THE US Champions Tour is down to the pointy end of the season with the 2012 Greater Hickory Classic at Rock Barn the penultimate full-field event of the year.
Bernhard Langer, winner of the SAS Championship last weekend, will battle a returning Tom Lehman over the next three weeks in what is virtually a two man race for the season long Charles Schwab Cup.
The top 30 golfers on the tour fight out the Charles Schwab Cup Championship at Scottsdale in Arizona from November 1 – 4.
Langer slipped 69 points ahead of Langer with Sunday’s win – his second of the season and 16th Champions Tour win – but with 240 points available this week in North Carolina (plus a handy US$262,500) for the winner, Lehman can quickly bridge the gap.
Australia’s Peter Senior is in the field this week and at 12th in the Cup standings is assured a spot in the tour championship. However, at 1,333 points behind Langer, he has no hope of taking the season long points race.
Others in the field with a big chance include Fred Funk, Mark O’Meara, Jay Don Blake and defending champion Mark Wiebe, who finished third to Langer on Sunday.
Greater Hickory Classic TV Times
The event is being covered in Australia on Foxtel with the schedule forecasting:
Live coverage of first two rounds 4.30am – 7am Saturday and Sunday
Delayed coverage final round Monday 1pm – 3pm.
2012 Greater Hickory Classic Leaderboard
2012 Greater Hickory Classic Leaderboard