Wisconsin-ites Stricker and Wilson Stay Hot in the Winter

Steve Stricker and Mark Wilson have certainly become household names in the world of professional golf. One man has showcased an uncanny level of consistency despite injury, and the other has won three times in just over one calendar year. Both men have relatively "average" games in comparison to their fellow competitors on TOUR, but their recent success is undoubtedly envied by many peers.

Oh, and both men are from Wisconsin and apparently play better when their home state is covered in snow.

Two weeks ago, Stricker captured the first event of the 2012 PGA TOUR season in Hawaii thanks to his stellar wedge play and hot putter down the stretch. This week, Wilson held off a slew of golfers (and some mighty winds) at La Quinta to hoist the trophy at the Humana Challenge.

In Edgerton, Wisconsin - the hometown of Mr. Stricker - the weather is currently a balmy 35 degrees. His home course of Lake Ripley Country Club near Cambridge is covered in a nice mixture of snow, sleet, and sludge that most Midwesterners know rather well. While a few idiots golf enthusiasts are likely to play the course and abide by local winter rules, they are likely to do so while wearing layers upon layers of jackets, gloves, and stocking hats.

In nearby Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the weather is slightly warmer - 37 degrees - but the snow/sleet/rain conditions are the same. Mark Wilson's hometown is hardly different than Stricker's, nor is his current home in Elmhurst, Illinois (which is approximately 20 minutes from where I currently sit). Speaking from experience, the weather is pretty miserable for golfers three months out of the year.

Obviously today's climate in Wisconsin has nothing to do with the success of either man over the past month, but their winning ways are certainly a testament to the strong level of talent that one Midwestern state has offered to the TOUR.