Stuart Appleby isn’t using his last chance to work his way into the top 125 on the PGA Tour money list next week and will lose his exempt status when the season ends at the conclusion of the Children’s Miracle Network Classic at Disney World.
Appleby, who is No. 134 on the PGA Tour money list and lives in Windermere, did not commit to play at Disney when the deadline passed on Friday.
Instead, he’s chosen to give the thrill of a lifetime to a giant group of juniors in his Australian homeland.
As part of Appleby’s participation in the Australian Masters next week, he is leading a special clinic on Wednesday for the Stuart Appleby Junior Golf Foundation. It’s special because Tiger Woods has agreed to speak to the estimated 1,000 children who will take part, according to Bobby Kreusler, Appleby’s manager at Blue Giraffe Sports. Woods is scheduled to address the youth after his pro-am round at Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne.
Though Appleby wasn’t about to cancel his part in the big day for his juniors, skipping Disney causes him some hardship.
In his 13 seasons on the PGA Tour, Appleby has failed just once to retain his PGA Tour card, his rookie season. He’s an eight-time PGA Tour winner.
Though he’s 15th on the PGA Tour in career money and is eligible to take exemptions next year for top-25 or top-50 career money winners, Kreusler said Appleby is leaning against using those exemptions. Instead, he is considering playing next year off the standing he’ll get as a top 150 money winner. He would also seek sponsor exemptions.
“But no final decisions been made,” Kreusler said.
Appleby, however, has ruled out going back to Q-School.
