Stuart

Appleby

Appleby’s only notched four (of 10) cuts and his T21 at The Honda serves as his only top 40 of the season. He’s 162nd in ball-striking, which is putting more pressure on his game than he’s been able to handle. His 2010 win at The Greenbrier has kept him fully exempt through the remainder of this season, but he’s got some work to do to secure full status for 2013.

We had the Aussie in our crosshairs since he had withdrawn from the JBWere Masters a month ago with a back injury. He played well enough today to bury five birdies but also peppered his round with two bogeys and a double. He’ll try again tomorrow at PGA West’s Nicklaus Private Course.

The Aussie consulted his coach Steve Bann and physical therapist Tina Maio before pulling out about 45 minutes prior to his tee time at 12:54 p.m. “He probably pushed his back and his body a little more than it was ready for,” Maio said. Appleby opened with a 1-under-par 70 and sat five strokes off the overnight lead. “To get around like he did yesterday showed just how talented he really is,” added Maio, “because he probably shouldn’t have put his back through those rigours. He woke up this morning and it was very inflamed and in spasm ... and it just hasn’t settled down sufficiently to (be able to) play. ... We were icing up until he made the call. But the anti-imflammatories he took yesterday didn’t really give us an accurate indication as to the end of his range. It’s pretty badly inflamed ... and just needs time to heal.” There is no golf for the final two weeks of December and Appleby isn’t eligible for the 2012 lid-lifter at Kapalua.

We last saw the Aussie withdraw before his second round of the JBWere Masters in mid-December due to a lingering back injury. He endured a dreadful last three-quarters of 2011, falling 100 spots in the world golf ranking to his current position at 169th. Allow him to ease his way back into action before even thinking about taking the plunge.

Appleby flashed some form en route to a T18 at the recent Travelers, his only top 20 of the season. While he closed with a 72 at TPC River Highlands and missed the cut at The Greenbrier Classic, he regained his touch today. The Aussie hit 14 greens at TPC Deere Run and buried seven birdies, three from beyond 10 feet, the longest of which 12'4" at the 18th hole. He also poured in a par save from 13'1" at 11.

The Aussie was the third to reach the clubhouse atop the leaderboard. He hit 15 greens and circled six birdies, including conversions from 12'4", 12'1" and 16'7" at the 14th, 17th and ninth holes, respectively. He also poured in a par save of 12'9" at the par-3 sixth hole. Appleby has been mildly surging of late, cashing in four of his last five starts, two of which have gone for top 25s.

The Aussie was the third to the number today. It earned him a brief share of the 36-hole clubhouse lead before Fredrik Jacobson posted 131. Appleby has been a fantasy bust this year, cashing in just five of 13 starts with one top 40, but he’s managed to convert 11 birdies thus far in Connecticut. Today’s set of seven included rolls of 13'1" and 10'5" at the 12th and 17th holes, respectively.

The Aussie circle four birdies, with his lone bogey coming at the par-3 fifth. When compared to the field he struggled with his irons, finding just 11 GIR. He will try and nail down his 10th PGA TOUR victory on Sunday, with his most recent coming in 2010 at The Greenbrier Classic.

Appleby finished 162nd on the money list in the U.S. In lieu of Past Champion status, which is what he would accept by taking a pass on Q School, he could burn a one-time exemption for ranking inside the top 50 in all-time earnings at the conclusion of this season. He’s 19th, and would enjoy the flexibility to set his schedule. The Aussie exhausted a one-time top-25 career earnings exemption for the 2010 season, and then won The Greenbrier Classic with a 59 in the final round. He finished 129th in earnings in 2011. Appleby is just 41 years of age.

The Aussie enters the week 166th on the money list, but does have a career money exemption in his back pocket should he fail to crack the top 125. He used his first career exemption in 2010, parlaying that into a win at The Greenbrier Classic later that season. This is his first trip to Sea Island, so we have no history from which to judge how the course fits his game.