Date: November 18, 2007
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Percy passes exam in style

Five Australians and a couple of Kiwis have won through to the gruelling final stage of the US PGA Tour school. Thirty Australasian golfers continued the journey this week, and now seven will take up the fight at a 108-hole tournament at Orange County National in Florida next month. The top 20 players at the six courses that hosted play have moved through to the final stage. The highlight for the Australian contingent was 33-year-old Victorian Cameron Percy, who conquered first-hole nerves to win the US PGA&aposs Craig Ranch TPC Qualifying School event. Percy held off a field of hopefuls to confidently book his place in the final phase of qualification for one of 25 PGA Tour cards on offer for 2008. Percy opened the penultimate stage of the campaign with a 66 in his first round and was solid with back-to-back scores of 70. He bogeyed the first hole on Saturday, but recovered to post a round of 69 to be nine-under-par for the week, a four-stroke winner from Colt Knost. Fellow Australian David Lutterus also kept his hopes alive as he tied for fourth with a final round 72 leaving him at three-under-par. Steven Bowditch (tied for 52nd) and Kane Webber (T24) weren&apost able to join their compatriots, nor was Kiwi Phil Tatauringi (T72). Elsewhere, at the Oak Valley Golf Club, Greg Chalmers finished a shot back from winner Y.E. Yang. Chalmers shot a final round 66 to end the tournament 18-under-par and safely navigate his way past this stage. Marc Leishman (T21) was next best, but it wasn&apost enough to go through. He joins other Australians Andrew Thschudin (T28), Kurt Barnes (T31), Steve Jeffress (T31), Luke Hickmott (T64) and Aaron Townsend (T66) who missed the cut-off mark. David Diaz and Aaron Pike, the remaining Australians playing at Oak Valley, both withdrew prior to the final round. At The Woodlands, Queenslander Andrew Bonhomme finished seven-under-par courtesy of a final day 72 that left him tied for fourth. He will go on, but countryman Ben Ferguson (T36) wasn&apost so lucky. He shot a 71 on the last day to be two-over the card overall. Perth golfer Michael Sim was agonisingly close to extending his dream, but failed after narrowly missing the top 20. He shot a final round 74, his worst round of the tournament at Royal Dunes, to end in a tie for 22nd. Victorian Brad Lamb fared better, with a 68 enough to secure him a share of 13th place, four strokes off the winner. New Zealand&aposs Brad Iles was even safer – he came in at 15-under-par, fourth overall. There was little positive news for the Australasian contingent at Hombre Golf Club. The Australians – Steve Dartnell (T24), Paul Gow (T31) and Bronson La Cassie (63) – all fell at the second-last hurdle. Of the New Zealanders, Doug Holloway (T24) was the leader, but will join Josh Carmichael (T51) as a spectator. Only Tim Wilkinson – who blitzed with a 66 on the opening day – will go through, despite firing 75 on day four.