Stuart Appleby

JOINED TOUR

• PGA TOUR: 1996

PGA TOUR Victories (9)

• 1997 Honda Classic
• 1998 Kemper Open
• 1999 Shell Houston Open
• 2003 Las Vegas Invitational
• 2004 Mercedes Championships
• 2005 Mercedes Championships
• 2006 Mercedes Championships, Shell Houston Open
• 2010 The Greenbrier Classic

Korn Ferry Tour Victories (2)

• 1995 NIKE Monterrey Open, NIKE Sonoma County Open

International Victories (3)

• 1998 Coolum Classic [Aus]
• 2001 Holden Australian Open [Aus]
• 2010 JBWere Australian Masters [Aus]

Additional Victories (1)

• 1999 CVS Charity Classic [with Jeff Sluman].

PLAYOFF RECORD

PGA TOUR (2-1)

• 2002 Lost to Steve Elkington, Ernie Els, Thomas Levet, The Open Championship
• 2003 Defeated Scott McCarron, Las Vegas Invitational
• 2006 Defeated Vijay Singh, Mercedes Championships

KORN FERRY TOUR (1-1)

• 1995 Defeated Rafael Alarcon, NIKE Monterrey Open
• 1995 Lost to P.H. Horgan III, Mike Schuchart, NIKE Ozarks Open

National Teams

• 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007 Presidents Cup
• 2003, 2009 World Cup
• 1997, 1998, 1999 Dunhill Cup

Personal

• Raised on dairy farm where, as a junior, he used to hit golf shots from paddock to paddock to hone his game.
• Former Australian Rules football player before turning to pro golf in 1992. Played in Australia before coming to the United States in 1995.

Special Interests

• Action sports, motor racing

Career Highlights

2018 Season

Made five cuts in 12 starts on the PGA TOUR with a T12 at the FedEx St. Jude Classic his best finish. Also made four cuts on the Korn Ferry Tour. Entered the 2018-19 season competing out of the Past Champion category.

2017 Season

Split his time between the PGA TOUR and Korn Ferry Tour. Made 16 starts on the PGA TOUR, with a top-five showing at the Barracuda Championship under the Modified Stableford scoring format. Finished the 2017 Korn Ferry Tour season with eight starts, one top-10 and three cuts made.

• Barracuda Championship: Playing in the final threesome on Sunday with Derek Fathauer and 54-hole leader Greg Owen, earned nine points during the final round of the Barracuda Championship to finish T4. With 41 points in the Modified Stableford format, was just three shy of the three-man playoff eventually won by Chris Stroud. Had missed the cut in his previous two starts at the event (2014, 2016), with top-20 finishes in his first three starts (T18-2010, T16-2012, T16-2013). The finished marked his first top-10 on the PGA TOUR since a runner-up at THE NORTHERN TRUST in 2014.

2016 Season

Claimed three top-25 finishes in 23 starts, highlighted by T11s at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and Barbasol Championship. Finished the season ranked 143rd in the FedExCup standings.

2014 Season

Made seven starts (last at AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am) before undergoing surgery for a herniated disk in his back in late-March. Needed to earn 358 FedExCup points or $603,502 in earnings during the 2015-16 PGA TOUR Season to reach No. 125 from the 2014-15 FedExCup points list or money list as part of his Major Medical Extension.

• The Barclays: Made a Sunday charge with a 6-under 65 at The Barclays to finish T2 with fellow Aussie Jason Day and Cameron Tringale. The finish at Ridgewood CC was his best since winning the 2010 Greenbrier Classic. The performance moved him to No. 19 in the FedExCup standings heading into the following week's Deutsche Bank Championship.
• The Honda Classic: Highlighted by a bogey-free 5-under 65 in the third round at a gusty PGA National, finished T8 at The Honda Classic, with Luke Donald, Sergio Garcia and David Lingmerth.

2013 Season

Made 19 of 25 TOUR cuts but only recorded one top-10. Placed 95th in the FedExCup standings. Finished T67 at the Deutsche Bank Championship to drop out of the FedExCup Playoffs.

• The Barclays: Was one of five players to advance out of The Barclays and into the second FedExCup Playoffs event. Finished T41 at The Barclays to move from No. 123 to No. 96 entering the Deutsche Bank Championship.
• Travelers Championship: Was T9 at the Travelers Championship for his first top-10 in the event in nine starts. Notched his first top-10 on TOUR since the 2011 Honda Classic (T10).

2012 Season

Made the cut in 13 of 24 starts through the year but failed to make the PGA TOUR Playoffs, with a No. 144 finish on the FedExCup points list. Entered the fall hoping to avoid seeing a streak of at least one top-10 finish each season come to an end.

• Reno-Tahoe Open: Finished T16 at the Reno-Tahoe Open for the best of his four top-25 finishes.
• Emirates Australian Open: In December, finished T7 at the Emirates Australian Open, finishing even par for the week, with rounds of 70-73-70-75.

2011 Season

Failed to finish inside the top 125 on the official money list for just the second time in his career (2009).

• The Honda Classic: Making his 10th career start at The Honda Classic, the event where he posted his first PGA TOUR win in 1997, finished T10 for his only top 10 of the 2011 campaign. It was his fifth top-10 finish at the South Florida tournament.
• Sony Open in Hawaii: Jumped out to the first-round lead with a 6-under 64 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Shared the second-round lead with Shigeki Maruyama before rounds of 69-72 led to a T13 finish.

2010 Season

Taking a one-time exemption of top 25 on the PGA TOUR career money list in 2010, went on to make a career-high 31 starts, with season highlighted by a final-round 59 leading to victory at The Greenbrier Classic.

• The Greenbrier Classic: Playing for the 11th consecutive week, became just the fifth player in TOUR history to record a 59 and the second (David Duval) to do so in a final round, posting the magical number to edge Jeff Overton by one stroke at the inaugural Greenbrier Classic. Joined Duval and Al Geiberger as the only players to post 59 and win that week. Entered the final round seven strokes behind tournament-leader Overton, posting the largest come-from-behind win of the season. Jumped all the way to No. 24 in the FedExCup standings with the win (would eventually finish No. 52), earning an invitation into the following week's World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational and the 2011 Hyundai Tournament of Champions, an event he won three consecutive years (2004-06). Previous-best round on TOUR was 62, and the 59 ended a streak of 358 rounds since he last shot a round better than 65 (2006 Zurich Classic of New Orleans). Managed just two sub-70 rounds (both 69s) in his final 26 rounds on TOUR following win at the Greenbrier.
• Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Finished sixth at Zurich Classic of New Orleans, marking the first time he had posted back-to-back top-10s since five in a row to begin the 2008 season.
• Verizon Heritage: Sat just one shot off the 36-hole lead at the Verizon Heritage after rounds of 69-67. After a third-round, 2-over 73, closed with a 67 to finish T8, his first top-10 finish since a T8 at the 2009 Transitions Championship.
• JBWere Masters: In mid-November, traveled to his native Australia and came from behind to win the JBWere Australian Masters in Melbourne. Shot weekend rounds of 69-65 to overtake fellow countryman Adam Bland at Victoria GC.

2009 Season

Failed to finish inside the top 55 (No. 137) on the money list for the first time since his rookie season in 1996 (No. 130). Made the cut in 16 of 25 events in 2009, but managed only one top-10 finish–a T8 at the Transitions Championship.

2008 Season

Posted a career-high seven top-10 finishes en route to a 17th-place finish in the FedExCup standings. Surpassed $2 million in earnings for the fifth time in his career and finished among the top 55 on the money list for the 12th consecutive season. Just two missed cuts in 23 starts. Opened the season with five consecutive top-10s beginning with a T8 at the Buick Invitational.

• World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship: Best finish came in August when he finished T2 (the 12th runner-up finish of his career) at the World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational. It was his 29th career World Golf Championships start, having competed in every World Golf Championships event since the inception of the series in 1999 (the only player to do so).

2007 Season

Several near-misses marked the season and he made the International team at The Presidents Cup for the fifth time.

• The Presidents Cup: Earned 10th and final automatic spot for The Presidents Cup's International team with T12 finish at the PGA Championship.
• Masters Tournament: Held the 54-hole lead at the Masters Tournament before a final-round 75 dropped him to T7, his fourth career top-10 in a major championship.
• Shell Houston Open: In defense of Shell Houston Open title, held a share of the 18- and 36-hole leads before finishing T2 behind countryman Adam Scott. One shot behind Scott on the 72nd hole, posted a double-bogey six after approach shot found a water hazard.
• Mercedes-Benz Championship: In attempt to win a fourth consecutive Mercedes-Benz Championship, finished T13.

2006 Season

Won twice and finished in the top 10 (No. 8) on the money list, both firsts in his 11-year TOUR career.

• Sony Open in Hawaii: Became a two-time winner by taking the Shell Houston Open in wire-to-wire fashion, the first player in the 59-year history of the tournament to lead outright in all four rounds. Finished six strokes ahead of Bob Estes, matching the largest victory margin at the tournament (Vijay Singh in 2002 and Jack Burke, Jr. in 1952). In previous seven TOUR wins, won by a total of five strokes.
• Mercedes Championships: Joined Gene Littler (1955-57) as the only players to win three consecutive Mercedes Championships. Trailed Olin Browne by two strokes after first round, then held second- and third-round leads prior to defeating Vijay Singh with a birdie on the first playoff hole. One of two players in 28-man field to post four sub-par rounds as he finished the event at 8-under 284, the highest 72-hole winning total since the tournament moved to Kapalua in 1999 and the highest in tournament history since Gary Player won with a 4-under 284 in 1969 at La Costa CC.

2005 Season

Made fourth International Presidents Cup team.

• Mercedes Championships: Won for the third consecutive season and was the first player during the year to successfully defend a title with his victory at the Mercedes Championships. Became the first back-to-back winner in 22 years at the TOUR's season-opening event. Came from four strokes back on final day to pass 54-hole leader Vijay Singh. Almost did not return to defend title due to a nerve problem in his left hip and upper thigh causing severe pain and expectant due date of pregnant wife Ashley.

2004 Season

Finished in the top 20 (No. 13) on the money list for the third time in his career and second consecutive season. Earned fifth career victory at the Mercedes Championships, topping Vijay Singh by one stroke. Held first- and third-round leads.

2003 Season

Season punctuated by fourth career victory at the Las Vegas Invitational, his first win since 1999. Finished 12th on the money list and represented the International team at The Presidents Cup in South Africa. Prior to win, had finished T2 three times earlier in the year, Shell Houston Open, 84 LUMBER Classic of Pennsylvania and the American Express Championship. Surpassed the $10-million mark in career TOUR earnings with Vegas victory. Defeated Scott McCarron in playoff after the two set a tournament record with scores of 31-under 328, including career-low 62 in first round.

• Bay Hill Invitational presented by Cooper Tires: Held four-stroke lead through 54 holes at the Bay Hill Invitational but a final-round 76 left him six strokes behind winner Chad Campbell.

2002 Season

Moved back into top 50 in earnings, highlighted by near miss at The Open Championship. Best career finish in a major, T2, at the 131st Open Championship at Muirfield. After posting final-round 65 to join Ernie Els, Thomas Levet and Steve Elkington in playoff, bogeyed the fourth and final hole of the aggregate playoff to be eliminated.

• Invensys Classic at Las Vegas: Second runner-up finish came at the Invensys Classic at Las Vegas, one stroke shy of Phil Tataurangi, who posted a final-round 62.

2001 Season

Despite four top-10s, fell out of the top 30 on TOUR money list, at 55th, for the first time since 1998.

2000 Season

Although winless for first time in four seasons, stood 24th on the money list with earnings of $1,642,221 in 24 starts. Participated in second Presidents Cup as member of International team.

• PGA Championship: Four sub-par rounds at PGA Championship produced T4 finish.
• Sony Open in Hawaii: Best of five top-10s came in his second start, as runner-up to Paul Azinger at Sony Open in Hawaii.

1999 Season

• Shell Houston Open: Earned his third title in as many seasons with Shell Houston Open win. Stood two strokes back after 36 holes and three back through 54 holes. Closing 71, the highest final round by a winner in 15 years at TPC Woodlands, was good for one-stroke victory over John Cook and Hal Sutton. Credited his late wife Renay with giving him the strength to win his first title since her death in the previous year.

1998 Season

• Kemper Open: Earned his second TOUR victory at Kemper Open. Trailed by one through 54 holes and survived windswept Sunday with closing 72, one stroke better than Scott Hoch.

1997 Season

Established himself as one of TOUR's young stars, becoming the first PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament graduate to earn more than $1 million the following year. Won The Honda Classic, finished second twice and earned trip to THE TOUR Championship.

• Honda Classic: Held one-stroke lead over Payne Stewart after 54 holes at The Honda Classic. Closing 71 on windy Sunday enough for one-stroke victory over Stewart and Michael Bradley.

1995 Season

Earned place on PGA TOUR in 1996 by finishing fifth on the Korn Ferry Tour money list.

• NIKE Monterrey Open: Became eighth player to win first Korn Ferry Tour event with victory at Monterrey Open.

Q SCHOOL GRADUATE

• PGA TOUR: 1996