Former Australian Open and Australian Masters champion Stuart Appleby is unlikely to play in the Australian summer tournaments this year. 42 year-old Appleby, whose best finish on the PGA Tour this year was a tie for ninth at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut in June, said the new PGA Tour wrap-around schedule made it difficult to come home. “I haven&apost got any plans to play in Australia this year,” Appleby told Andrew Both at Reuters. “It will be the first time I&aposve aborted the whole schedule.” “The new schedule has made it really difficult and unfortunately there is very little making Australia look like a proposition now (for us) to come back and play,” Appleby said. Appleby won the Australian Masters in 2010 and finished in a tie for seventh at last year&aposs Emirates Australian Open in high winds at The Lakes. “Many of us have done it for 15 years or so but you may find that this is now a trend and that you&aposll see very few guys (going back to Australia to play).” “Older guys like me have kids locked into school (in the U.S.),” Appleby said. “It&aposs unfortunate but I feel like all the Australian guys, we&aposve put our time in. I&aposve done as much as I can and I hope there&aposs a way we can move forward in five years, but I&aposm not sure how that&aposs going to be possible.” Appleby remains one of the most successful Australians to have competed on the PGA Tour. He is still ranked in the Top 20 on the career earnings charts, having won more than US$27 million and nine PGA Tour titles.
Author: Golf Australia