Hunter Mahan knows winning is golf's yardstick

The victories haven’t come as frequently in his PGA Tour career as Hunter Mahan would like, even if two of them are World Golf Championship events.

Mahan, who is in his ninth full season on the tour after a stellar career at Oklahoma State, has four career titles, the latest being the Match Play Championship in late February. That was his first win in 18 months.

“To be the player I want to be, you have to win more,” he said. “That’s how you separate players. That’s when you talk about players, how many majors have they won, how many tournaments have they won.”

Mahan’s best major championship finishes are a tie for sixth at the 2007 British Open and the 2009 U.S. Open. He had top-10 finishes in the Masters in 2009 and 2010 before missing the cut last year.

After the way he’s been playing this year – he had 35 birdies in six matches en route to victory in the Match Play Championship – more titles might be right around the corner.

“I felt like I was capable of winning more than four, but that’s what I have right now,” he said. “And I feel like I’m doing all the right things.”

That is due in large part to the work he’s put in with Sean Foley, his instructor.

“He’s been a huge, huge impact in my life and in my golf game,” Mahan said. “And I’m fortunate to be with him and excited about what we’re going to do in the future.

“But I have to win. That’s all you guys (the media) talk about. It’s all the players talk about, whether you win or not. I feel like I’m doing the right steps to become a more consistent player and hopefully win more.”

Just like majors, there are four World Golf championships. Though Mahan acknowledges that majors are in a “different class,” he has set his sights on a career grand slam of the World Golf Championship events. He’s won the Match Play Championship and the Bridgestone Invitational (2010), leaving him the Cadillac Championship and HSBC Champions.

“It’s a goal of mine,” Mahan said. “Since I’ve gotten two, I’d like to win them all. I think they’re the prettiest trophy in the game. I think they’re pretty cool‑looking for sure. It would be pretty to have them all in my house. But to have two, it feels nice.”

Mahan finished the 2011 season strong at the Tour Championship (a runner-up finish to Bill Haas) and the Presidents Cup in Australia.

In the Presidents Cup, Mahan went 4-1 in the U.S. victory over the Internationals. It helped soothe some of the sting from the 2010 Ryder Cup when Mahan flubbed a chip on the 17th hole in his singles match, losing to Graeme McDowell in the deciding match.

“It was a different situation,” said Mahan, who added he’ll never forget what happened in that Ryder Cup match.