Unsinkable Cink hears the cheers at PGA

CHASKA, Minnesota – Stewart Cink goes into this week’s US PGA Championship with two things he’s never had before: a major title and some fans.

Cink may not have been the most popular major winner when he deprived Tom Watson of a fairytale victory at the British Open, but the American has at least been vaulted into the minds of casual golf followers and is getting some belated recognition from the galleries.

“I’m usually the under-the-radar guy in the group,” Cink said. “I never hear `Go Stewart!’ – unless someone chuckles after it.”

After being all but ignored during four rounds of the British Open, Cink’s playoff win means he has received plenty of attention since. And despite it only being Tuesday, he had a decent-sized gallery for his practice round at the PGA Championship.

“The fan support has been probably the most surprising,” Cink said. “There’s a lot of comments from the crowd, a lot of support, a lot of congrats and it’s just a really good feeling. It actually instills even more confidence.”

The PGA begins Thursday at Hazeltine National.

Cink was hardly one of those major winners who has fans scratching their heads and wondering where he came from. He’d won five times on the PGA Tour, consistently finished in the top 25 and been part of the American Ryder Cup team that broke the European streak last year. He’d contended at a major before, too, missing out on the playoff at the 2001 US Open.

But he wasn’t on the “best player never to win a major” list, either.

“I never have really been the kind of guy that thought of myself as a must-win major guy,” Cink said. “A lot of people have asked me now that the monkey’s off your back how does it feel. I never thought there was a monkey.” (AP)