Jones is an immensely talented athlete who excelled in track and field and basketball before choosing golf as his first love. After making a strong showing in 1989, Jones damaged ligaments in a dirt-bike accident. After a protracted comeback that included a change in his grip to accommodate the injured finger, Jones won the 1996 U.S. Open. The following year he nearly broke the Tour's 72-hole scoring mark in taking the Phoenix Open by an astounding 11 strokes.