With a Masters invitation within reach, Greg Chalmers knows there is no better time to grasp it than now.
Lining up in the elite 74-man World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship thanks to his wonderful Australian summer, Chalmers sits eight world ranking places away from a trip down Augusta National’s Magnolia Lane for a shot at a green jacket.
The Australian Open and PGA champion has just three weeks left before the cut-off time when a spot in the world top 50 gains entry to the Masters.
And with enormous ranking points on offer this week, his time to shine is now.
All 50 of the current world top 50 are in the field at Doral Resort in Miami, ensuring hefty points are on offer for those who place high.
Fresh off a tied for 12th at last week’s Honda Classic, Chalmers is on the rise and needs to ride the momentum at the course nicknamed The Blue Monster.
“There is no question I need to make a move this week,” Chalmers said.
“I don’t have anything to lose but have everything to gain.
“Having the Augusta deadline makes me more focussed and it is certainly a lot more exciting than where I have been in the past at around 200th in the world.
“That feels like you are climbing a rather large mountain to get to the top but this feels like you are right on the crest.
Chalmers has had a reasonable start to the US PGA tour season without really contending.
In six events he’s missed two cuts but has two top 20 finishes including last weekend’s year high.
“Things are close,” said Chalmers.
“I have played pretty nicely without getting the results I’ve wanted but I think something really good for me is just around the corner.”
His biggest problem already though has been his inability to ram home a good Sunday.
In both the Phoenix Open (T19) and the Honda Classic (T12) Chalmers opened with three rounds in the 60s before shooting over par final rounds.
“Last week I was top 10 in greens in regulation and top 15 in fairways so my ball striking was great but I just didn’t roll the ball as well as I’d like and I am at a point where I need to do better when I’m playing well,” he said.
“When I’m up there I need to contend in tournaments. I have had a couple of opportunities already this year to contend going into the final round but haven’t been able to put it together on the last day.
“If I can get away to a good start this week I hope I am better given a chance.”
Meanwhile Australian golf legends Greg Norman and Peter Thomson both missed out on the opportunity to design the golf course for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Norman (with Lorena Ochoa) and Thomson (Thomson-Perret Golf Course Architects) were part of eight finalists but were overlooked in favour of American Gil Hanse and Hanse Golf Course design who won the bid.
