IF you thought taking part in 58 occasions throughout the nation in a single 12 months, in addition to tournaments in New Zealand, Fiji and the USA, was powerful sufficient for a 54-year-old with a dicky wrist and dangerous ft, simply wait till you hear what Andre Stolz has deliberate for 2025.
Stolz, who has been a champion participant on the Australian Legends Tour for the previous 4 years, is placing collectively a schedule that may see him trek again and forwards between Australia and the US, looking for begins on the PGA TOUR Champions circuit, whereas defending his standing as our greatest over-50 golfer.
And, if issues work out, he would possibly even make a visit to the UK in July to have a crack on the Senior British Open.
Realising that his window of alternative isn’t getting any wider, Stolz is throwing every little thing at making 2025 the 12 months that his expertise – and his capacity to beat adversity – is recognised all through the world.
“I’m going to again myself,” he stated. “I’ll be blowing numerous money however I do know what I’m doing and I do know what I’ve acquired to do.”
Stolz flew to the US in December and got here frustratingly near qualifying for the Champions Tour, ending only one shot behind the 5 veterans who gained the suitable to play on the world’s most profitable over 50’s tour in 2025.
Andre Stolz, the winner of 14 occasions on the Legends Tour in 2024, together with the Australian PGA Senior Championship, has set an bold taking part in schedule in 2025.
He’s nonetheless agonising over missed putts within the first couple of rounds, divots wherein his ball twice landed, resulting in a double bogey on the ultimate gap of his third spherical, and his failure to birdie the simple par-five seventeenth on the ultimate day.
“They are saying it’s the toughest tour to get onto,” Stolz stated. “You’re taking part in for one in all solely 5 spots and there’s numerous excellent golfers making an attempt to get on. You actually need every little thing to go your means.”
Stolz’s tied sixth place earned him the suitable to play PGA Tour Champions Monday qualifying occasions in 2025 – a concession that was already his for being a winner on the PGA Tour (he claimed the 2004 Michelin Championship at Las Vegas) – and he’s going to take up the problem.
He’ll play on our Legends Tour till March, then fly to the US to sort out 4 qualifiers over a five-week interval, earlier than returning to Australia. Then he’ll be again to the US in Might to contest the US Senior PGA, for which he’s already certified by taking out his fourth Legends Tour Order of Advantage title in 2024.
He’ll then stick round and play a pair extra Monday qualifiers. “They’re not simple,” Stolz pressured. “There are solely three spots to be gained and there will likely be 50 to 80 gamers making an attempt for them – all of them excellent gamers.”
However Stolz is aware of he, too, is an excellent golfer and, as he says, he’s backing himself to succeed.
He’s contemplating a visit to Britain in mid-July to attempt to earn a spot within the Senior British Open, however acknowledges that taking part in within the UK brings with it extra challenges.
Stolz suffers from plantar fasciitis – painful irritation of a thick band of tissue that runs throughout the underside of every foot – and finds it troublesome to stroll 18 holes. In Australia and the US, Stolz is allowed to trip in a cart, however not within the UK.
Over time he’s additionally been troubled by a wrist damage, which has twice compelled him out of golf for prolonged durations, although he’s managed to beat it in recent times by fully rebuilding his swing.
Stolz gained 14 occasions on the Legends Tour final 12 months, together with the Australian PGA Senior Championship in November. He’s nonetheless understanding his schedule for the second half of theyear.
Jones to hitch Aussies on PGA TOUR Champions
As reported within the January version of Inside Golf, whereas Andre Stolz will try and earn begins via pre-qualifying occasions, in claiming one in all 5 tour playing cards on supply Brendan Jones will take pleasure in full standing in becoming a member of the Australian contingent competing on PGA TOUR Champions in 2025.
Jones will play alongside the likes of Richard Inexperienced, Rod Pampling, Greg Chalmers, Mark Hensby, Stuart Appleby and Cameron Percey on the world’s richest over-50’s circuit.
The 2025 Champions Tour was scheduled to start on the Mitsubishi Electrical Championship at Hualalai GC in Hawaii throughout January.
Jones will likely be eligible to play when he turns 50 on March 3.
