SOUTH AFRICAN BRANDEN Grace, Australian Cameron Smith and Ireland’s Shane Lowry have accepted special temporary US PGA Tour membership for the remainder of the season, officials said on Monday.
They join England’s Danny Willett and American Patrick Rodgers in earning the status for success during the campaign.
Grace and Smith shared fourth at the US Open at Chambers Bay two weeks ago while Lowry finished ninth. The results boosted all three above the season points total for the 150th best player from last season.
As a result of their new status, Grace, Lowry and Smith are able to accept an unlimited number of sponsor exemptions for the remaining tournaments of the season as they try to win enough money to secure playing rights for next season.
While they remain ineligible for the US PGA season-ending playoffs that begin in August, those with special temporary member status would claim a tour spot and playoff eligibility by winning a tour event.
Grace, 27, has won six times on the European Tour, most recently at the Qatar Masters in January. Lowry, 28, has two European Tour wins, the 2012 Portugal Masters and 2009 Irish Open as an amateur. Smith, a 21-year-old from Brisbane, won the 2013 Australian Amateur crown and spent 2014 on the Asian Tour with a runner-up showing at the Indonesian Masters.
