If professional golf ever gave out an award for Mr. Congeniality, Tom Stankowski would be in the running year after year. The friendly and perceptive fellow spoke about not only his own life in golf, but what it's like to have a brother on the PGA Tour.

"My dad was in the military," he said. "He got me involved at one of those nine-hole courses and we would play it twice a day once I was old enough. I was six when I started but you couldn't actually play the course until you were nine. I would chip and putt around the practice areas until I was allowed on the course.

"I think I shot 139 for my first 18 holes but that was playing by all the rules… drops, penalty strokes, you name it. It was the challenge of hitting a ball that got me hooked. Running around in the backyard and kicking a ball is one thing but actually trying to hit a ball long and straight was different."

Stankowski quickly became a top player on the California junior circuit and finished second at the Junior World before heading to Arizona State on a full scholarship from 1985 to 1988.

"I used to love tagging along with Tom and really looked up to him. I still do," said younger brother Paul, twice a winner on the PGA Tour. "When he went to ASU I don't think there was a happy person than me."

Paul attended Texas-El Paso and the siblings went head-to-head during Tom's final year.

"There really isn't a rivalry," answered Paul, when asked about potential fireworks on and off the golf course. "Tom is four years older than me so we never competed in the same age bracket until we got to college. Even then, I was a freshman at UTEP while he was a senior at Arizona State and we played against each other just that one time.

"Tom was really excited when it finally happened and it was big for me too, but it was also bittersweet. I had always measured my game against his and it was disheartening when it was over. It was his last year and I knew that at that level I wouldn't compete against him again."

Who won?

"I shot 74-72 my first two days and he shot 74-70," remembered Paul. "I was thinking, 'I'm close enough that I'm finally going to beat my hero' but he went out and shot a 66 while I shot 80…so much for beating my hero."

"I think everyone should go to college before they turn pro because you learn so much," said Tom. "It's not like football or basketball where you want to turn pro because the longevity of your career may be over. In golf, the more experience you get the wiser and better you become at the game."

With his brother Paul going on to win twice on the PGA Tour as well as overseas, Tom Stankowski is inevitably asked the obvious.

"I get asked all the time why I'm not successful and my answer is that I am," he replied. "I'm not on the PGA Tour but it is different strokes for different folks. Just because one sibling gets there doesn't mean the other one has to. I like doing what I'm doing on the stage I'm on and Paul is doing the same thing on a bigger stage. You just have to enjoy the stage you're on."

While Tom's stage isn't the PGA Tour, he did play the Nationwide Tour in 1995 and he has several professional wins including the 2004 San Francisco Open and the 2005 Arizona Open.

In addition to qualifying for the 1992 U.S. Open, Tom also played the South African Tour that same year remembers seeing a trio of future superstars up close. "Retief Goosen and Ernie Els were there and playing against them was my first experience at world-class golf. Vijay Singh was also there and to see how good they were even back then was a real eye-opener."

He's also caddied several times on the big tour for his kid brother and gained a newfound respect for the men (and women) on the bag. "It's hard work," he said. "I never appreciated how hard a caddy works and how much he has to do until I did it up there."

Now 42, one would think that Tom would be burned out after a life on the road. Not so. "I think the reason I've lasted so long out here is that you need to take a break once in a while," he maintains. "I've taken two years off the road on three different occasions and each time I played at a higher level when I came back. It's hard, though, to get the competition out of your blood when you're not out there."

He also enjoys the road itself.

"I like being in my car on Monday and not knowing where I'm going," he said. "I know that sounds kind of strange, but it's exciting. It's like when someone goes on vacation and they know where they're going but they don't know what's in store. I like the excitement of knowing 'this could be the week' and also the camaraderie of the guys. "

Tom has played seemingly every professional tour on the map, but he has a special fondness for the Canadian Tour. He played the circuit from 1996 to 2000 before returning in 2005.

"They call some of these other tours 'developmental tours' but they really don't develop you," he said. "You're there in shorts and carts and I would rather walk. It sometimes feels that you're out there with your buddies playing golf and other tours don't teach you the mental preparation that you learn here on the Canadian Tour. You walk; you have caddies, volunteers, media and all the things you have to get used to when you get to the next stage. When you do move up the learning curve won't be as sharp.

"The Canadian Tour is by far the best Tour that you can play on and learn what you need to learn to get to the next level," he continued. "With the mini-tours you may travel an hour from home at most and that doesn't teach you to travel and how to be away from home for a week or more at a time. You also have four-day events - which are much different than three-day events. You go back to the hotel on Friday night and it's not just one more round, it's two. You learn about 'moving day' and that is very important.

"What you also learn on the Canadian Tour is how to treat people. You're dealing with caddies and volunteers and all sorts of other people and you have to treat everyone with respect."

"When Tom told me he was playing the Canadian Tour full time this season, I was really happy," said Paul. "The Canadian Open and Q-School exemptions they have are great. Of course, this will be the year he gets into the Open and I can't make it there this time."

As Tom spoke with a guest on the practice green, he seemed at peace with his place in golf and life itself. "I think you have to be there to play well," he responded. "Anyone who has had difficulties off the golf course has struggled on it. The two go hand-in-hand.

"I want to play on the PGA Tour, but really the key is to enjoy the moment you're in. It takes the pressure off me but at the same time I don't rest on my laurels. I want to go farther in golf but I don't want to set the bar too high where if I can't accomplish something, I'll quit. We're trying to do perhaps the toughest thing there is to do for a living and if you set a time limit and have one year left on it, you're going to put yourself under so much pressure to make it that year.

"Then again, maybe that is my downfall and I haven't set my goals high enough. I've had my cousin Joe caddy for me and he said, 'maybe you haven't got there (PGA Tour) yet because you enjoy being where you are.' In some ways he's right. I enjoy it out here and if I don't make it I'm not going to lose sleep over it."

"I'm very proud of Tom," concluded Paul. "We talk on the phone every week and catch up with what's going on in our lives. I'm still pulling for him to be out here with me and I would be thrilled if he did. I'm his biggest fan."

Up Close With Tom Stankowski
Favorite Food: Mexican ("I love a good enchilada")
Favorite Drink: "I like it all"
Favorite Movie: Tin Cup
Favorite TV show: The Office
Favorite Books: The Power of Now; Siddhartha
Dream Foursome: Father, Paul, Arnold Palmer
Favorite Course: Pebble Beach, Pine Valley
Words to Live By: Enjoy the Moment
Perfect Day: Sunny and 75 degrees
Hobbies: Tennis, anything outdoors