Gibson & # 39; s Aussie summer begins in Brisbane

Australian Web.com Tour professional Rhein Gibson made the trip back Under a bit earlier to play at The Brisbane Golf Club for the Isuzu Queensland Open on 1-4 November.

Back in Australia for family commitments, Gibson takes the opportunity to return to competitive golf after his Tour98 season in 2018.

"One of my best friends married Saturday, so it really fits my schedule to get here, my parents live a few hours to the south and my brother is on the Gold Coast, so it fits well," Gibson said. debut at The Brisbane Golf Club this week.

"I've never played here before, I've played a bit in Brisbane but never this course, I play the NSW Open at Twin Creeks, I played there last year and really enjoyed it, of course the Australian Open and the Australian PGA. Championship, it's a good series of events.

"I have had the last month off so it's good to be out here."

It is somewhat of a hit and run mission for Gibson during the Australian summer, as he has to play at least four ISPS HANDA PGA Tour or Australasia events to win a category via the Order of Merit, he played the New Zealand Open and Fiji International presented by Fiji Airways earlier this year.

With the four final Australian tournaments ahead of him, Gibson will further refine his game before returning to the United States for another season on the Web.com Tour.

"It's always a struggle to meet the four minimum requirements for this Tour while you're playing in the United States at the same time, I knocked on two earlier this year, so I do not normally get home that early, but like I said, I have the last four weeks off.

"It really gives me a good chance to see where my game goes in the next three tournaments in Australia and then back to the Web.com Tour I do not know exactly where my game is after four weeks and the weather starts bad to be in the United States, so it's good to get out of here and come here for the Aussie summer. "

Gibson was able to prematurely close his card for the season 2019 on the Web.com Tour with two consecutive top 3 finishes, laid the foundation for a solid season and finished 44th on the money list to pack a card next year.

"I put myself in a great position for the second half of the year, I just did not get the results, I felt like I was playing well and put it together and then got some chances in the Web.com Finals, but I have just do not benefit, "added Gibson

"I know the courses very well, I think I am now a kind of veteran in that Tour, so hopefully I can come back and make a good start and see if I can lock that card a little earlier."

Gibson touched on the competitive nature of the Web.com Tour, with so many players competing for a PGA TOUR card and low-score courses. Combined with a hectic schedule of tournaments, it can provide a nice cutthroat season.

"Our full-field events are 156 men and the cut is 65 every week. I think this is the most competitive Tour going on. I've played a lot on other tours, but that first round on the web if you do not have 3 , 4 or 5-under-leg shoots, just touch a little behind your tail.

"It's a difficult Tour in that respect and the planning also makes it difficult, we play a really condensed season with back-to-back events, I think we're done with 14 consecutive events, so you have to manage yourself really well .

"If you then have your PGA TOUR card, you'll be right back in the fall as Fall Curtis and Cam Davis do now, and the Web.com Tour is a little bit extra about the PGA TOUR as soon as they're last, we have to be ready in a short time. "

But for now Gibson is focused on the Australian summer and he has an eye on the exemptions that the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia offers, including a full European Tour exemption for the winner of the Order of Merit and status for the winner of the Australian PGA Championship.

"It's always in the back of my head, I mean that my life is in the United States, but if you gave me the option of a full map on the internet or a full map in Europe, I would take Europe with me every time, that's the second largest tour in the world

"Of course I would like to return to the PGA TOUR, but if you give me the chance to win the Australian PGA Championship, do not say that I want it, but absolutely the European Tour would be huge."

The Isuzu Queensland Open will be played at Brisbane Golf Club from 1 – 4 November. Participation is free for spectators all week.

In addition to the winner's share in the $ 110,000 prize, the champion will receive official World Golf Ranking Points and will be fully exempted on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour from Australasia until the end of the 2019 season.