SPRINGFIELD, N.J. -- The sound, as difficult as it may be to describe, snaps you to attention. It is recognizable for being different, rare. Those who follow the game closely, and certainly those who play it at a high level, are keenly aware of this sweet noise, one that emanates when clubface meets golf ball.The term ball striker is used loosely in golf, but by every definition Henrik Stenson fits the description. The newly crowned Champion Golfer of the Year has long been lauded for has ability to hit a golf ball with such precision as to evoke awe.None of this would seem a surprise given the way Stenson, 40, navigated his way around Royal Troon to win The Open and give Sweden its first male major champion.Stenson was machine-like in his efficiency, shooting 20 under par and setting a major championship scoring record of 264. Were it not for two 3-putts over the final 18 holes, Stensons record-tying score for a single round in a major (63) might have been something truly special, even more remarkable.Yet as Stenson makes the quick turnaround to this weeks PGA Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club, it is interesting to note how bad he once was, how little ability he had to do anything close to what he accomplished in Scotland.He couldnt hit the world, let alone the fairway, said Pete Cowen, Stensons longtime instructor. And it could be with every club in his bag. He could hit 5-irons out of bounds, 7-irons out of bounds. There are three important things, and they are to start the ball on line, and have the correct flight and spin. Henrik couldnt start it on line, and then you have no idea where it is going to finish.Stenson turned pro in 1998 and found some early success on the European Tour. But at the European Open -- at the K Club in Ireland -- his game, his ego and his confidence took a hit 15 years ago, one from which it is amazing he recovered.Playing in July 2001 with Miguel Angel Jimenez and Sandy Lyle, Stenson came to the 13th hole and hit a massive slice that would not have been so alarming if he had not hit a massive hook on the same hole a day prior. Stenson had no idea where the ball was going, and was so spooked by his lack of form that he withdrew.After nine holes, I told the guys theyd be better off without me, Stenson recalled. The balls were all over the place.Two months prior, Stenson had won the Benson & Hedges International tournament, but now he wondered if hed ever be able to compete again.Stenson was introduced to Cowen, an England-based teacher who runs a golf academy in South Yorkshire. He had toiled on the European Tour himself and had put together a small stable of European Tour players. Cowen now claims six major champions in the past seven years, including Masters winner Danny Willett.[Stenson] didnt have a game at that time, Cowen, 65, recalled. It was a total rebuild. He had to start from scratch again. And it took us two and a half years, really, to get into it.As often happens, Stenson actually regressed. In 2002, he made just eight cuts in 22 events. There were times he played with his eyes closed so he could focus on releasing the club properly. There were instances when he wondered if he should continue to pursue professional golf.He never really said that, only thought it, Cowen said. Only after he got it back did he tell me. You would too if you were hitting it as badly as he did. There was no enjoyment in playing, no enjoyment going on the golf course. We gave him the understanding of what he needed to get back. It was a long, hard job.The deal Cowen makes with his clients is to be paid a percentage of their prize money; he does not charge them a fee per session, nor a set amount per week or per year. So working with Stenson meant some bleak times for the instructor as well.It was two and a half years of nothing, basically, but that was my commitment to him, Cowen said. Youre not winning anything so I cant charge you anything, so lets keep going until it happens. We saw bits of sparks in there occasionally, but not very often. He just persevered.Stenson slowly made his way back among the games elite, winning in 2004, earning a spot on the European Ryder Cup team in 2006, joining the PGA Tour in 2007, and winning the WGC-Match Play. He claimed his then-biggest victory at the 2009 Players Championship, shooting a final-round 66 at TPC Sawgrass to win by 4 strokes over Ian Poulter.Stenson would endure another slump soon after -- falling out of the top 200 in the world -- some of it due to financial setbacks suffered in the Allen Stanford scandal. Stenson was said to have lost a sum well into seven figures and approaching eight figures.He just lost his confidence, Cowen said. But that was a walk in the park compared to the first one. He always knew he was going to come back.Cowen was there for all of it, as he has been with numerous players. He has worked with the likes of Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer and dozens of others, counting more than 200 professional victories among them.Petes been teaching a very modern, dynamic method for the last 20 years, really, said McDowell, who won the 2010 U.S. Open. Its very technically correct, very dynamic, very physical. Lots of leg work. Lots of glute strength. You can see that in Henrik Stensons golf swing.Its very loaded, creates a lot of pressure into the back of the ball. Petes been working with Henrik for some 15 years now. And when you look at Henriks swing, you can see a lot of Petes methodology. Its very relative in todays world, a modern golf swing, a strong leg-oriented golf swing. And obviously, hes turned Henrik into the complete player. Hes been a complete player for the last five to eight years and its great to see him finally get what he deserves, a major championship.After rebounding from his second slump, Stenson went on to capture the 2013 FedEx Cup title (winning the Tour Championship) and the European Tours Race to Dubai (winning the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai).After that victory, Stenson was a frequent contender, but didnt win again until last month at the BMW International in Germany. He also had posted seven top-4s in majors without a victory, and was the highest-ranked player in the world without a major title.Stenson himself felt it was time, and shooting the lowest round for the final three days of The Open was testament to his ability and confidence.I owe him a lot, Stenson said of Cowen. Hes put in so much hard work with me over the years. Im pleased to have him by my side.Warming up prior to the final round at Royal Troon, Stenson was hitting everything perfectly. Cowen knew his work was done. There was little left to do but see his longtime pupil off to the first tee, from where he proceeded to produce the round of a lifetime.Cowen didnt stick around to watch, opting instead to get in his car and head south back to England. He listened to the final round on the radio, from where he could undoubtedly hear that sweet sound of the club meeting the ball, one he had worked so hard to help produce. Cyber Monday Basketball Jerseys . 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President of baseball operations Larry Beinfest was fired Friday after 12 years with the Marlins. The move came as the team neared the end of its third consecutive last-place season in the NL East. Basketball Jerseys Black Friday . But when it comes to determining if Raymond will find a place on the Leafs roster when training camp concludes in a week, well, that decision will ultimately fall to the head coach. COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- South Carolina State coach Murray Garvin had a lone question after Texas A&Ms Tyler Davis scored 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting in the Aggies 83-76 victory over the Bulldogs on Saturday night.Can No. 34 transfer to us? Garvin kidded afterward. Hes a load in the paint. He posts so deep, its hard to send a double team on him.A&M (7-2) led by at least eight points throughout the final half until a last-second 3-pointer by SCSUs Greg Mortimer. Eric Eaves scored 23 points and Edward Stephens added 18 for the undersized Bulldogs (2-7).The Aggies doubled up SCSU 48-24 on points in the paint, but none of that mattered to Davis, who said he was irate at A&M only winning by seven against a Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference opponent.You give up 45 points in the second half against a team you just killed in the first half, Davis said. Your focus and effort has to stay the same. You cant just turn the switch on and off.Admon Gilder contributed 16 points for A&M and teammates D.J. Hogg and Robert Williams added 15 each. The Aggies reserves outscored SCSUs reserves 18-7.We played too immature, we played like the game was over, especially in the second half, A&M coach Billy Kennedy said.He added that he tried sticking with a bigger lineup as practice for future SEC games, but the Aggies had trouble with SCSU repeatedly breaking their 1-3-1 zone defense.I thought we were mature enough to do it, and we werent, Kennedy said. This team is not ready to do things that it hasnt worked on a lot.The Bulldogs stayed within striking distance by shooting 52.2 percent from the 3-point line (12 of 23), compared to 20 percent for the Aggies (4 of 20). Stephens made 6-of-11 3-pointers for the Bulldogs.I told our guys in the locker room that there are no moral victories, Garvin said. Were not going to eat cake and ice cream or anything like that. But I was proud of our fight.BIG PICTUREA&M wrappped up the cushiest portion of its schedule, with double-digit victories against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi and Denver and a closer call against SCSU (7-point win) with no significant injuries, the most they can ask for in playing this type of home schedule in early December.ddddddddddddSCSU has won just two of its nine games, but the Bulldogs can take heart that theyre almost through the woods of a rugged nonconference trail. Playing in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference shouldnt be anything like playing the likes of Wichita State, South Carolina, Syracuse, Miami, A&M and next week Clemson in November and December.TURNING POINTThe Bulldogs had whittled a 21-point second-half deficit to single digits with a little more than seven minutes remaining when A&M guard Admon Gilder collected a steal and a layup to push A&Ms lead back to double digits at 72-61. The Aggies would then lead by double digits for all but the last second of the game.STAT OF THE NIGHTDespite the relatively tight final score (83-76), the Aggies held the lead for the entire game, save for its first 35 seconds.EYE OPENERThree minutes into the second half, SCSUs Eric Eaves drove the right baseline and threw down a highlight-reel dunk over A&Ms JC Hampton, and even Eaves appeared surprised by the ferocity of the slam in pausing for a moment after landing.HE SAID ITThank God we dont have to beat Texas A&M to win our conference.- SCSU coach Murray Garvin, on a tough nonconference schedule helping prepare the Bulldogs for Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference play.UP NEXTThe Aggies travel to Houstons Toyota Center, home of the NBAs Rockets, on Saturday to face No. 20 Arizona as part of a doubleheader with Texas and Arkansas.The Bulldogs continue their robust nonconference schedule on Tuesday at Clemson. ' ' '