The roars that accompanied Tiger Woods’ win a fortnight ago in Atlanta are still reverberating around East Lake Golf Club yet for a group of six Aussies, a new PGA Tour season brings new opportunity.
Making their debuts as members of the PGA Tour at this week’s Safeway Open at the Silverado Resort and Spa in California’s famed Napa Valley, Cameron Davis and Curtis Luck earned their way into the field courtesy of their top-25 finish at the Web .com Tour Finals Series, as did PGA Tour regular Matt Jones.
Although they don’t have full status for the 2018-2019 wraparound season, veterans Aaron Baddeley and John Senden are taking advantage of the start of the Fall Series to hopefully bank enough money to earn further starts when the season hits full gear.
Sydney’s Brett Drewitt missed out on a full card at the Web .com Finals but plays his 20th PGA Tour event this week, two years after making his PGA Tour debut in this tournament where he finished tied for 35th.
New Zealand World Cup representative Danny Lee is also in the field but won’t be feeling the type of nerves that will be coursing through the veins of Davis and Luck when they put the tee in the ground on Thursday.
Including the British Open at Carnoustie, Davis played four PGA Tour events in 2018 while Luck played just the Arnold Palmer Invitational to add to the 10 events he played in 2017.
Prior to the season-ending WinCo Foods Portland Open, Luck needed a good result to even qualify for the finals and then proceeded to notch two top-10s to join the PGA Tour elite.
“I feel great that I’ve been able to perform when I’ve needed to most and hopefully that leaves me in good stead for the new season and the form continues,” Luck said shortly after securing his card.
“My parents and my team around me have done an awesome job in keeping me grounded and making sure I know what’s ahead and how I’m going to get there.”
Jones was the best performed Australian 12 months ago, in a tie for 43rd. Two-time defending champion Brendan Steele returns for a shot at an incredible hat-trick of tournament wins.
