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The 2013/2014 US PGA Tour officially begins this week and many people might find that way too soon.
The Presidents Cup finished on the weekend and the end of season Tour Championship was just the week before.
Many other tours around the world – less lucrative tours – haven’t been too happy with the new American arrangements, rightly arguing it will stop many of their home grown stars returning for local tournaments.
The Frys.com Open at the CordeValle Golf Club in Northern California this week will be the first of 45 events in the 13/14 season.
The early start isn’t that bad when it is considered the half dozen events scheduled before Christmas were mostly part of the former Fall Series, where those golfers on the fringes would be desperately trying to make to top 125 money list to earn their tour cards.
All that has already been decided under the new PGA Tour/Web.com Tour qualification system.
The big difference this year is that the upcoming events will be allocating full FedEx Cup points for those who want to get an early start on the season long points race.
And there is actually a 1 ½ month break over the December/January period, so everyone gets a chance to at least spend some golfless days at home with the family over Christmas.
Those making the early start this week include a bunch of Aussies. Presidents Cup player Marc Leishman and former US Open winner Geoff Ogilvy were two of those happy to maintain or renew momentum.
“I am playing well and I always like to play the first event of the year to get a head start,” Leishman told AAP this week. “While my form is good it makes sense to keep going.”
Leishman had a great initiation to the Presidents Cup and impressed many.
“Last week was such a great week for me personally,” he said. “It would have been a lot better if the team had of won but I felt like I played nicely and I’ve gained even more confidence from being able to close out those matches the way I did.”
Ogilvy hasn’t had such a good year but after sitting out the FedEx final series and the Presidents Cup is ready for a fresh start.
“It’s weird playing at this time of year and for it to mean something,” Ogilvy told AAP. “”But I just want to start playing well in tournament golf again. I’ve had six weeks off and I’m refreshed and ready to go.”
Other Aussies playing this week include Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Steven Bowditch, Scott Gardiner, John Senden and rookie Bronson La’Cassie, who got in off the alternate list.
Fox Sport TV Coverage
Live coverage begins Friday 8am to 11am.
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