ACE Group Classic: Allem plays his way into field with Allianz finish
Posted by briank | SWFL News, Treviso Bay | Posted on February 18th, 2009
Monday’s qualifier will have one fewer spot available in this week’s ACE Group Classic hosted by Peter Jacobsen, thanks to Fulton Allem.
Allem, a 51-year-old from South Africa, finished second in Sunday’s Allianz Championship in Boca Raton. That guaranteed him a spot in the ACE Group Classic’s 79-player field. And meant there will be just three available spots in today’s qualifier instead of four.
Allem, who won three times on the PGA Tour, tied for second twice in his first full year on the Champions Tour last year. He finished 34th on the money list.
Allem wasn’t the only non-exempt player to place in the top 10 on Sunday. Mark James, a former ACE champion, tied for fourth, and David Edwards and Russ Cochran tied for seventh. It was James’s second straight top-10 effort. But only the top non-exempt player automatically earns a spot in the following week’s field.
Allem was the second alternate going into this week. Tom Wargo remains the first alternate, and part-time Miromar Lakes resident Chip Beck moves up to second alternate.
Monday’s qualifier is at The Plantation in Fort Myers. No local players made it through the pre-qualifier played there on Friday.
Admission is free Monday and Tuesday at the new tournament site, TPC Treviso Bay in East Naples. On Monday, a field of 40 amateurs will play for the opportunity to get in golf legend Gary Player’s foursome for Thursday’s pro-am. The amateur qualifier starts at 8:30 a.m.
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