US PGA offers last chance for Aussies to qualify
IN: News | US PGA | US PGA Championship (2005) | General | 10 Aug 2005
This week's US PGA Championship not only offers the chance to win a Major, but is also the last chance for players to qualify for both Presidents Cup teams and the World Golf Championship - NEC invitational.
Australians Geoff Ogilvy and Robert Allenby will be hoping for a strong finish this week if they hope to get into the field for the NEC Invitational whilst Peter Lonard is just one place outside the Top 10 for the Presidents Cup International Team.
The NEC invitational, to be held at the Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio from August 16-21 includes Stuart Appleby, Michael Campbell, Richard Green, Mark Hensby, Peter Lonard, Nick O'Hern, Rod Pampling, Craig Parry, Adam Scott and Andre Stolz.
Players who qualified for the event via their World Top 50 ranking (who had not otherwise qualified) as at August 8 include O'Hern (27th), Hensby (28th) and Pampling, whilst the remaining Australasians qualified via tournament wins: Appleby (2005 Mecedes Championship), Campbell (2005 US OPEN), Green (2004 MasterCard Masters), Lonard (2004 Cadbury Schweppes PGA Championship and 2005 MCI Heritage), Parry (2005 Heineken Classic) Scott ( 2005 Johnnie Walker Classic) and Stolz (2004 Michelin Championship at Las Vegas).
Ogilvy is just outside the world's top 50 at number 52 with Allenby not far behind at number 56. Players who move within the top 50 after this week's US PGA Championship as of Monday August 15 will also qualify for this year's event.
Similarly, Lonard is currently just on the outside of qualifying for the International Team at the Presidents Cup to be held from September 20-25 at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Prince William County, Virginia.
Lonard, currently world number 34, sits in 12th place which is actually 11th after Ernie Els who would have ranked 2nd, underwent knee surgery and will miss the event.
The United States and International teams will be made up of the top 10 in the standings at the conclusion of the US PGA Championship on Sunday August 4. The United States Team standings are based on the money earned since the start of the 2004 season, with this year's earning counting double whilst the International Team standings are based on the Official World Golf Ranking.
The following Monday United States Team Captain Jack Nicklaus and International Captain Gary Player will round out their 12 man squads with each making two captains choices.
Currently, the top 10 players in the International team are: 1. Vijay Singh (Fiji), 2. Retief Goosen (South Africa), 3. Adam Scott (Australia), Angel Cabrera (Argentina), Tim Clark (South Africa), 6. Michael Campbell (New Zealand), 7. Mike Weir (Canada), 8. Stuart Appleby (Australia), 9. Nick O'Hern (Australia), 10. Mark Hensby (Australia).
Source - PGA Tour
