The 25-year-old won the Southern Farm Bureau Classic after a phenomenally successful US college career.

He also won a host of top college golf awards and broke Tiger Woods' Golfstat Cup record for the lowest stroke average (70.45) in 1999.

The two-time Walker Cup winner talks to BBC Sport about his plans for 2003.

How pleased were you with last season?

Before I won I would have classified my season as solid. I made lots of cuts and was very steady.

But winning the last tournament of the year turned it from a good season to a great one.

How important was it to get that first win under your belt? Do you feel like you've arrived now?

Winning is the hardest thing to do, especially the first one, and I think it has already made me a respected player on Tour.

Doing it again will solidify that, but also a general improvement in my world ranking and playing well in the Majors will also help.

Hopefully the increased confidence that I have gained from it will open up the floodgates to many more wins.

It also has other benefits - better pairings for 2003, and an ability to set your schedule, which is not always possible in your first year.

What are your goals for this season?

To break into the top 50 in the world rankings - these days that seems to be the benchmark, and opens up all the doors to the Majors and the World Golf Championships.

Another personal goal is to improve my putting stats from last year, while at the same time improve my percentage of greens in regulation.

Would you consider playing in Europe more regularly towards the end of the year to make the Ryder Cup side?

I would love to be a part of a Ryder Cup, so it is already in my plans to play some events in Europe in 2003.

What are your reasons for playing the US Tour? Is it more difficult/challenging than the European Tour?

I spent four years at an American University (Northwestern) and, having played so well, it seemed natural to try and qualify for the US Tour.

I succeeded first time which showed that my game was suited to golf in the States. And obviously I wanted to play where I thought I would be the most successful.

I've not played a European Tour event yet, but I would say that the fields are probably a little stronger in America.

Would you rather win a Major or make a Ryder Cup side?

It's hard to say, but I would have to go for a Major.

Representing your country is a very special feeling and fortunately I have been lucky enough to experience that at the amateur level.

But golf is, on the whole, an individual sport, and winning a Major is the highest accolade.

How important has your college career and Walker Cup experience been in your fledgling professional career?

College taught me how to win.

I would have never been the player I am today if I hadn't gone to America.

The two Walker Cups that I played in were more fun experiences than anything else, although getting to play in front of large crowds really helped me deal with pressure.

What will it take for someone to catch Tiger? How far away are you from being that man?

Tiger is definitely way ahead of everyone right now, but no one is unbeatable.

I have a lot of work to do, and a lot of improvement to make, to be able to ever say that I can be as good as Tiger.

Luckily, because he is so far ahead of the pack, he is making everyone practice harder and harder in order to reach his level, including me.