Danny Lee on track for PGA Tour rights
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2011 Mylan Classic | Wrap | 05 Sep 2011
England’s Gary Christian has played his way to the PGA Tour for the first time in his career, his one shot victory over John Mallinger at the Mylan Classic at the Southpointe Golf Club in Canonsburg in Pennsylvania moving him to 4th on the money list and into a position where he is guaranteed one of the 25 cards for the 2012 PGA Tour.
For Christian it was his second Nationwide Tour victory, both coming in Pennsylvania although he was forced to survive the longest playoff in the history of the Nationwide Tour when winning the N.E. Pennsylvania Classic in 2009.
The 40 year old Christian first played the Nationwide Tour or the Nike Tour as it was then known in 1998 and has mixed his time there with Mini Tour campaigns. He finished runner-up in Omaha just a month ago edged him closer towards the all important top 25 but this victory now seals the deal.
Mallinger has played the PGA Tour this season but without a start in the FedEx Cup Playoffs he is taking advantage of the break from the big league to sharpen his game for the Fall Series. He has done just that with a third place finish last week and now this runner-up finish.
New Zealanders Danny Lee and Tim Wilkinson finished in a share of 8th position. Lee’s final round of 62 should be good enough to guarantee him a place on the PGA Tour in 2012. The 21 year old remains in 11th position on the money list but the US$17,000 he earned this week took his earnings for the season to US$177,000 which should be enough for his PGA Tour card next year, especially with seven events still to come.
Stephen Dartnall and Alistair Presnell were the best of the Australians in 11th and 13th positions respectively.
The Nationwide Tour has a one week break before returning to action at the Albertsons Boise Open in Idaho.
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