01 Sep 2019 | Professional golf |
Tough day for Aussie card hopes
by Mark Hayes
It was a day of angst for a handful of Australians at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in Indiana.
Only two of the six Aussies who pegged it up at the Victoria National Golf Club progressed to the third round, with Curtis Luck precariously among them. Perth's Luck and Sydney's Jamie Arnold each agonisingly missed the even-par cut by a stroke, with both needing to push into the final rounds to ensure a PGA Tour card for next year.
But while the miss will be terminal to Arnold's hopes - he is now projected to finish 35th after the three-week finals series, with only 25 to get their cards on the main tour - it leaves Luck with more questions than answers.
The Cottesloe member calmly said he would be fine regardless of the outcome, but his projected ranking is 23rd, leaving him no way of knowing what will happen in the final two rounds with many changes likely ahead and behind him on the leaderboard.
Another Sydneysider, Cam Davis, couldn't find his first-round spark and carded a 73 to leave him at three under, 12 shots behind American leader Chris Baker.
Davis needs a finish in the vicinity of the top 10 to return back to the PGA Tour, but currently is in a share of 41st.
The best news for Australia on day two came courtesy of Victorian Brett Coletta, who found form on his inward nine to card a fine 68 to climb to two under and keep his faint chances alive.
Coletta, who came so close to earning his card in the regulation season, needs to finish in the top six to advance.
Cam Percy and Rhein Gibson, both already PGA Tour-bound, missed the cut to end their season. LEADERBOARD
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