PGA Tour notebook: Runner-up finish at Zurich Classic secures Masters bid for Peter Lonard

From WorldGolf.com News Services

After a runner-up finish Sunday in the Zurich Classic, Peter Lonard made the assumption that the only way he'd be taking in the Masters this year was as a spectator.

"It'll probably be on my TV screen while I'm drinking beer or something," Lonard told reporters Sunday when asked about his Masters chances.

However, Lonard's five-foot par putt on the final hole wound up punching his ticket to Augusta National for next week's first major of 2008. He qualified by climbing into the top 50 in the world golf rankings at No. 46 in his final chance to qualify — other than winning this week's Shell Houston Open.

Lonard entered the Zurich Classic No. 72 in the world rankings and assumed that he'd have to win at TPC Louisiana to get a Masters invitation. Trailing eventual Zurich Classic winner Andres Romero by one stroke on the 18th hole, Lonard ran a 45-foot birdie putt five feet past and had to make the comebacker to avoid tying for second with Tim Wilkinson, which would've only moved him up to No. 53 in the world rankings.

Ernie Els withdraws again

Illness has hampered Ernie Els' preparation for the Masters as he withdrew from the Shell Houston Open Sunday due to a virus. That means he'll have a two-week break prior to the year's first major, even though he had planned to play five of six events leading up to the Masters.

"I am very disappointed to have been forced to make this decision because I was really looking forward to playing this week," Els said in a press release. "The Shell Houston Open was going to be an important part of my buildup toward the Masters, but I have been advised that it would not be in my best interests to play."

Els recorded his first victory on the PGA Tour in three and a half years when he won the Honda Classic March 2. However, he missed the cut the following weekend at the PODS Championship, pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, citing fatigue, and never shot below 73 in the WGC-CA Championship March 20-24 at Doral.

More honors for Nicklaus

World Golf Hall of Famer Jack Nicklaus has been named the eighth recipient of the PGA Tour's Lifetime Achievement Award. The 18-time major champion will be honored on May 7 during a ceremony at The Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

The Lifetime Achievement Award, created in 1996, honors individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the PGA Tour over an extended period of time through their actions on and off the course.

"Since first picking up a club at age 10, I have loved the game of golf," Nicklaus said in a statement. "Whether it is being fortunate to serve as captain of The Presidents Cup, or being active in golf course design in emerging markets all over the world, or lending a hand to the growth of The First Tee and other junior golf programs, I enjoy staying connected to the game. More importantly, I enjoy finding ways to give back to the game that has given my family and me so much."

Briefly

• International players have enjoyed plenty of success at the Shell Houston Open over the past decade. Players from outside the U.S. have won seven of the last 10 tournaments, with Aussies winning four of them. Stuart Appleby was the winner in 1999 and 2006 while Robert Allenby won in 2000 and Adam Scott last year. Vijay Singh of Fiji was the champion in 2002, 2004 and 2005.

• Andres Romero made the largest jump in the FedExCup standings last week with his victory at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, vaulting him from 135th place to 14th. The runner-up, Peter Lonard, moved from No. 107 to No. 24.

• The field for the Shell Houston Open will include five of the top 10 players in the FedEx Cup standings. Scheduled to compete this week are Phil Mickelson (second), K.J. Choi (fourth), Justin Leonard (sixth), Steve Stricker (seventh) and Geoff Ogilvy (10th).

• Billy Mayfair is scheduled to make his 600th career start this week.

April 2, 2008