Landmark week for Sim at Cox Classic
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2009 Cox Classic | 22 Jul 2009
The Nationwide Tour moves to Omaha, Nebraska this week for the Cox Classic, where an enticing first prize of US$130,000 awaits the winner. The size of the purse this week has attracted all the leading players on this year’s Nationwide Tour including the money list leader Michael Sim, who plays his first event since finishing as the leading Australian at the US Open in 18th place.
Sim has taken a break since Bethpage but a win this week would not only move him immediately to the US PGA Tour as a three time winner on the Nationwide Tour this season but would also set a money winning record for any one season on the Nationwide Tour. The US$130,000 to the winner this week would move Sim to US$518,000 and surpass the previous best set by Troy Matteson in 2005 when he accumulated US$495,000.
The defending champion on the Jeffrey Brauer designed Champions Run layout is Ryan Hietala but after a very impressive 4th place finish at the New Zealand PGA, Hietala has struggled all year. Mind you it was a similar story last year until this event.
Garth Mulroy and Alex Prugh have both had good seasons in 2009 and are both close to securing PGA Tour status for 2010 and, on a golf course where they tied for third last year, they have a good chance to do so.
The Australasian contingent is here in force. Adam Bland, Andrew Bonhomme, Steve Bowditch, Andrew Buckle, Gavin Coles, Stuart Deane, Scott Gardiner, Paul Gow, Mark Hensby, Bradley Iles, Won Joon Lee, David McKenzie, Cameron Percy, Alistair Presnell, Andre Stolz, Phil Tataurangi and Grant Waite are in the field.
