Stuart Appleby secures first USPGA Tour title since 1999
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2003 Las Vegas Invitational | Wrap | 13 Oct 2003
Coming off two consecutive runner up placings and a second in this event last year, it was likely that Stuart Appleby would feature in the finish of the Las Vegas Invitational this week. This was his first win on the USPGA Tour since 1999, but there have been four runner up placings in the last fifteen months so a return to the winners circle was long overdue. It should also be remembered that he has won twice in his homeland in that time.
From his opening round of 62 where he was tied with Steve Flesch, Appleby was very much in the thick of things. He led into round five by one stroke over Flesch but by the turn both players were tied at 29 under and one ahead of Scott McCarron.
McCarron kept the pressure on with three more birdies but Flesch would back off with two bogeys and a double bogey in what was a strange back nine for such an experienced player and one who had played so well all week. It was then up to Appleby to hold off the challenge of McCarron and he did so with three birdies on the way in until a bogey at the 17th saw him fall back into a tie with McCarron.
Appleby would go on to win the playoff with a birdie at the first extra hole and earn $US720,000 to go with the $US1,750,000 already in the bank this year to give him a 2003 total of $US2,470,000. His lifetime earnings on the USPGA Tour now stand at just over $US10 million and he thus becomes the second highest Australian earner after Norman. His cheque this week takes him past Steve Elkington and into the top forty of all time earners on the USPGA Tour.
Steve Lowery was third with Scott Verplank fourth.
Robert Allenby had a top five finish all locked up until his untimely triple bogey at the last. He finished ninth instead of a tied for fifth therefore costing himself $90,000.
John Senden’s 26th placing and the subsequent $US30,000 has him well clear of any money list concerns with $US570,000 and although he has had only one top ten in 61 starts on the USPGA Tour, he has managed to keep his card for the second year in succession. One gets the feeling that 2004 may well see John Senden winning on the USPGA Tour.
Greg Chalmers after a good start to the week, slipped badly at the weekend to finish 71st.
The PGA Tour now heads to Greensboro for the Chrysler Classic.
