Appleby leads charge
| • | Appleby fends off Singh |
| • | Many in Maui playing Sony |
By Bill Kwon
Special to The Advertiser
KAPALUA, Maui — During the 2004 PGA Tour season it could be that Australians rule golf.
Eric Risberg • Associated Press
Stuart Appleby planted his country's flagstick with a victory in the Mercedes Championships as fellow Australian Adam Scott finished seventh at the par-73 Plantation Course yesterday.
Stuart Appleby of Australia, left, follows his drive from the 18th tee of the Plantation Course as Vijay Singh, second from right, looks on.
And the chances look pretty good for yet another Australian victory flag waving at the Waialae Country Club in this week's $4.8 million Sony Open.
Appleby, who has a great track record in five previous Sony appearances, and Scott will be among nine Australians playing in the season's first full-field event.
Their other Australian mates entered are Steve Allan, Scott Hend, Mark Hensby, Rod Pampling, John Senden and Aaron Baddeley, who lost in a playoff to Ernie Els last year.
"We're certainly out here. There's 17 of us out on (PGA) tour this year. We expect a few Australians to win this year," said the 23-year-old Scott, who earned $180,000 in closing with his second straight 68 for a 12-under 279 yesterday.
"Nearly 10 percent on the tour," pointed out Appleby, who held off Vijay Singh for a one-stroke victory after finishing with a 270 and a $1,060,000 paycheck.
Appleby has earned a combined $543,480 in the Sony, including $313,200 when he tied for second in 2000 and $162,000 after moving from tied for 30th to sixth with a final-round 63 last year.
Scott is looking forward to his first Sony Open.
Eric Risberg • Associated Press
"I was in Sweden and didn't see any of it last year," Scott said. "I'm looking forward to playing over there and getting a chance to win one myself."
Appleby earned $1,060,000 with his victory at the season-opening tournament on Maui.
The Australians also have another edge besides numbers this week because it's summer down there, according to Scott.
"We're still used to the warm weather. We can play down there until Christmas time. So maybe we're a bit more fresh than some of the Americans who had a month or two off."
In fact, six of the nine Australians at Waialae played in the Australian Open only three weeks ago.
"I played the Australian Open, took a week off, then a week of practice and here we are," Appleby said.
Appleby and Scott credited the popularity of golf Down Under to Greg Norman.
"There's a little national pride involved. But golf is a very popular sport back in Australia thanks to Greg," said Scott, who earned a spot in the Mercedes by winning the Deutsche Bank Championship in Boston for his first tour victory.
Norman is a personal hero to Scott.
"For me, he's the only guy I ever followed in golf. He got me interested when I was like only 7 or 8, watching him on TV," Scott said. "He's been great towards me, giving me a lot of his time. There's no doubt he's been a big part of my success, a driving force behind my game."
"He was the Australian Seve (Ballesteros) in a way," said Appleby, the first Australian to win the Mercedes Championships since two-time winner Steve Elkington in 1995.
"None of the current golfers, including myself, is a Greg Norman. Greg was the right player at the right time. Hardly anyone in the world compared to him. He had a great appeal, won a pile of tournaments around the world, six in a row somewhere way back when I just started playing."
"I like Adam Scott's game, Rob's (Robert Allenby) game, Pete Lonard's game," Appleby said. "I see a lot more Australians sticking in there. I think Scott's win was big for Australia and big for him."
Appleby's victory yesterday was big for Australia. And big for Appleby, too.
