Appleby’s honour

Peter Stone’s weekend golf article contains just too much juicy golf stuff not to be commented on.

He reports on Stuart Appleby who is in Australia to play in the Masters this week and attend a golf clinic for the Appleby junior golf program on Wednesday. Stone writes:

This year, Appleby has experienced his worst year on the PGA Tour since 1996 and is 134th on the money list with just next week’s Children’s Miracle Network Classic remaining to break into the top 125 for full exempt status next year.

But, Appleby has chosen not to play in order to honour his promise to the Masters. He will have limited exempt status on the PGA Tour next year for finishing between 126 and 150 on the money list. That will guarantee him about 15 starts.

He also comments on Jack Nicklaus’ appearance at the Australian Open in 1975 when Kerry Packer took over the management of the event and paid Jack some appearance money.

Nicklaus asked Packer what prizemoney was on offer that week and, when told, Nicklaus immediately added his fee to the purse, which brought total prizemoney to $35,000.

Here is the full Peter Stone article.