Texas Open offers hope for those on "bubble"
IN: News | US PGA | Texas Open at LaCantera (2002) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 22 Sep 2002
There are just the six full field events between now and the season ending Tour Championship or, for those who don't make that event, the Southern Farm Bureau Classic. Those on or around the one twenty-five bubble are focusing their thoughts on the task at hand as they strive to secure full playing privileges for next season.
At this stage it is looking like a figure around the $US475,000 will be about the amount required to retain a USPGA Tour card for those that are not otherwise exempt (winners last two years etc). This week's Texas Open in San Antonio will therefore, like all the remaining events, experience the increasing tension as the drama unfolds.
Those finishing outside the top one hundred and twenty-five will either have to return to the Tour school or alternatively, if they are between one hundred and twenty-five and one hundred and fifty, then take their chances in whatever events are available next season. So these are important times given the spoils of the PGA Tour.
Justin Leonard is the defending champion, in fact the winner the last two years, and the likely favourite given the event is being played in his home state. Many of his fellow leading players are in England for the Ryder Cup and I wouldn't mind betting that Curtis Strange would love Justin to be at the Belfry himself this week to take over the duties for the out of form Sutton and Cink.
Fred Funk, Rich Beem and last year's runner up, J.J.Henry are others likely to be installed early favourites as many of the stragglers are still returning from Ireland.
Australians Stephen Allan, Steve Elkington, Bradley Hughes, Mattie Goggin, Paul Gow and John Senden are in the field with Allan, Goggin, Hughes and Gow all needing a few big finishes to end the season.
New Zealanders Grant Waite and Michael Long, themselves in the desperate category in terms of money list positions, are also in the field as this is written.
