Great home form has paid off for two rising Australian stars at the Web.com Tour’s Q-school this morning.
Late-blooming ace Rhein Gibson fired a three-under-par 68 in the sixth and final round at the PGA National complex in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, to finish fourth overall – particularly impressive given a triple-bogey seven on his second hole today.
And while his 18-under total was nine shots adrift of Canadian medallist Brad Fritsch, it was more than ample to secure the Oklahoma-based star of the Australian summer a prominent ranking for the majority of the 2015 Web.com Tour season.
By finishing in the top 10, Gibson, born in Bendigo and raised in northern New South Wales, is guaranteed a start in all events until at least the third rankings reshuffle later in the season.
Another Aussie to have fared well is the equally positive and charging Victorian Bryden Macpherson, whose final-round 71 was good for a tie for 21st overall at 10 under and well inside the top 45 who win defined starts until at least the second reshuffle.
Gibson and Macpherson were each in contention late in the Australian Masters at Metropolitan last month before both finishing in the top 11 and then were prominent for a long time in the Emirates Australian Open before sliding in the final round.
But their boost today and ongoing good form is a great portent for a strong season ahead.
Macpherson’s fellow Golf Australia rookie squad member Oliver Goss fired a closing 70 to finish in a tie for 50th one shot out of safety at six under, meaning his entry status is week-to-week but high enough to all but ensure starts early in the season.
Unfortunately, fellow GA rookie squad member Jack Wilson didn’t have the final round he’d envisaged, dropping six shots in the final eight holes to sign for a 77. His -1 total left the Victorian in a tie for 87th after he’d started the day on the cusp of the top 45.
Brett Drewitt and veteran David McKenzie finished tied for 103rd on two over, Brody Ninyette in a tie for 130th on 10 over and Ray Beaufils 134th at 11 over.
All have conditional status on the Web.com Tour.
Melbourne’s Cam Percy effectively won his way from the Web.com Tour on to the 2015 PGA Tour with a win in Missouri in August.