Mark

Hensby

The 51-year-old Hensby last played at the John Deere Classic, where he shot 70-77 and missed his fourth consecutive PGA Tour cut. He’s also made four starts on the PGA Tour Champions this season, notching two top 10s including a solo third at the recent U.S. Senior Open and a T-8 in May at the Senior PGA Championship. Most recently, he finished T-66 over the weekend at the Bridgestone Senior Players Championship. For the 52-year-old Choi, it will mark his second PGA Tour start this season after also missing the cut at the John Deere (72-69). He’s made 12 Champions starts this season, notching two top 10s – finishing solo second at the Hoag Classic in March and T-4 at the Senior PGA in May. Geoff Ogilvy also gets a spot this week at the Barracuda, after being given last open restricted exemption spot.

Henby gained entry to the field via a sponsor’s exemption. He has split time this season between the Nationwide and PGA Tours and he is coming off a T20 at the Nationwide Tour’s Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.

The 49-year-old Aussie was one of the last men in the field this week, playing out of the Beyond 150 category. He spends most of his time on the Korn Ferry Tour now where he is 4-for-14 this season to sit 209th on the Points List. Today, it was rough from the get-go as he carded two triples and two doubles before making the turn. By day’s end he was losing 8.6 strokes off-the-tee and 4.8 strokes on approach. The 2004 John Deere Classic winner now has 11 mid-tournament WDs in 188 career starts.

He has trouble walking 18 holes and you should consider other alternatives if you own him this year.

Hensby was the fourth alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon. He gained entry this morning when John Rollins withdrew. Saddled with Past Champion status the last three years, he hasn’t had a top 10 since April 2008.

Hensby was the seventh alternate at the start of the week. He gained entry today when Dean Wilson withdrew. Hensby missed the cut in his only start this year (Mayakoba). He tied for 53rd in his only appearance at TPC San Antonio in 2010.

A curious decision given he just turned 40 years of age and cracked only two fields on the PGA TOUR this year. The Aussie missed both cuts.

Hensby has been splitting time this season between the Nationwide and PGA Tours. So far on the PGA Tour, he has three made cuts in three starts, with the best finish being a T-13 at the Mayakoba Golf Classic.

Hensby took advantage of the early scoring conditions, before the gusty afternoon winds rolled in, by posted eight birdies with two bogeys. The round moved him up 40 spots on the leaderboard into a tie for fourth place, which is six-strokes off the lead. Hensby got into this week’s field as an alternate and he has mostly played on the Nationwide Tour this season in an attempt to regain his Tour card for the 2011 season.

Make other arrangements ASAP if you have him on your team.