FAN-tastic!

HOLD, PLEASE. John Piazza photographed Justin teeing off at Bethpage Black during a U.S. Open practice round.

I just finished watching the recording of today's President's cup. The final hole of the Leonard match was telling. As usual Justin played wonderfully ... hanging tough ... doing what needed to be done ... and all the while playing like a champion. He missed a short putt on the last that would have won the match. It happens. In the interview afterward, Justin did not whine ... did not apologize. He manned up and said he missed the putt. No matter what else happens...the hype, the sponsors, the sportswriters, the fans ... Justin is a great golfer in the real sense and a great man. He honors himself, the game. and the state of Texas. He will be there at the end. Thanks, Justin. Georgene

I love watching Justin on TV and at the DB Championships in Boston. I've been watching Justin since I was 3 feet off the ground because my name is also Justin. I watched Justin be at the top of his game in his earlier days and then I watched him lose it but I was still the kid in the crowd and never lost hope. He gave me his hat and signed it. I am thrilled to see he's at the top of his game again. Good Luck, Justin! Justin

My husband and I love watching you play. It was great to follow you at Byron Nelson this year. Joann

I think Justin is a great golfer with great values and character. Jim

I have always been a huge fan of yours since I first started playing in my 7th grade year. I have a dream to become a great golf player. Bryce

We want to wish you a Happy Birthday! Jim and Lee

I am in grade 7. In our media class we are doing a project on great sport stars of the 20th Century and their accomplishments. Everyone else is doing the projects on people like Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, and Babe Ruth. Since Dad and I both love watching and playing golf, he suggested I do my project on you. Sherry

I was pleased recently to read that you are a man of Faith. Thank you for showing your faith to the entire golf world. Pat

I'm a great fan of you. Success may always be at your side. Gottfried, Austria

SPLASH! Stephen Beattie snapped this shot of Justin exploding from a greenside bunker during a practice round at the Honda Classic.

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Masters on Friday. As luck would have it, that day was overcast and very windy. Wind gusts were said to be 25 to 30 mph. Unfortunately, one of those wind gusts managed to catch my straw hat and it took off inside the ropes. Mr. Leonard was kind enough to chase down my hat and return it to me as I stood by the ropes. I just wanted to say thank you and wish you the best for the rest of the 2009 season. Keith

We live in Jacksonville, FL and enjoy watching you at The Players. You epitomize a gentleman and a professional. We saw you quietly help John Daly when he flew the green at 17 over the walkway. He was going to drop back at the drop zone and you helped him realize he could drop on the walkway. You make the game great! Bravo. Don

My husband and I saw you at Brookline CC for the Ryder Cup. Looks like you are playing better than ever. We wish you the best for 2009. How about putting on the Green Jacket this April? Heather

I love Justin's game, and his style. When he's hitting on all cylinders, he can win anytime, anywhere. Nick

I am a huge fan of you from here up north in Canada. I follow all of your tournaments and cheer you on from my TV. I respect you not only as a player but also as a person. You give back in so many ways. It is nice to see someone such as yourself do so many great things for people. Believe it or not, you actually change lives in the world. And I am a better man for knowing you. Ken

My husband and I attended the Friday round of the Barclays and hung out afterward to watch Justin on the driving range. My husband is a PGA club professional and loves watching Justin, as they have the same height and build. While Justin was practicing after his round, he took out a club that was unrecognizable to us... it appeared to be a hybrid, but had a much shorter, steel shaft. The head was thinner than a hybrid would be. I'm wondering what kind of club this was? Lorien

Justin uses a Nike “Pro Combo Utility” iron.

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After Justin Leonard grabbed his 12th PGA TOUR victory at the 2008 Stanford St. Jude Championship, emails poured in to JustinLeonard.com and PGATour.com, congratulating the consummate Southern gentleman from Texas. Here are a few of the responses.

We were all glued to the TV watching Justin win the St. Jude PGA tournament. Congratulations on a wonderful win and an awesome year. Nancy

Being a long time Justin Leonard fan, I am so happy to see him playing well this year. More importantly, I was so happy to see Justin visit the children of St. Jude prior to winning the Stanford St. Jude Championship. St. Jude Hospital provides care to children with cancer regardless of their ability to pay. As a doctor at St. Jude, I know how much the kids appreciate it when any stars come to stop by and provide them with joy. Every child at the hospital is fighting a battle that no child should have to face. Every parent is fighting a nightmare that no parent wants to imagine. Justin Leonard did come by and play and eat with the kids. It means so much to our children that he stopped by and I am so glad that he went on to win the tournament later in the week. Congrats Justin. Jeffrey

Your win in Memphis at the Saint Jude tournament made our first PGA tournament a real treat! And your personal testimony was the icing on the cake. We appreciate a man who has the courage to speak up the way you did. Thanks for being such an example. Roy and Barbara    

Justin and caddy Brian Smith march to victory in Memphis.

Your swing has never changed over the years. One of the most consistent and fluent golf swings out there, and I can definitely see you making another long putt to win the Ryder Cup again. Keep up the good work!  Mark

Congratulations on your well deserved win at Memphis. You and Mike Weir are two of my favourite players on Tour and if Captain Azinger does not include you on the Ryder Cup team he needs to be "zinged", eh? It was so refreshing to see an old style player with true family values like yourself win the St Jude. Stu, Vancouver BC

Became a fan when you won the Open and gave the most thoughtful, respectful speech at the winners presentation that I have ever heard. Remained a fan when you were struggling a couple of years ago. Loved it when you fired all your coaches and got your game back. Spike

I wanted you to know how proud I am of you for hanging in there at the Stanford St. Jude Championship. I saw your mental "toughness" to maintain composure and high self esteem thoughts even when a shot or two went not as expected. What a victory … Congratulations! James

Way to go Justin! Once again you showed the heart of a champion! See ya at the Ryder Cup! Nate

Justin, it is great to see you playing well. I am confident that if you are in Kentucky for the Ryder Cup that you will have a great positive influence on the team. Congratulations. Mike

Justin, congratulations on the win this week. You are very fun to watch, and hopefully I will be playing golf with you one day on the PGA TOUR. Your play has inspired me as a child to play competitive golf. Now I'm playing Division 1 golf. It is people like you who are a great influence to younger kids. Thanks for everything you done for the game of golf and best of luck in the tournaments to come. Johnny

Hi Justin. Love it every time you win mostly because of what you SAID after winning your British Open. The speech you gave was so humble, so smooth, so jam-packed with class and character. To this day, friends and co-workers with children read it and suggest that they might want to raise their kids with the ultimate goal of the kids being able to just APPROACH the level of maturity and personal dignity that you displayed in that speech. Rest assured that almost everyone that reads it agrees with my assessment and indeed has their kids read it. CONGRATS on the great win and enjoy it, sir! Dan

To read all of the comments about the 2008 St. Jude victory, click here.

To read additional comments from Justin’s fantastic fans, click here.

Columns

Is the FedEx Cup System Right?

Justin Leonard has a wonderfully consistent year going. He won in Memphis, he has 12 top-25 finishes, seven top-10s and back-to-back ties for 7th in the first two FedEx Cup events. He has nothing to worry about where the points are concerned.

But Leonard is among many players who believe there is more work to be done on the points system.

"I think there may be a little too much movement, probably too many points for finishing in 70th place," Leonard said. "There are too many points awarded just for making the cut. It's harder to really separate yourself. You have to finish in the top 10 or 15 to really make a whole lot more than that 70th guy.

"I think it should be somewhere between how it is this year and how it was last year."

Leonard, a member of the Ryder Cup team, said he was not surprised by any of captain Paul Azinger's picks announced on Tuesday. "I like them; four good picks," he said. "It's a good team."

-- Dan O'Neill, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Photos