Big hitter Kuehne to play Mastercard Masters and Australian Open
IN: News | Australasian PGA | MasterCard Masters (2003) | General | 29 Oct 2003
American Hank Kuehne, poised to take John Daly's crown as the longest hitter on the US PGA Tour, has confirmed his participation in the MasterCard Masters and Australian Open presented by Hillross Financial later this year.
The 28-year-old Kuehne has made a big impression in the US this season with his monster drives and three top-five finishes. He is presently averaging a huge 321.2 yards off the tee in 2003 clear of Daly who has won the US Tour's Driving Distance title a record 11 times.
Kuehne will take on the tight fairways of Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne at the MasterCard Masters from December 4-7. He will also contest the Australian Open presented by Hillross Financial in its first-ever staging at the long and demanding Moonah Links Open Course on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula from December 18-21.
The Texas-born Kuehne was a stellar amateur at Southern Methodist University and won the US Amateur in 1998 at Oak Hill in New York. That victory gave him a cherished start in the 1999 US Masters. In fact, the Kuehne family is blessed when it comes to golf. Kuehne's caddie during his 1998 US Amateur triumph was his brother Trip, who had been runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1994 US Amateur final. Their sister Kelli won the US Women's Amateur in 1995 and 1996 and has become an accomplished professional on the LPGA Tour.
Hank took advantage of a sponsor exemption last April to make his breakthrough on the US Tour tying for third at the BellSouth Classic. That result allowed him to play at the Shell Houston Open later that month where he did even better finishing in a share of second place. He was then granted Special Temporary Membership of the US Tour. Kuehne went on to capitalise by tying for ninth at the FedEx St. Jude Classic and tying for fifth at the B.C. Open. He has collected over US$800,000 so far this season to earn full playing rights for 2004.
Kuehne, who turned professional in 1999, took some time adjusting to life as a pro before making strides on the Canadian Tour in 2002 when he won twice and topped the Order of Merit.
Source - IMG
