Turned professional on 21st April 1999 after becoming the first Amateur Champion to finish low amateur in the 1999 Masters Tournament. Winner of 21 events as an amateur and also a professional event - the Catalonian Open - as a 17 year old amateur. Made the cut in 12 of the 18 European Tour events he entered before turning professional. Won the Murphy's Irish Open on his sixth start as a professional and became the fourth youngest winner on The European Tour at 19 years and 176 days. Second behind Tiger Woods in the 1999 US PGA Championship at Medinah when attempting to be the youngest winner of a Major Championship for 129 years. Collected three and a half points out of five in a brilliant Ryder Cup debut at Brookline before returning to Europe to win the Linde German Masters and help Spain capture the Alfred Dunhill Cup. Named the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year in 1999. Made his big breakthrough in America in 2001, winning his first tournament on the US PGA Tour, the MasterCard Colonial, and followed that with a second victory by capturing the Buick Classic a month later, performances which convinced Sam Torrance to pick him as one of his wild cards for The 34th Ryder Cup Matches. Only player to finish in the top ten in all four Major Championships in 2002. Best Major finish in 2003 came in the Open Championship where he was tied tenth behind Ben Curtis.
