John Wade makes it 23 Australasians at Open
BY iseekgolf.com | European PGA Tour | 2005 British Open | General | 11 Jul 2005
Australian journeyman John Wade has become the latest addition to the Australasian contingent at the Open Championship this week, equalling last year’s record-breaking number of 23 players from Australia and New Zealand competing, after he finished second at Local Final Qualifying on Sunday.
Wade, a member of the Tour since 1992, qualified in second place at Local Final Qualifying at Ladybank in England with rounds of 67 and 68 and joins 21 Australians and 2 Kiwis in the 23-strong Australasian field to line up at the Open Course at St Andrews in Scotland on Thursday.
Wade, born in Hobart and residing in Victoria, has been a regular campaigner on the European and Challenge Tours over the last decade. He finished T80 at his last event on the Australasian Tour, the 2005 Holden New Zealand Open.
A talented sportsman as a youngster, Wade played Aussie Rules until 1988 and was an opening batsman in cricket but made the decision to pursue golf. He started playing golf aged 12, following in the footsteps of his older brother and father. He represented Australia in the 1990 Eisenhower Trophy in New Zealand and won the Swiss Amateur in 1991. He has also won the 1992 and 1994 Vanuatu Open.
Wade joins fellow Australasians Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Chris Campbell, Michael Campbell, David Diaz, Martin Doyle, Nick Flanagan, Marcus Fraser, Peter Fowler, Richard Green, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Peter Lonard, Richard Moir, Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick O’Hern, Rod Pampling, Craig Parry, Adam Scott, David Smail and Euan Walters at St Andrews this week.
In other Open news, a British fan by the name of Looperboy, had made the highest bid of AUD$20,699 for the right to carry the clubs for David Diaz after bids closed on Sunday night on eBay.
Australasians in The Open field as at July 11, 2005
Adam Scott (3, 12)
Chris Campbell (24)
Craig Parry (3)
David Diaz (IFQ – Australasia)
David Smail (24)
Euan Walters (19)
Geoff Ogilvy (IFQ – America)
Greg Norman (2)
John Wade (Local Final Qualifying, Europe)
Marcus Fraser (IFQ – Europe)
Mark Hensby (3, 13)
Martin Doyle (IFQ – Australasia)
Michael Campbell (9)
Nick Flanagan (IFQ – Australasia)
Nick O’Hern (3, 4)
Peter Fowler (IFQ – Australasia)
Peter Lonard (3)
Richard Green (4, 19)
Richard Moir (IFQ – Asia)
Robert Allenby (IFQ – America)
Rod Pampling (3)
Scott Hend (IFQ – America)
Stuart Appleby (3, 13)
Exemption Categories
Category 2 – Past Open Champions aged 65 or under on July 17, 2005
Category 3 – The first 50 players in the OWGR for week 22, 2005
Category 4 – The First 20 players on the PGA European Tour Final Order of Merit 2004
Category 9 – The US Open Champions for 2001-2005
Category 12 – USPGA TOUR Players Champions for 2003-2005
Category 13 – The First 20 in the Official Money List of the USPGA TOUR for 2004
Category 19 – The First two and anyone tying for second place on the Order of Merit for the PGA TOUR OF AUSTRALASIA for 2004
Category 24 – The leading 4 players, not exempt, in the 2005 Mizuno Open
Source – PGA Tour Australia
