Golf: Waite and Perks close to US Tour cards

By GRAHAM SKELLERN

Palmerston North-born professional golfers Craig Perks and Grant Waite are playing the round of their lives this morning in an attempt to contest next year's United States PGA Tour, the world's toughest circuit.

The two New Zealanders will have only sub-par golf on their minds in the tense sixth and final round of the US Tour's qualifying school in Miami, Florida.

The competition is hot. Yesterday, during the fifth round at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, 98 of the 164 golfers turned in sub-par scores, including a 9-under 61 from Tour regular Blaine McCallister.

Perks, who has been a professional for six years and a member of the Nike Tour for four years, shot an even-par 70 to remain at seven under for the gruelling tournament and in a tie for 30th with six others.

Should the 32-year-old Perks maintain this position of being in the top 35 plus ties then he will collect his playing card for the full Tour for the first time.

Waite, a former Kemper Open champion, had a 1-under 69 to move to five under for the tournament and in a tie for 49th with seven others.

He was 12 shots behind the leader, American Sean Murphy, at 17 under with a total of 333, but just two shots outside the top 35.

McCallister's round of the day saw him leap into second place at 16-under, one shot ahead of young Australian Craig Spence,who had a 4-under 66 in the fifth round to be alone in third place on 15 under.

New Zealander Philip Tataurangi pulled out of the qualifying tournament after the third round because of a recurring wrist injury. He will visit a specialist this week and hopes to resume playing in the New Year.

Tataurangi, who has lost his full playing status on the Tour, is confident he can play in some Tour events next year through sponsors' and organisers' invitations and because of his 150th finish on the money-list this year.

He is also eligible to contest the second-tier Buy.Com (formerly Nike) events.

"I do have some conditional status with the PGA Tour. Playing depends on how many people enter each tournament...if I'd been in that situation this year I'd have been in 10," Tataurangi said.

At the European PGA Tour's final qualifying tournament in Spain, New Zealander Elliott Boult and Australian Peter Fowler, now living in Auckland, maintained their chase for a top-35 spot.

Both golfers fired 2-over 74s in tough, windy conditions during the fifth round to be two over for the tournament on 362.

They were in 25th equal position with five others, and at that stage one shot inside the top 35 plus ties, which gives them full playing status on next year's lucrative European Tour.

The sixth and final round was played overnight.