Stuart Appleby may opt to use wild card for 2013 season
Turning pro in 1992, Stuart Appleby has never had to use a wild card or any other means of entry to the PGA Tour but this time around he may need one.
It has been a dismal year for the veteran. Although he has won nine times on the PGA Tour, but for the last two years he has not had a single victory.
This year has been a disappointing one. He has been very inconsistent with his performances.
Out of the twenty three events that he has played, the Australian has made the cut in twelve of those. What is disappointing is that he has no top-ten finishes, instead only four top-twenty five finishes.
His best finish this season was at the Reno Tahoe Open where Appleby finished T16. In terms of money earned, his best finish was a T21 at the Honda Classic, where he managed to bag in $59,280.
As it stands, Stuart Appleby rests at the 162nd place on the money tour list and only the top-125 will get a full tour card.
With just the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic left, Appleby has his work cut out. The world number 411 must finish inside the top-three if he wants a full tour card for the next season.
There are, however, other options available for the veteran too. Appleby could use one-time exemption for being inside the top-50 on the money tour list.
If not that, the Aussie could play on a partial exemption next year if he can finish in between 125 and 150 on the money tour list by the end of the season.
The 41-year-old also has the last ditch option of attending the PGA Tour Q-school if he does not want to use his trump cards.
The last time Stuart Appleby had to earn a PGA Tour card with other means was in 1996, when he had a similar season to that of 2012.
During that year too, he could not finish properly in most of the tournaments and had only one top-ten finish.
His best chance to secure a full time PGA tour card for the 2013 season is by either winning the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals Classic or by securing a top-three finish.
The former winner must aim for a victory. So that, if he falls short in between, he at least gets a top-three finish, which would hopefully be enough to take him inside the top-125 of the money tour list.
Fellow Australian, Nick O’Hern also needs a top-five finish at the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals Classic to earn his full time PGA Tour card for the next season.
Nick is currently at the 147th spot and a top-three finish would most certainly guarantee his card for the next season.
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