What's in my bag

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What's in my bag? Hunter Mahan

Age: 25 / Lives: Plano, Tex. / Story: Won the 2007 Travelers Championship, closing with birdies on the 72nd hole and the first hole of a playoff.

THE BIG CHANGE

By Hunter Mahan
Interviewed By Mark Soltau
Photo By Charles Laberge

I was thrilled with winning at Hartford this year, but it all goes back to the second round of sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open (see Rosaforte's "Tour Insider: The Year In Review") My sport psychologist, Neale Smith, caddied for me, and I shot 73 the first round and was just waiting for bad things to happen. He was disgusted with the way I was acting, and he was 100 percent right.

I shot 63 in the second round and qualified. I've been playing pretty good ever since. I was so concerned with how I looked and how I swung, I forgot how to play and get the ball in the hole. I was able to let myself go out there and play and not criticize myself on the course as much.

GUILTY PLEASURES: I have a thing for cars. I've had an Aston Martin and a Mercedes CL65. Now I have a Bentley, but I also have a '72 GMC lowride pickup.

GROWING UP: I've been lucky my whole life. Just amazing parents. I think that it's almost been too good, actually. I've been so privileged that I haven't had to do much. I've had to learn a lot the last couple years, how to be a man and take responsibility.

DRIVER: Equipment Photos By Darren Carroll; My driver is a Ping Rapture, 9.3 degrees, 45 ¼ inches, Ping 824 prototype shaft. Ping measured the loft digitally so it differs from the number on the sole.