[avrag]

I saw Lee Janzen play quite well in the PODS yesterday. He sort of fell off the face of the earth a few years ago. But I was shocked to hear, that his last win actually had been his last US Open in 1998. I hadn't thought that it had been THAT long, but it just showed me how old I am (almost as old as he is, in fact). I always kind of liked him and once had a chance to talk to him at a ProAm. He seemed very nice. As far as I remember from his best days, he was a great iron player and had a great short game, but was not very long. I also think, he has always used blades.

Could he be another of those "equipment victims" who just cannot make their strengths count because of other players who can make the most of the new drivers and balls?

[cdesana]

I have always wondered the same thing actually. And they did bring it up on the broadcast a little last night on the Golf Channel.

The comment was that it was sort of a perfect storm to his poor play.

1) Too many equipment changes

2) He took advantage of ALL the financial windfalls that came his way after TWO U.S. OPEN WINS!

3) And I have read in the past that he was VERY close to Payne Stewart, and that hit him very very hard. I also believe he sort of took on a father like roll with Payne's son. He asked and was granted the right to play with him in the Father & Son Challenge.

[iscarter69]

At his peak he was a very good putter, but, even in his best years, not a great ballstriker and not all that long. I think as the courses got longer his below average ballstriking became more and more of an issue. When you don't find the fairway or the GIR, even the best putters will eventually breakdown over the constant pressure to grind pars.

The constant equipment changes probably didn't help either. At his peak, he was one of the bigger equipment ho's on the tour.

[smsb007]

If you read Dave Pelz' Short Game Bible, Pelz describes Janzen as one of the first tour players he worked with personally on wedge play and short game research in the late '80s. Pelz basically credits Janzen and Tom Kite with all of his early validation on the Tour (and in the general golf world).

[BEND OF THE RIVER GC]

He holds the course record at Arcadia Bluffs in Michigan, 65 or a 66. If you have ever played there, you'll know that's anincredible score there.

I believe that he consults on golf course design now, but don't ever expect to see him at the top of the leaderboard anymore.

[bma725]

Janzen losing his game because of equipment changes is actually one of the biggest myths there is. When he was at his best, he was switching equipment companies nearly every year and using multiple models of clubs from those companies. It wasn't until he stopped switching companies that his game fell apart.

He was with Ram as an up and coming player prior to his first Open win and had multiple models of both the Tour Grinds and Lazer FX Forged Cavities. He then signed with Founder's Club for 1992 and 1993, and though he did briefly use the 200 Series blades, he used custom made MacGregor irons the majority of the time including his US Open win. He left Founders for Hogan in 1994, where he used both H40 Cavity backs and Apex Channel Back blades while with them and had another win. In 1995 he had his best season with 3 wins including the Players while with Nicklaus Golf, using their N1 Forged Cavity.

That got him the big money contract with Taylor Made, and that's where the slide started. He signed with them in 1996 and stayed until 2002 when he left to go to MacGregor. While he did have the second US Open win(and I guess the Shark Shootout in 2000 if you want to count that) he was never the same player.

Some guys need the stability of staying with one company or they have problems. Janzen was the opposite.

[whatshannenin]

I actually heard that he was MISfitted for some irons after the 98' Open and he never found his game after that. He was play ill-fit clubs and was lost. Just of recent, I was told, he went back to shorter clubs (shorter per old school specs) and has started playing better. Lee is a really nice guy who'm I've met on several occasions. Just a prime example that you have to trust what is being told to you and be fully aware that EQUIPMENT is very important.

[TTT]

yea i think furyk took his spot as major equipment ho lol

[thejosh31]

Furyk at least was smart with his Orlimar deal. Was for 1 club I think and probably netted him some nice change.

Say what you will about Janzen but he's had a nice career, never struggled for money, and gets to live his dream. I'd trade in a heartbeat, as good as my life is.

[faaaayduuur]

great guy but is a mental patient out there

[Corey_sulliv21]

He played with a close friend of mine at Wolf Run GC in Zionsville, IN last year and shot the easiest looking 65 he ever saw. This course has a 78 course rating or something ridiculous. To shoot 65 without setting foot on the course before is insane. From what I heard he was pretty intense on course even though it was a casual round.

[jdhonger]

Janzen is with Mizuno now. But he is a club ho, for better or worse. He's got a great short game, but it sounds like, from hearing his interviews over the last couple of years, that he just can't seem to carry good golf from the first couple of rounds into the weekend. I also know that he has switched instructors over the past 4-5 years almost as much as equipment contracts: Rich Smith, Butch Harmon, and now Mike Bender.

[dgrelecki]

That's a great score out there. They had an 8 college invitational last year, and they struggled to break 80. I'm a 3 cap, and fired an 84 there playing pretty well. From everyone I know that's met Lee, they've all had the best things to say about him...I wish him well.

[mjc694]

great guy, and the 1998 open was a ton of fun to watch. him and stewart killing each other neck and neck down to the last. didnt jansen lose a ball in a tree? seriously how much better was '99 (still my favorite open even if for just sentimental reasons) since stewart had come in second the year before?

that being said...i always thought janzen was a short hitter who lost his game when they started tiger proofing all the golf courses. So instead of having a bunch of shot makers courses out there they were all going for length, and he just couldnt keep up, and trying to screwed up his swing a bit.

Always nice to see him on the weekend tho.

[webber]

His putting is to blame. Until recently he was using a 2BALL at a very longer than standard length. Now he is back to an Odyssey blade that looks like the old Ping Zing 2/Cameron Laguna/Odyssey Dual Force 550 headshape he had all the success with.

[63Brummie]

I actually read the same thing...
You don't win on the USPGA tour without being a good player and certainly dont win the US Open (twice) without being a great player..
I suspect that Lee Janzen's time has come and gone, sadly a fact of life... equipment has little or nothing to do with his poor form.
These guys are so good that the could play with almost anything.. I think golfer use equipment as a distraction and occaisionally an excuse.
63Brummie
P.S. he was a tremendous ball striker with wedges and short irons...

[63Brummie]

.... but sulliv21....this man is double US Open champion...
and in my mind still a very good player to boot....
63Brummie...

[jdhonger]

I have seen him play lately on TV and live. It's not that he's that bad, but he just is not consistently giving himself legitimate birdie chances all 4 rounds. He'll hit it close in a couple of days, then go back to what he has been doing. He leaves himself way too many 20-30 footers on the greens, while these other guys are sticking it close.

[MWL]

so in conclusion his main problems are long game, short game, mental game, putting, equiptment, too many coaches, the golf courses...!! suprised he can break 80 with all this going against him

[webber]

He is no spring chicken he has to be in his early 40's which on the PGA Tour is the dead zone. The prime years are 30-38 or so. A lot of guys fall off in the early to mid 40's and just try and hang until until they are 50. Guys like Fred Funk are not the norm. See Hal Sutton, Steve Pate, Scott Hoch, Mark Wiebe, Mark O'Meara, etc....they all go through it. They turn 50 and have a lot more success on the Champions Tour where the courses are shorter and easier.

[Swingtheclub]

PGA TOUR
STANDARD STATS Rank Additional Stats
Driving Distance 288.0 105th Tot. Dist. - 36,858 Tot. Drvs. - 128
Driving Accuracy Percentage 59.06% 163rd Fwys Hit - 528 Poss. Fwys - 894
Greens in Regulation Pct. 64.32% 117th Greens Hit - 741 # Holes - 1,152
Putting Average 1.799 129th GIR Putts - 1,333 Greens Hit - 741
Eagles (Holes per) 198.0 64th # Holes - 1,188 # Eagles - 6
Birdie Average 3.17 156th # Birdies - 209 Tot. Rnds. - 66
Scoring Average 71.65 173rd Tot. Strks - 4,750 Tot. Adj. - 21.114-
Sand Save Percentage 55.65% 30th # Saves - 69 # Bunkers - 124
Total Driving 268 180th Total rank from stats 1 & 2
All-Around Ranking 937 151st Total rank from stats 1-8
Regular Season FedExCup Points 1,694 146th Pts.Behind - 28,880 -
Money Leaders $409,189 160th - -
Par Breakers 18.10% 150th #Bird/Eagl - 215 #Holes - 1,188
Putts Per Round 29.55 134th Tot. Putts - 1,891 Tot. Rnds. - 64

these are his stats for 2007 does anything stand out to you

I heard he was at his strongest on tougher courses I have no idea if thats true

anyway you say it two US Opens is a career but I would love to see more from him

[widwio]

a bit off topic on Janzen, but I saw him at the GHO (i know thats awhile back)many years ago doing a Tuesday clinic. I stood about 10 feet away and I'll tell you what I've never seen hands that huge in my life. It was unreal and the grips on his club was similar the the upper half of a baseball handle.