John Mallinger may be the best golfer that few have heard of. The former Canadian Tour member is in his second PGA Tour season and one of America's finest young players, but strangely, the man from Long Beach, Calif., has a way of flying under the radar.

"I really don't know why that is," answered Mallinger, when asked why. "Maybe it's my quiet demeanor. I just go out and play and don't think about it much."

There is little doubt Mallinger will soon be a household name. In less than 18 months on the PGA Tour, the 28-year-old has finished third four times, with two coming at Pebble Beach.

"I played a lot of amateur tournaments at Pebble so I'm used to the weather and the conditions of the golf course," he said. "The grass (poa annua) is different than they have on the East Coast and I think that's why a lot of players from the West Coast do so well there."

Growing up 430 miles south in Escondido, Calif., Mallinger played the competitive San Diego junior circuit before landing at Long Beach State University.

"John didn't have the greatest golfing resume when he came here," said Long Beach State coach Bob Livingstone. "What he did have, and still has, is a lot of heart and one of the best short games I have ever seen. I would put him right up against Phil Mickelson in that area."

Livingstone was also impressed with Mallinger's leadership. "John has always been an analytical and deep thinker," he said. "He would tell his teammates not to party the night before a tournament because it would hurt their game.

"John gets it. I tell players that they have talent, but they often fail to understand that everything they do affects their golf game. John does. He has always looked at the big picture and I give a lot of credit to his upbringing. He comes from a close and supportive family."

Having graduated with a degree in marketing, Mallinger turned professional in 2002 and earned co-medalist honors at the Canadian Tour's 2005 California Winter Q-School. He divided the majority of his time between the Canadian Tour and Nationwide Tour the next two years and in 10 Canadian Tour events, Mallinger never missed a cut and lost twice in playoffs.

"I recommend the Canadian Tour to the young guys I know who are coming up," said Mallinger. "It's a lot better than riding around in carts like you do on the mini-tours. You have galleries and media on the Canadian Tour. If you're not used to it when you play a PGA Tour event, it can really freak you out when you're surrounded by it."

Mallinger was a quick study. In the fall of 2006, he became one of only a handful of applicants to make it through all three stages of PGA Tour Q-School. In just his eighth career start on the PGA Tour and the fourth of his rookie season, he finished solo third at the 2007 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am after sharing the first round lead.

A final-round 5 under 67 at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans gave him another T-3rd, four shots back of Nick Watney. At the Canadian Open last summer, he opened with a pair of 66s to share the 36-hole lead before finishing T-7th. Mallinger then picked up another T-3rd at the Turning Stone Resort Championship and finished 51st on the money list with nearly $1.7 million. He also placed second to Brandt Snedeker in rookie of the year voting.

With a season under his belt and two more top tens in 2008, Mallinger is ready for the next level.

"I'm comfortable seeing my name on the leaderboard and I want to win tournaments; that's why you're out here," he said. "It's hard to win a tournament but the veterans know how to do it and I think that is the big difference between them and someone new."

Bob Livingstone agrees. "John is in Houston this week and things like knowing which airport to fly into and which hotel to stay at are important. When you're a rookie you can feel overwhelmed because you don't know those things yet. I have always maintained that the first two years on the PGA Tour are the hardest. If a player can keep his card those early years, he stands a very good chance of being out there for a decade or more. I'm not surprised by his progress and I see him winning tournaments."

Even with his success, however, John Mallinger hasn't changed. "I live in the same house that I bought when I came out here," he said. "I still hang out with the same friends when I'm home and we do the same things. The only thing that has changed is that I drive a nicer car and drink a better glass of wine."

Up Close with John Mallinger
Favorite City: Chicago
Vacation Spot: Bahamas
Major: The Masters
Favorite Book: The Secret
Person I Would like to Meet: Michael Jordan
Favorite Movie: Talladega Nights
What's in your iPod: Snoop ("Well, we're both from Long Beach")
Dream Foursome: My brother, Ben Hogan, Tiger Woods
Best Advice: Play my own game
Hobbies: Hanging out with friends, the beach, snowboarding