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 | | | | | | Quick Facts | | | Birthdate: 21 October 1966 | | Birthplace: Pontypridd, Wales | | | Age: 36 Ht: 5ft 11in (180cm) Wt: 12st 7lb (80 kgs) | | | Home: Newport, Wales | | | Country: Wales | | | Turned Professional: 1989 (plus 2) | | | |
| Ryder Cup | | | Rookie
| | European Tour Victories | | |
(2) 1994 Portuguese Open, 2001 Algarve Open de Portugal
| | Player Notes | |
After winning the Portuguese Open in 1994, Phillip Price was honoured by his home town by being named as 'Pontypridd Man of the Year'. Should Europe regain the Ryder Cup, with some assistance of their man, goodness knows what sort of award would be bestowed upon this unassuming professional golfer. Prince of Wales?
Price, aged 34, had established a reputation on The European Tour as something of a journeymen, finishing comfortably within the top 115 places which would ensure he had a workplace for the following season but, apart from that solitary victory, never seriously troubling the big names in the game.
However, Price made a conscious decision in 1998 to shed that slightly unflattering label. He embraced the work ethic and enjoyed a quick pay off by finishing 15th on the Volvo Order of Merit that season, helped by a couple of runner-up finishes.
Suddenly, the journeyman was no more. Price gained respect wherever he played and although 1999 saw a slight dip in his fortunes, when he came 36th on the Volvo Order of Merit, four second place finishes in 2000 elevated him to eighth position and a place in all four Major Championships in 2001.
The second European Tour title, which eluded him in 2000 after Gary Orr eagled the final hole in the Algarve Portuguese Open, finally arrived in that same event earlier this year when he closed in style with a 64 to capture the crown.
If ever Price needed a stage to showcase his abilities, it came in last year's World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron. Although Tiger Woods retained the title with a barely credible 21 under par total of 259, Price was the man who chased him home.
As darkness descended, causing Price to drop two shots in the last four holes, the Welshman kept his composure and tied Justin Leonard for second, securing him the biggest pay cheque of his career, 482,466 euro (£293,722).
That outstanding finish provided the boost to Price's confidence and self-belief that he needed. There were few more consistent performers during the Ryder Cup qualifying campaign, where Price hovered around the tenth place mark for much of the closing months of the campaign.
In the end, it all came down to the BMW International Open in Munich. Although Price missed the cut, so did Ian Poulter and Miguel Angel Jiménez, who occupied 11th and 12th places going into the last counting tournament, leaving the road clear to The De Vere Belfry.
Background
Returned to the winner's circle in 2001, seven years after his only other success, by capturing the Algarve Open de Portugal. Created a big impact in 2000, finishing runner-up on four occasions, most notably in the WGC-NEC Invitational when he tied second behind Tiger Woods to collect the biggest cheque of his career. Credits his stronger mental approach to his ten-year association with psychologist, Alan Fine, who now lives in America and flew to Akron to lend his assistance during the NEC event. Born and still lives in Pontypridd and attached to the club there. Leading amateur for Wales, won Portuguese Open in 1994 and named 'Pontypridd Man of the Year'. Partnered Ian Woosnam to second place in the 1991 World Cup. Strong performer in The Eurobet Seve Ballesteros Trophy at Sunningdale.
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Phillip Price
