Curtis Luck – file photo Bruce Young
Perth’s Curtis Luck and Lismore’s Rhein Gibson have opened the door for a possible return to the PGA Tour by making a good start to the second of three Korn Ferry Tour Final events in Columbus in Ohio.
The series of events brings together the leading 75 from the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2020/2021 season and players ranked from 126 to 200 in the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup standings, the leading 25 at the completion of the three finals who have not gained 2022 PGA Tour cards through the regular Korn Ferry Tour season earning PGA Tour cards for next season.
Luck, a former US Amateur Champion, played the PGA Tour in 2019 but has been back on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 and 2021 and only just made it into the top 75 who earned the right to play the Finals.
Luck is in a share of third place and just one shot from the lead at the Scarlet Course and currently has a projected standing of 10th in the race for one of the 25 PGA Tour cards.
That standing can swing significantly, dependent on how he finishes the event but if he can maintain his standing in this particular event, then he is assured of getting back to the PGA Tour.
Rhein Gibson – file photo Bruce Young
Lismore’s Rhein Gibson is another in a similar position to Luck. His rounds of 66 and 67 have paralleled the efforts of Luck and have moved him to a share of 3rd with Luck and others this week and he is now 11th in the standings as he too chases a return to the PGA Tour.
Inverell’s Brett Drewitt already secured his return to the PGA Tour through the regular Korn Ferry Tour season but he can improve his standing by playing well in the Finals and today he did just that with a second round of 65 to be tied for 11th this week.
Aaron Baddeley is 27th this week and 34th in the projected overall standings, Lucas Herbert only just made the cut but has slipped to 7th in the overall standings after his great week in Boise last week had him in 3rd place.
Herbert is secure in terms of gaining a PGA Tour card for the first time but any improvement over the weekend and in next week’s Tour Championship will elevate him up the standings which is important in terms of gaining early season starts.
New Zealand’s Danny Lee and Australian Greg Chalmers missed the cut and will need something special at next week’s Tour Championship in order to regain PGA Tour playing privileges.
