Lehman influential ahead of home town bid for success

TOM LEHMAN led the tour in prize money the last time a major championship was played in his home state of Minnesota.

But it was the Hogan Tour, the forerunner to today's Buy Golf.Com circuit, and the counterpart to the Challenge Tour in Europe. As the late Payne Stewart went on to defeat Scott Simpson in a play-off for the US Open at Hazeltine in 1992, Lehman was on a fishing expedition in Michigan.

"I was like every other mini-tour player," said the 1996 British Open champion last night. "I was looking for one break that would get me over the hump. I had the talent but there were a lot of mini-tour guys with as much talent as I had who never made it."