Brisbane's Chris Downes shines in USPGA debut

BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2003 BC Open | Round Three | 20 Jul 2003

Brisbane’s Chris Downes, in his very first PGA Tour event, has produced a third round 64 to move from 64th and just inside the cut line, to 14th at this week’s B.C. Open in Endicott New York.

Downes made the field by claiming one of the four qualifying spots, when he shot 65 on Monday. He has been playing the Nationwide Tour when he has been able to make the field, again by qualifying, and currently sits in 53rd place on that tour’s money list. Most of that came from his sixth place at the Clearwater event in Christchurch earlier in the year and a top twenty at the Jacob’s Creek tournament in Adelaide, both co-sanctioned with the Nationwide Tour.

A good finish in tomorrow’s final round here, may well provide a further start in next week’s Greater Hartford Open as the top ten in any one week on the PGA Tour gain access to the following week’s event. Although he trails likely winner Steve Lowery by eleven, he is currently just one shot out of the top ten.

Downes’ round today was highlighted by a back nine of 31.

This performance will provide a significant boost to Downes who has struggled a little in recent weeks to gain starts on the Nationwide Tour.