He went into the 2003 PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club ranked 169th in the Official World Golf Ranking and making his 164th PGA Tour start, becoming one of the biggest underdogs to win a major in recent times. In the first two rounds, he shot 69-68 (−3) to take a two-shot lead over Billy Andrade and Mike Weir. A third round 69 put him at −4, tied for the lead with Chad Campbell and three shots clear of Weir. He shot a par 70 in the final round to defeat Campbell by two strokes. That season, he finished 32nd on the money list. In 2004, he made the top 100 on the PGA Tour money list for the second time in his career, but he did not make the move up to being a regular high finisher. His career high world ranking is 36th, achieved in 2004.