Two Michigan natives, Brian Stuard and Justin Hicks, have earned their way into the 2013 PGA TOUR Playoffs starting this week at The Barclays at Liberty National Golf Club in Jersey City, N.J.
Stuard, a Jackson natvie and Oakland University alum, qualified for the PGA TOUR Playoffs via his 78th-place position in the FedEx Cup Standings. Stuard’s season was bolstered by four top-ten finishes, including a tie for fourth place at the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com. Through 23 events played, he has earned $1,015,708, securing his PGA TOUR status for next season.
Hicks, a product of Wyandotte and the University of Michigan, also qualified for the PGA TOUR Playoffs, finishing the “regular season” in 109th place in the FedExCup Standings. Hicks enters this week’s tournament with four top-20 finishes, highlighted by his tie for seventh place at the FedEx St. Jude Classic in June.
Both players will be looking to be inside the top 100 in the FedExCup Standings at the conclusion of The Barclays, as the field is trimmed down for the next playoff event, the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston.
Other Michigan natives on the PGA TOUR, Doug LaBelle II (Mt. Pleasant) and Tom Gillis (Jackson), failed to advance to the PGA TOUR Playoffs after finishing 147th and 152nd, respectively, in the FedExCup Standings.
On the ladies’ side, Muskegon native and Michigan State alum Laura Kueny sits in 11th place on the Symetra Tour money list with two tournaments remaining. The top-10 finishers on the Symetra Tour money list earn status on the LPGA Tour for the 2014 season.
