A resurgent Stuart Appleby is just two decent weeks away from ending a four-year absence from golf’s major championships after a vintage display at the US PGA Tour’s opening playoff tournament.
A veteran of 55 major appearances, 52 of them consecutive after his debut at the 1997 Masters, 43-year-old Appleby hasn’t played in one of the big four since 2011 at Augusta.
But his closing six-under-par 65 to finish tied second behind Hunter Mahan in the Barclays Championship on Sunday has him tantalisingly close to a return.
If he can hold his new place in the top 30 of the season-long points list over the next two play-off events he will earn a return to three majors next year.
Appleby rocketed from 98th on the points list to 19th with his result in New Jersey, meaning a made cut this week in Boston and another decent finish in Denver in two weeks time should be enough to get him into the season-ending 30-man Tour Championship for the first time since 2008.
Players who qualify for the Tour Championship automatically get exemptions into the Masters, US Open and British Open the next year.
“I just need to capitalise now,” said Appleby.
“I want to get back to the Tour Championship and then get into the majors and all the stuff I have been out of for a few years now.
“If there was good timing for this it was certainly now.
“I have been dreaming of walking up 18 in the Tour Championship for a long time.”
Appleby was most pleased with his ability to hold his nerve down the stretch, making huge par putts on the final two holes to initially post the clubhouse lead.
The nine-time US tour winner’s result was the best he’s had since winning the Greenbrier Classic in 2010 where he shot a final round 59.
Since then he had managed just four top 10s in over four years.
“I have had plenty of times where I have just not felt comfortable on the golf course and really doubted what this game meant to me,” he admitted.
“I used to be a top 30 player and I was no longer that guy so I was frustrated, I was saddened, I was bewildered, and I was wondering how do I catch up.
“This week I thought I was lucky to be doing what I am doing and just get out and play.
“If you make a couple of bogeys don’t cry about it because there are 100 guys behind me who don’t have a future set so just enjoy it and go out and make a run in the playoffs.
“Every year there are stories of guys doing it so hopefully I can keep the form going.”
