All quiet on the Aussie front

Weekly Wrap :: March 20 to 26

This week in golf, the US tour headed to the Players Championship from Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida, whilst the European tour turned Portuguese with the island of Madeira hosting the latest event, the Madeira Island Open Caixa Geral de Depositos.

Portugal played host this week to the Madeira Island Open, with Frenchman Jan Van De Velde taking home the cash with rounds of 69-65-71-68. Aussie Matt Millar who was ploughing a lone furrow, struggled this week finishing with rounds of 73-75 to miss the cut.

The tour will remain in Portugal for the Algarve Open de Portugal Caixa Geral de Depositos to be held at the Le Meridien Penina Golf and Resort. Millar will once again be the sole Aussie and will face a field, which includes MadeiraIsland Open winner Jean Van De Velde.

With US$8,000,000 up for grabs this week at the Players Championship, it was the Canadian Stephen Ames who took home the prize money of just over US$1 million, with Aussies Craig Parry, Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard and Nathan Green struggling against a tough field including Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and current Order of Merit leader Rory Sabbatini.

There was little to smile for the Aussies, with Craig ‘Popeye’ Parry the best place Australian with rounds of 70-73-70-76 to finish with 289. A further 4 shots back was Victorian Robert Allenby who posted rounds of 67-73-78-75 to finish on 293. Lonard and Scott finished a further one and two shots back respectively, with the winner Ames finishing with rounds of 71-66-70-67 to win on 14 under.

The Bellsouth Classic is up next on the US Tour, with Aussies Nick O’Hern, Greg Chalmers and Matt Goggin in action. They will face a stiff test, with current European Order of Merit leader David Howell in the field along with Rory Sabbatini, the current US money list leader.

To the money lists now, and despite a poor finish in the Players Championship, Rory Sabbatini retains his spot at the top of the money list, with Aussie Geoff Ogilvy maintaining second place. No changes either on the European tour’s money list, with Nick O’Hern still sitting in third place.

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