McKenzie joins Australian goldrush in US
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2005 Gila River Golf Classic | Wrap | 10 Oct 2005
At the age of 38, David McKenzie has finally made it to the PGA Tour. His win today at the Gila River Classic ensures him a place amongst the top twenty one on this season’s Nationwide Tour Money list and therefore the chance to compete against the elite of golf next season.
In what will have been a nerve racking day, the Victorian was caught and passed by Canadian, Jon Mills, before birdies at the last two holes saw him edge clear for his narrow but important one shot win.
Mills had taken the lead early on the back nine, moving past the third round leader, but a double bogey at the 14th hole saw him slip behind again and McKenzie, knowing he needed a win or outright second to graduate, birdied the closing two holes for what must be the greatest day in his lengthy professional career.
Jerry Smith closed quickly for third outright ahead of Camilo Villegas and yet another Australian Cameron Percy.
McKenzie now joins Steve Bowditch, Mathew Goggin, Greg Chalmers and Nathan Green as Australian graduates to the USPGA Tour next season.
Villegas, the brilliant and charismatic Colombian, must surely have done enough to earn his USPGA Tour card just eighteen months after turning professional. He is destined to become one of the stars on the USPGA Tour and has shown this year a significant consistency to go with his brilliance.
Of the other Australasians, Canberra’s Craig Carmichael, after an opening nine of 29 today, was 7th, Paul Gow was 12th, Mathew Goggin and Kim Felton 19th, Scott Gardiner 28th, Brendan Jones 38th, Steve Bowditch and Grant Waite 46th, Tim Wilkinson 56th and Steve Alker 62nd.
There are now just two full field events on the Nationwide Tour before their end of season Tour Championship.
