ARDMORE, Pa. -- Adam Scott and Steve Stricker dont have much in common except for how infrequently they play golf tournaments. Scott began to scale back on his schedule two years ago, devising a plan that would help him practice more, play less and be ready for the biggest events. Stricker, who turned 46 in February, decided this year to spend more time at home in Wisconsin. The U.S. Open is only his seventh tournament this year, and he might only play three more. "I congratulated him on his semi-retirement," Scott said. "Welcome to the club." Stricker would love to part of another club to which Scott belongs -- a major champion. Since returning to the top of his game in 2006, he has given himself a couple of reasonable chances. Stricker was the 36-hole leader at Winged Foot in 2006 until a 76-73 weekend dropped him into a tie for sixth, three shots behind. He was tied for the lead after 63 holes at Oakmont a year later, only to shoot 42 on the back nine to tie for 13th. He also played in the final group at Carnoustie in the 2007 British Open. He tied the major championship record at Atlanta Athletic Club in the 2011 PGA Championship with a 63 in the opening round, though he couldnt keep it going. At 46, and playing a limited schedule, Stricker is running out of time. And thats OK with him. "Im kind of past that," he said Tuesday. "I think that the decision that I made earlier this year about playing less has taken some of the pressure off me. Im completely fine with my career and what Ive done. And dont get me wrong -- Im still very competitive and I still really want to win. I still want to play well. But Im just enjoying it. "Im enjoying coming out here and playing and not really having any expectations at all." He is far from a forgotten figure. He has a pair of runner-up finishes this year -- to Dustin Johnson at Kapalua and to Tiger Woods at Doral -- and is No. 13 in the world. He remains No. 8 in the Presidents Cup standings, so his form is not far off. What makes him intriguing at this U.S. Open is his wedge game. Stricker is vastly improved off the tee, turning that into one of his strengths. As for his putting? Not only is he regarded one of the best in the game, hes so good with the flat stick that even Woods sought him out for advice in March -- and then beat him to win the World Golf Championship at Doral. But its the wedge play that typically allows Stricker to set up birdie putts. And there are a lot of wedges to be struck at Merion, a course that starts and finishes with holes that are long and strong, and features a stretch of short par 4s in the middle where birdies figure to be made. "I like the setup," Stricker said. "Theres a lot of short irons when you get into certain parts of the course, but there are also a lot of long clubs into some of these holes. I think that still the advantage kind of goes to some longer hitters here, just because were not getting any roll in the fairway at all. But I like that theres a lot of short irons. Theres a good mixture of long and short. You dont really get to play to your medium game too much, unless they move up some of the tees on the par 3s." One thing he can count on is being fresher than anyone else in the field. Stricker hasnt played in a month. He tied for 37th in The Players Championship, where he was coming off another monthlong break since the Masters. Thats not to suggest hes been lounging around the house all day. "Im busier now than I ever have been for some reason," Stricker said. "I dont know what it is -- I guess kids. People know that Im playing less, so theyre asking me for things and to do things. Im staying extremely busy." Travis dArnaud Jersey . 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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- A drivers Sprint Cup career often doesnt end with the driver deciding to walk away. For many, its a colder reality, a game of musical chairs with available rides and sponsors, and at some point the music stops and some drivers are left standing without anywhere to sit.So they go looking for something else to make them happy, another car to race. For the three former Sprint Cup drivers competing in the Xfinity Series inaugural elimination-style playoff system, they look forward to the chance to win a championship. They dont seem all that bitter and at least two of them arent looking to run weekly on Sundays.Elliott Sadler spent 12 full seasons in Cup racing, from 1999 to 2010, including participating in the inaugural 2004 Chase for the Sprint Cup where he finished ninth. His JR Motorsports teammate Justin Allgaier spent 2014 and 2015 in Cup. Richard Childress Racings Brendan Gaughan has 50 career Cup starts, the bulk coming when he ran the full 2004 season.If you get a chance to be a NASCAR champion -- and I was a fan, a kid at 7 and 8 years old going to these races -- thats all I can ask for, said the 41-year-old Sadler, who has 435 Cup starts. Im in a dream situation with a great team with amazing owners that have given me a great opportunity to pursue my dream with a NASCAR champion.Is it a consolation that its the Xfinity Series? Hell, no. This is a hard-ass sport to be a part of and a hard series to be a part of and any championship in this series or the truck series or the Cup series -- you ask any driver -- will be well-respected and well-earned.Allgaier had the most recent tenure in Cup, and he now has a home at JR Motorsports. His former Cup team, HScott Motorsports, has no confirmed sponsors nor drivers yet for 2017 and it would surprise few if it doesnt field a Cup team next year amid the struggles on the track of drivers Clint Bowyer and Michael Annett.I loved the opportunity and I have a lot of respect for [team owner] Harry Scott and the guys over there, said the 31-year-old Allgaier, who has 76 career Cup starts. But not only is it a challenge to be at the Sprint Cup level, but when things dont go when you expect it to, it makes it even worse and it snowballs and you get to the moment [of uncertainty] that theyre at.Gaughan had a chance to win the 2003 truck title, but was involved in a crash at Homestead that resulted in him dropping from first to fourth in thhe final race.dddddddddddd This is by far the 41-year-old drivers best chance to win a title since then.He said he came part-time to RCR in 2012 to prove I can still race these things at this level. And I did. Now hes one of 12 drivers with a shot at the title as part of the Chase.I have done some great things in my career, said Gaughan, who has two wins in the Xfinity Series and eight in the trucks. Did it end up the way I ever dreamed? No. We all think of Jimmie Johnson and being a six-time champion.But Ive done a lot of things that I set out to accomplish. I still have things left. I would love to get it here in the Xfinity Series.Sadler finished second in the Xfinity standings in 2011 and 2012 and third in 2014. He was sixth last year but was rejuvenated this year with two wins and 23 top-10s in 26 races.We made the move [to Xfinity] years ago, we have been competitive ever since and been a part of the championship discussion pretty much every year, Sadler said. This is fun to me.Im a competitive dude. ... Ive had my fun on the other side of the fence running in the back and the mess I went through with the 19 car [at Richard Petty Motorsports].All three drivers plan to return to their rides next season. Even Allgaier doesnt seem overconcerned about trying to get back to Cup.Im glad to be at JR Motorsports, he said. Weve got great owners, weve got great people. Weve got everything we could ever ask for.I look at those last two years, and I say, OK, I learned a lot, I gained a lot of respect for a lot of people. But I dont miss it.What Allgaier looks forward to is to win a championship in a series where current Chase drivers Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Martin Truex Jr. as well as several other notable racers have won championships.Look at Kyle Busch when he started his own Xfinity Series team [in 2012], he didnt win a race [as a driver], Allgaier said. He now wins the majority of the races that he runs [for Joe Gibbs Racing]. This series is as tough as any series as Ive ever been a part of.If you win a championship here, it still says, NASCAR Champion. It doesnt matter that its an Xfinity Series. ... You look at the list of guys that have won the Xfinity Series championship, I would gladly put my name next to any of those guys. Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale NFL Autographed Jerseys Cheap Jerseys China Cheap Stitched Jerseys Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys Camo China NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys 2019 ' ' '