After winning FedEx title, Brandt Snedeker will shoot for No. 1 in 2013
Dec 04, 2012 (Menafn - Ventura County Star - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --Most people have dreamed about hitting the lottery and what they might do with all that money.
Brandt Snedeker hit golf's version of the lottery two months ago when he won both the 2012 Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup title.
The FedEx Cup title earned the former Vanderbilt University graduate a 10 million bonus, but since checking his bank account to make sure the money arrived, Snedeker hasn't given it a second thought.
"It's not going to change me one bit," Snedeker said during a media conference at the last weekend's Tiger Woods World Challenge. "It hasn't changed anything we've done. I'm still flying Southwest Airlines everywhere and driving a beat-up car.
"My door handle fell off my car the other day and I'm not buying a new car. Nothing has changed. I don't plan on changing anything."
Snedeker, who will turn 32 on Saturday, has not spent a dime of the windfall, and he said he had no future plans to use it for anything other than to help others.
Snedeker and his wife Mandy have started a foundation with the goal of helping underprivileged kids in Nashville, Tenn.
"We are kind of starting with broad strokes trying to make it more specific as we find and really look at different things we can do with it," Snedeker said. "It's just kind of to go through charities and really try to help people."
While spending money is clearly not a focus for Snedeker, trying to reach the No. 1 spot in the world rankings is a goal within his reach.
Snedeker, who started 2012 ranked 39th, has climbed to No. 9 in the world rankings.
"It's very doable," Snedeker said of No. 1. "To get to No. 1 in the world you've got to be more consistent. You look at the way Rory (McIlroy) is playing right now, he's not only winning, but he's giving himself a chance to win almost every week. That's what you have to do to be No. 1 in the world."
Reaching the top spot in the world is just the latest challenge for Snedeker, who burst onto the golf scene in 2007. In just his third professional start on the PGA Tour, he fired an opening-round 61 at the Farmer's Insurance Open.
He finished 2007 as the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and became the first rookie to play in the Tour Championship.
The Farmers Insurance played a huge part in getting Snedeker's 2012 season moving in a positive direction.
In one of the craziest tournaments of the season, Snedeker made up a seven-shot deficit in the final round and beat Kyle Stanley in a playoff to win the title.
Snedeker was in the media center talking with reporters about how he felt about finishing second when Stanley imploded with a triple-bogey on the final hole, opening the door for Snedeker to win for the third time on tour.
The win was even more of a confidence-builder for Snedeker since he was coming off hip surgery in November.
"That was a huge bonus. It was not a tournament I was thinking I could win Sunday afternoon, but it was a tournament that kind of turned my way luckily, and really propelled me to the year I had," Snedeker said. "It also gave me a bunch of confidence to know that I was back, 100 percent back from my injury.
"Any time you can win over the year it gives you a lot of confidence going forward. You know you've got, you don't want to say cushion, but you're going in the right direction. You don't have to make any changes. There's no doubt in your mind you're doing everything right; just keep doing it."
Despite coming off surgery, Snedeker said he believed he was going to have his best season. And he isn't through yet.
"I really feel like next year is going to be even better because I don't see any reason why it can't get better," Snedeker said Snedeker, who finished tied for 13th at Woods' tournament. "I'm not trying to do anything different next year, not trying to reinvent the wheel, so look forward to the start of my next year."
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