Steve Stricker cuts back on schedule

The world’s greatest part-time golfer will stop over on his way home from the Final Four in Atlanta and see whether he can win the one thing that’s eluded him: a major championship.

Steve Stricker will play the April installment on his limited itinerary at the Mas­ters Tournament, and his laid-back formula might just work.

It has so far with finishes of second, fifth and second in his first three PGA Tour starts at Kapalua and the World Golf Championship events – Match Play and Doral.

“I’m going there with a let’s-have-fun-with-it attitude,” Stricker said of his Mas­ters game plan. “That’s what I’ve felt so far this year. I’ve played well the times that I played. I’ve felt relaxed and comfortable and my game feels good. It’s kind of taken the pressure off me and allowed me to be a bit more free out there and enjoy the tournament a bit more.”

At 46, with 12 career victories and a world ranking that hasn’t dipped out of the top 20 since the second of his consecutive comeback-player-of-the-year seasons in 2007, Stricker made the bold decision to cut back on the full-time tour grind. He talked with his sponsors to get their approval and announced he would play only 10 or 11 times this year.

“I’ve been thinking about it for two or three years,” he said. “I got to the point where I was doing a lot of great things in the game. Obviously I haven’t won a major, which is still there. But I proved to myself that I could come back from those down years not playing well. There’s not a lot to prove anymore. … I’ve always told myself when I turn about 45 I really want to cut it back. I just finally got the guts to do it.”

He has no plans to chase FedEx Cup points or qualify for more international teams. He’s become the 21st century Bruce Lietzke, who in the 1990s came out only to the events he wanted to play.

Stricker has status to carry him on the PGA Tour until he’s 52.

“My goal is to play well when I come out and play,” he said. “I think Bruce had his priorities right, and that’s how I feel, too. I want to spend time at home with the kids and be around as much as possible. And I still enjoy competing and playing. I still take it very seriously. I work hard at it at home and try to come out and maximize my time out here and play well. I still really enjoy coming out and playing. That part isn’t old. Just the time away from home has been the hardest.”

The payoff might come in the majors.

“Maybe I’ll take some of the pressure off,” he said. “Because these events I want to play well but I don’t have this huge goal of trying to win the FedEx Cup or trying to make the Ryder Cup or Presidents Cup team. I’m just coming out to play and try to make some money, still win, but I’m not chasing that other stuff. And maybe that gets in the way sometimes.”

As long as he keeps playing at this level and maintains his top-50 status, the majors will remain fixtures on Stricker’s schedule. But even if this should be his last chance at the Masters, he’s fine with it.

“I’ve accepted all of these scenarios,” he said. “Played them all out in my mind. I’m 46. Got four more years ’til I hit 50 and I’ll probably play some on the senior tour. I want this time to enjoy my kids and home and still come out and enjoy some of these tournaments. If I don’t get into some of these WGCs, there’s still other events I enjoy going to. I can find 10 or 11 pretty easily.”

Stricker planned to attend Satur­day’s NCAA semifinal games at the Final Four in Atlanta and drive to Augusta on Sunday for the first of four nine-hole practice rounds. Still one of the world’s best putters – he gave another lesson to Tiger Woods before his win at Doral – Stricker isn’t ruling out adding that missing major to his career portfolio.

“Everybody thinks I’m probably past the prime of winning a major,” he said. “Jack (Nicklaus) won at 46, but he was a special kind of player. It’s going to be harder. These kids hit it a long way. But I have experience on my side and my short game always seems to be there, and my putting. Maybe I have those little intangible things that can make up the difference, hopefully.”