WHAT is it with long putters these days? Stuart Appleby announces this week he is joining the extended stick brigade and suddenly he is one off the leaders in the latest US PGA Tour event.

Appleby shot a faultless six under 64 at the 2011 Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina, to trail the joint leaders, American duo Jeff Quinney and Tom Gainey.

Appleby has been in the golfing doldrums for some time and while admitting his round, that included an eagle on the par-5 fifth and four birdies on the back, was helped by more than an ounce of luck, was non the less happy with his new broomstick putter’s first competition outing.

While he was still getting used to the feel and stroke mechanics of the putter, he was sounding very confident for a player who acknowledged he had been having “a very ordinary year”.

Appleby made just one cut in his last 13 regular US PGA Tour events and finished last in this month’s WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, where there was no cut.

On the other hand, long putters have had a phenomenal year, not the least of which in the hands of a resurgent Adam Scott. Last week Keegan Bradley became the first player to use a long putter to win a golf major.

(Expect to see more of them on a course near you. The manufacturers are rubbing there hands with glee.)

Last chance to make the palyoffs

For many players, The Wyndham Championship annually marks the last chance to crack the top 125 on the points list and qualify for the rich post season playoffs, which starts next week in New Jersey.

Ernie Els at No.126 is very well aware of that and will be happy to be one of the 10 players sitting on the third rung of the Leaderboard after a 5-under 65.

The other nine players on that mark on what was quite a low scoring day at the Sedgefield Country Club were Paul Casey, Carl Pettersson, Jason Bohn, Jimmy Walker, Tim Herron, Lee Janzen, Jim Furyk, Vijay Singh and George McNeill.

There are 11 Australians in the field with Greg Chalmers the next best placed on -4, Nathan Green at -3,  Nick O’Hern, Cameron Percy, Jarrod Lyle, Rod Pampling and Marc Leishman on -2.

The 2011 Wyndham Championship is being telecast live in Australia on Fox Sports.

STUART APPLEBY shot a four-under 68 to be well in contention after the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow today.

Appleby helped himself to eight birdies but unfortunately also managed 4 bogeys to be four behind overnight leader Bill Haas at the US PGA Tour event in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Haas fired an eight-under 64 to lead inaugural winner David Toms and Jonathon Byrd by two strokes.

Former U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover and Pat Perez share fourth at five-under 67.

Appleby is tied for 6th along with Rickie Fowler, Vijay Singh, Carl Pettersson and Jim Herman.

Phil Mickelson struggled with the driver but still managed a three-under 69 while defending champion Rory McIlroy, playing for the first time in the U.S. since his final-round meltdown at the Masters, battled early errors to card a three-over 75.

“The story of the day for me was I just didn’t hit it very well,” the young Irishman said. “Which is unlike me, being the strength of my game.”

The next best placed Australians were Matthew Goggin and Matt Jones tied for 22nd on 2-under, with Jarrod Lyle and Steven Bowditch on 1-under and Robert Allenby on even.

Mickelson was tied in a group that included Sergio Garcia and Padraig Harrington.

The Wells Fargo Championship is being telecast in Australia on Fox Sports.

2011 Wells Fargo championship Leaderboard.

JBWERE Masters winner Stuart Appleby has confirmed he will be a starter at the 2010 Australian Open at The Lakes in Sydney in a couple of weeks.

The in-form Victorian will be vying for his second Stonehaven Cup after claiming the title in 2001.

Appleby is the latest big name player to announce his participation along with compatriots and former winners Aaron Baddeley and John Senden.

Baddeley won the event in 1999 as an amateur and successfully defended the title the following year as a professional, while Senden won in 2006.

Appleby was runner-up last year at the NSW Golf Club to Adam Scott, who is also fresh from a big win at the Singapore Open.

The star-studded line up this year also includes Greg Norman, Geoff Ogilvy and Americans Fred Couples and John Daly.

The Open will be held from December 2 – 5 with tickets available from Ticketek online or by phoning 13 28 49.

AUSTRALIAN golfer Stuart Appleby has become only the fifth person in US PGA Tour history to shoot a 59.

Appleby came out firing on the final day of the Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia shooting 11 under to take his ninth US PGA Tour career title by one stroke.

The Victorian shot nine birdies and one eagle to become the first non American to achieve the feat on the tour.

The others to join the 59 club were Al Geiberger in 1977, Chip Beck in 1991, David Duval in 1999 and Paul Goydos just three weeks ago at the John Deere Classic.

Appleby has been struggling somewhat in the past couple of years and had not broken 65 since 2006 in a tour event, a span of some 358 rounds.

His 59 saw him jump seven spots on the leaderboard, taking the title with a 72 hole 22-under 258 total for a one-stroke victory over American Jeff Overton.

“I had been playing well for a while but nothing to indicate ‘Draino, Draino (draining so many putts),”‘ Appleby said.

“Nice to get on that horse. I’m going to ride it as long as I can.”

A regular on the US PGA Tour since 1996, the man from Cohuna in Victoria has now claimed a total of nine US PGA Tour wins, the latest coming 13 years after his maiden victory back in 1997.

His previous career low round was 62, which he shot at the 2003 Las Vegas Invitational.

The win today not only gave Appleby, currently languishing at 159th in the world, the winner’s cheque of US$1,080,000 (AUD$1,192,987.90.) but also booked him a spot in next week’s World Golf Championships Bridgestone Invitational at Akron, Ohio.

Stuart Appleby was back in form at the WGC Bridgestone Invitational at the weekend and is one of 16 Australasians lining up for the final major of the year, the US PGA Championship.

Appleby was just centimetres short of forcing a play off with eventual winner Vijay Singh but had to settle for a tie for second place with England’s Lee Westwood.

 The Australian’s birdie attempt at the 18th stopped achingly short but his strong finish on the last three holes has backed up his recent comments that he felt a form reversal was near.

“It’s the best tournament I’ve had this year,” Appleby said. “I think if I can keep playing like this, that’s sort of what I’ll keep doing. It’s just a matter of maintaining my swing and maintaining my thoughts mentally. I’m very sure good things will come from it.”

Vijay Singh holds the record for post 40 year old PGA Tour wins ahead of Sam Snead

For 45 year old Vijay Singh the win was his 20th since turning 40. Singh holds the record for post 40 PGA Tour wins with Sam Snead in second place with 17.

Speaking of age, Peter Lonard claimed he was feeling his after turning 41 on July 17.

Earlier in the tournament, Lonard was asked if he was feeling fit now.

“Yeah, I feel good, apart from being old. I’m ready to go,” he told the media.

Lonard managed to stall the march of time long enough to shoot a final round four under 66 that included four birdies and no bogeys.  The laconic Australian pocketed about $200,000 for his sixth placing and he will also line up for the PGA Championship.

US PGA Championship

THERE are 16 Australasian PGA Tour players teeing off in the US PGA Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club starting Thursday. The line-up is: (AM tee times round one) Robert Allenby, Peter Lonard, Richard Green, Rod Pampling, Mark Brown, Aaron Baddeley, Geoff Ogilvy, Nick O’Hern (PM tee times round one) Mathew Goggin, Adam Scott, Brendan Jones, Michael Campbell, Stuart Appleby, Steve Elkington, John Senden and Scott Strange.

The Foxtel pay TV network will cover the championship. Each round will be shown live for about six hours from 3am on Friday and Saturday with replays each afternoon and for eight hours on Sunday and Monday from 1am.

Greg Norman fourth in US Senior Open

Greg Norman has finished fourth at the 29th US Senior Open, his third consecutive top five finish since his inspiring British Open performance.

Norman carded an even par-70 in the final round at Colorado Springs.

Eduardo Romero won the tournament with a final round three-over 73 to become the second Argentine golfer to win the trophy. . He beat American Fred Funk (75) by four strokes and Norman by six. 

Funk, who began the day two strokes back, saw his bid to become the fifth straight come-from-behind winner disappear with a triple-bogey on the 13th hole.

The likelihood of Norman returning to confront Augusta National for the US Masters next year has confirmed even further with new bride Chris Evert expressing her interest.

“I’ve never been to the Masters before, but it would be great,” Evert said. “I’ve watched it every year on TV and it’s great. I’ve watched a lot of golf on TV lately, but never gotten to go to the Masters tournament.”

Round One

Australian golfers Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby are just one behind the leaders after the first round of the US Open Golf at Torrey Pines in southern California.

Ogilvy and Appleby were two under par at 69 behind the joint leaders, little known Americans Kevin Streelman and Justin Hicks.

Ogilvy, the 2006 champion, recovered from two bogeys in his opening three holes, to finish with five birdies.

Robert Allenby, who finished just one stroke further back, was earlier threatening the leaders and at one stage had five birdies in six holes.

It was also good to see two time champion Ernie Els back in contention. He finished one under along with Allenby, Vijay Singh and Crazy Phil Mickelson, who left his driver at home in favour of a three wood and an extra wedge.

World Number 3 Adam Scott was the next best Australian at two over, with Aaron Baddeley and Rod Pampling a further shot back at three-over.

The much hyped teaming of Tiger Woods-Crazy Phil-Adam Scott attracted huge galleries in the sell-out crowd (and the sort of blanket US network hyperventilating we predicted below).

The Woods-Crazy Phil-Scott show will be much better for free to air Australian television audiences Saturday morning, with the threesome scheduled to tee off 36 minutes after the Channel 10 coverage begins at 6am (EST).

That will be just after lunch San Diego time and the beverage fuelled afternoon crowd might not be as polite and cultured as they were for the group’s morning tee off today (Fri).

Galleries up to five deep surrounded every hole, producing a repeated chorus of “Lets go, Tiger” and “C’mon Phil.”

 ”I thought it was great,” Mickelson, who lives nearby, said of his home town crowd. “There were not any derogatory remarks. Whether they pulled for any of the three of us, everybody was really cool today. I was very proud to be from here.”

Mickelson acknowledged that there was not as much banter between the three competitors.

“I know it’s a big pairing,” Adam Scott admitted after the round. “There’s a lot of hoopla about it. But … I played with Phil a lot in majors. It seems like I get drawn with him a lot. But I enjoy playing with Tiger, as well. I find it is a lot easier to focus, because I think I’ve got to be a lot more disciplined.”

Scott – who corrected that it was a bone in his hand broken in a car door recently, not his little finger – was overall happy with his game. He just wanted to sink a few more putts.

That little finger, undamaged as it was, had a fair bit of media attention, but nothing like Tiger Wood’s knee.

Coming back after surgery, Woods hit his first competition shot – and his first shot of the US Open – into the rough, leading to a double-bogey first hole. He had another double bogey on the back nine and three putted the par five final hole to finish one over at 72.

“To make two double-bogeys and a three-putt and be only four back, that’s a great position to be in,” Woods said. “Because I know I can clean that up tomorrow.”

US Open first round scores:
-3: Justin Hicks 68, Kevin Streelman 68
-2: Stuart Appelby (Australia) 69, Eric Axley 69, Rocco Mediate 69, Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 69
-1: Robert Allenby (Australia) 70, Ernie Els 70, Ricki Fowler 70, Robert Karlsson 70, Lee Westwood
E: Patrick Sheehan 71, Joe Ogilvie 71, Phil Mickelson 71, Carl Pettersson 71, Andres Romero 71, Vijay Singh 71, Luke Donald 71

Others:
+2: Adam Scott (Australia) 73
+3: Rod Pampling (Australia) 74, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 74
+4: Craig Parry (Australia) 75, Jarrod Lyle (Australia) 75
+6: Mathew Goggin (Australia) 77
+7: Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 78

Preview

Our prediction for the US Open is that the American television networks will be in an ecstatic frenzy of self pleasuring over the opportunity of having Tiger Woods and Crazy Phil Mickelson paired together for the two opening rounds.

Even some US commentators are suggesting there has already been too much hype about the coupling, especially considering Tiger’s dodgy knee and Crazy Phil’s form at the event, even though it is virtually a home town course for him.

Still, it will be fun to watch and the other good thing about the pairing is that it is actually a threesome, with World No 3 Aussie golfer Adam Scott intruding on the party.

Even the US networks won’t be able to ignore Scott completely in their frenzied focus on the Woods-Mickelson juggernaut, and we should at least get some passing glimpses of Adam – at least by accident.

Scott, nursing a broken right pinkie finger, (good opportunity for a non Woods-Mickelson close-up there) is one of nine Australian golfers competing at this year’s Open, to take place at Torrey Pines, San Diego, starting early Friday morning (EST).

It is a measure of the health of Australian golf that as a nation it has the third most starters behind the US (too many to count) and the UK (11 starters). Sweden has eight, Canada seven and South Africa six.

As well as Scott – still waiting to win his first major but at 27 has plenty of time – a number of Aussies have been mentioned as possible winners.

(And as for the experts’ picks, as one US golf writer suggested, hands up all those who predicted Argentinean Angel Cabrera would win the 2007 US Open at Oakmont, Aussie Geoff Ogilvy at Winged Foot in ’06 or Kiwi Michael Campbell at Pinehurst in ’05?)

As a former champion with a long game that is said will suit the punishing Torrey Pines south course, Ogilvy has been pushed as a contender.

Then there is Aaron Baddeley, who don’t forget was leading into the final round last year before imploding on the first few holes. He learnt a lot from that experience and is back with renewed confidence.

“I feel like my game is at that level,” Baddeley said this week.

“If I can play my game I definitely have a chance to win. You have to drive it straight. I can do that. I know I can putt well,” he said.

“Last year it was one of the hardest, if not the hardest, golf course in America. I was leading after 54 holes.”

Robert Allenby is another entering the tournament in a positive frame of mind after finishing equal second behind American Justin Leonard at the Stanford St Jude Championship.

Tasmanian Matthew Goggin is a 300/1 longshot, despite his recent hot form, and isn’t phased by the fact that at 6988m, Torrey Pines will be the longest ever US Open course by more than 300m. Goggin was surprised during his first practice round to encounter playable rough and soft greens.

“They’re obviously trying not to have the rough unplayable, to try to tempt you to go for the greens if you miss fairways,” Goggin said.

“I wouldn’t say this is the toughest course in America, but I guess we’ll find out. As a par 71, it’s going to be long and demanding but Oakmont (site of last year’s Open), I’ve never seen a course that hard.”

The other Australian entrants are Stuart Appleby, Jarrod Lyle, Rod Pampling and Craig Parry.

At 42, “Popeye” Parry is an ASG favourite. We are not saying he is going to win, but he does boast the best ever US Open round of any of the Australians competing this year – a 66 at Baltusrol in 1993. And, as well as bolting to win the Australian Open last year, he does have the added advantage of definitely not having been picked by any of the US pundits this week.

Note: Australian free to air television coverage of the US Open begins on Friday 6am – Midday (EST) on Channel Ten. By our (suspect) international time conversion calculations, that’s about five hours after the Woods-Crazy Phil-Adam Scott tee off.

We predict you can catch them teeing off for the second round at 6.36am on 10 on Saturday morning. Daily Foxtel coverage begins at Midday.