Felton fulfils amateur promise with victory
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2005 Knoxville Open | Wrap | 20 Jun 2005
This time last year Western Australian Kim Felton was winning twice in North Queensland on the Von Nida Tour. Today he won again on a secondary tour but this time the Nationwide Tour in the US and he has advanced his cause towards a possible career on the USPGA Tour as a result of his week.
At the Knoxville Open in Tennessee, Felton, who has been playing the Nationwide Tour on a non-exempt basis in 2005, consolidated his share of the third round lead with Troy Matterson when he birdied the last hole from 10 feet to edge out veteran David Peoples. The victory will give him security of tenure on the Nationwide Tour at least for the remainder of 2005 and set up a possible top twenty finish at the end of the season which would mean PGA Tour status in 2006.
Felton was one of our better amateurs over the last decade. He was the Australian Amateur Champion in 1997, a member of the Australian Eisenhower Team in 1998, along with Aaron Baddeley, Brett Rumford and Brendan Jones, which finished runner up in Chile that year. He played well as an amateur in several professional events before turning professional but he did not make the immediate successful transition to professional golf that many others have made. He has played with limited success in both European and Asia Tours in recent years.
The Australasian Tour’s secondary tour, The Von Nida Tour, has again showed its relevance in providing a place for players such as Felton to play while they develop their game. Last year Felton won three of those events learning the subtleties of contending and when the opportunity came again this week it is likely that he called on some of those memories.
Felton made it to the final stage of Q-School in the US last year but in finishing 147th he has only non-exempt status this year on the Nationwide Tour and has had to take his chances when they have come. He played well at the New Zealand PGA at Clearwater in Christchurch when 8th but that has been his best until now in six starts this season.
Over the tough William Byrd designed Fox Den Country Open course, Felton was always close to the lead throughout and although there was a minor hiccup late in his front nine today he had made such a quick start to his final round that he had created a cushion for himself and finished strongly. Felton earns US$85,500 and moves to around 12th on the Nationwide Tour money list.
Not only did Felton win but there were several other Australians in the final mix.
Mathew Goggin, who appears to have developed a great level of consistency this year, shared third after his last round of 67, Scott Gardiner in his best finish for some time was 5th, Nathan Green 7th, with Steve Alker and David McKenzie 15th.
The Nationwide Tour now heads to Moosic, Pennsylvania for the North East Pennsylvania Classic.
