour at the same time as they show just how difficult it is to break through. So, who on the PGA Tour is closest to making it to the next level? Here are two players that have made an impression and may be close to securing that elusive first win.
In 2010, Jeff Overton was the one of the best examples of how important consistency can be on the PGA Tour. His excellent play, including six top-10, two top-3, and three 2nd place finishes, catapulted him to a spot on the Ryder Cup team and over three million dollars in winnings. I don’t think anybody will forget the hair-raising passion he showed with his famous, “Boom Baby!” after a holing out from the fairway on Sunday at Celtic Manor. Still, Overton has yet to take home a winner’s trophy. Nobody could deny that he is close and the Tour Spot will be watching to see if he can turn his consistent play into a first place finish in 2011.
WITB – Jeff Overton
• Cleveland Launcher TL 310 9.5°
• Taylormade R9 15°
• Mizuno Hi Fli CLK Hybrid 20°
• Mizuno MP-33 2 iron
• Cleveland CG Tour 4-PW
• Cleveland 588 51°, 60°
• Odyssey White Hot 2-Ball
The Tour Spot has also been watching Steve Marino closely this season. Marino, who has already matched the number of top 10’s he had in 2010, has finished in second place twice at this early point in the 2011 season.
He started off the year playing very consistent golf, but just couldn’t seem to put it all together on Sunday. It’s obvious that he has the talent, but does he have the wherewithal to turn that talent into a win? Time will tell, but the Tour Spot wouldn’t be surprised to see him hoisting a trophy in the very near future.
WITB – Steve Marino
• Cleveland HiBore XLS Tour 9.5°
• Cleveland HiBore XLS 15°
• Cleveland Launcher Comp 19°
• Adams Idea Pro Hybrid 20.0°
• Cleveland CG Tour 4-9
• Cleveland CG14 48°, 56°, 60°
• Never Compromise Gambler Straight
The PGA Tour has an incredible depth of talent as evidenced so far in the 2011 season. The number of different winners has been astounding and every week it seems we meet a new face that appears to be poised to become a force in the future. The two players mentioned above certainly appear to be on the verge of being able to call themselves PGA Tour winners. If you were to choose, which one would it be?
The THP forum is chatting about this article here. See who their picks are as well by clicking here.
