Mark Wilson Claims Second PGA TOUR Victory of 2011 Season

~ Continued Success - For the second time in three starts, Mark Wilson has earned yet another PGA TOUR victory - the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open. ~

To say that Mark Wilson has recently surprised golf journalists and fans would certainly be an understatement.

Prior to the 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii, Wilson was known as a likeable journeyman who had been successful on various golfing circuits throughout the past decade.

With victories at the 2007 Honda Classic and 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera-Maya Cancun, along with three wins on the NGA Hooters Tour, Wilson was viewed as a steady late bloomer who had not tasted PGA TOUR success until he was 32-years-old.

Yet, Wilson's life, career, and reputation as a competitor has suddenly changed - all within a three-week-long time span.

Last month, Wilson arrived at the Sony Open in Hawaii hoping to play solid golf and to begin the season with a consisent performance. He did that - and more - as he ultimately defeated Tim Clark and Steve Marino by two strokes for his third PGA TOUR victory. In doing so, he also acquired his first berth into the Masters Tournament, which will be conducted during the first week of April.

If golf fans viewed Wilson's Sony Open victory as nothing more than a fluke, they may now be second-guessing their original opinions of the Wisconsin-born golfer.

With a final round score of two-under-par 69, Wilson finished the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open tied for the lead with Jason Dufner, another journeyman golfer who has enjoyed success on the PGA TOUR in recent years.

Upon birdieing the second hole of the tournament's sudden death playoff, Wilson's standing within the golf world dramatically improved. As a result of his second PGA TOUR victory in a month, Wilson now leads the 2011 FedEx Cup standings - by a whopping 336 points over Jhonattan Vegas, who also shocked the golf industry by winning the 2011 Bob Hope Classic two weeks ago.

In addition, Wilson currently leads the TOUR's money list with $2,098,700. Such a hot start would typically be expected from an experienced champion like Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson...but from Wilson? Who could have possibly anticipated such success from a golfer who finished 131st in last year's FedEx Cup regular season standings?

Even Wilson himself has been pleasantly surprised by his results thus far in 2011.

"It's crazy. This is the best golf I've played in my life and I'm just riding the wave," he stated after defeating Dufner. "I'm just enjoying the ride here and that's just kind of the way I'm going to look at the year here, just ride this train as long as I can."

If Wilson continues to "ride (the) train" this well throughout the remainder of the season, his competitors, as well as his fans, should not be surprised if he adds more hardware to his trophy collection before the end of the 2011 season.

With a steady game and an optimistic attitude, Wilson appears to be prepared for the future - and for continuous tournament success as the TOUR's West Coast Swing concludes within the next couple weeks.

For now, Wilson will likely reflect on the past month and look forward to the TOUR's next tournament - the 2011 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am at the world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links.

2011 FedEx Cup Standings (as of February 7th, 2011)

1.) Mark Wilson, 1,008 points
2.) Jhonattan Vegas, 672 points
3.) Bubba Watson, 584 points
4.) Jonathan Byrd, 566 points
5.) Bill Haas, 441 points

2011 PGA TOUR Money Leaders (as of February 7th, 2011)

1.) Mark Wilson, $2,098,700
2.) Jhonattan Vegas, $1,248,280
3.) Jonathan Byrd, $1,174,666
4.) Bubba Watson, $1,143,134
5.) Bill Haas, $809,934