Buckle Selected As Champions' Choice
IN: News | US PGA | Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial (2007) | General | 21 May 2007
The long-running tournament tradition of champions voting in two players has placed Andrew Buckle and Kyle Reifers in the 2007 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial field. This unique tradition allows champions to choose promising pros who have never before been eligible for the prestigious invitational event. The tournament celebrates its 61st championship this year.
The champions plucked Buckle from the crop of Tour rookies who emerged from the 2006 Nationwide Tour. He finished 13th on that Tour in 2006. An Australia native, Buckle was the Australian Amateur Champion in 2001. He turned professional the following year, and has played in two British Open Championships. Last year on the Nationwide Tour the 24-year-old won one event and placed second in the Nationwide Tour Championship.
Buckle is off to a great start this year, including a tie for fourth place at the Buick Invitational.
Reifers is in his rookie year on the PGA TOUR as well, emerging from the 2006 Q-School. A two-time All-American from Wake Forest University, the 23-year-old Ohio native was a member of the winning Walker Cup Team in 2005. Reifers was the 2004 Ohio Amateur Champion, and finished second in the 2006 NCAA Championship. He played the Nationwide Tour last year, where he claimed one tournament victory.
Reifers is playing well this year, including a tie for 12th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard.
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial champions have done well over the years with their picks, and some choices have returned to win the tournament later in their careers. Other Champions’ Choice invitees who made their pro debut in Fort Worth with this honour were Davis Love III, Paul Azinger, Billy Mayfair, Mark O’Meara, Curtis Strange and Stewart Cink. In all, 66 of the former 101 choices have become PGA Tour tournament winners, racking up 364 victories and 23 majors.
A purse of US$6 million awaits the final field of 114 contestants.
