Costa Rica Travel: Costa Rica Golf

Costa Rica Golf: Wilkinson Heads to Costa Rica Before Golf Tournament

Tim Wilkinson is heading for a break in Costa Rica before tackling the USPGA Tour's final stage of qualifying next week.

For visa reasons, he had to be out of the United States for two days, so was planning to spend three days at a resort in Costa Rica.

On his return to Jacksonville, Florida, he'll stay with friends and prepare for his third attempt at the six-round final stage. Wilkinson's last one was two years ago.

He will be joined there by Grant Waite and young Kiwi professional Bradley Iles, all chasing 25 places on the main tour from a field of 156.

Their presence from November 29 at the Orange County National Golf Center at Winter Garden, near Orlando, Florida, means they won't be at the New Zealand Open at Arrowtown because it clashes with the qualifying tournament. Depending on how he plays, Wilkinson could tee up at the Australian Open in Sydney.

Getting to the final stage guarantees the Kiwi trio status on the Nationwide Tour for next year.

Wilkinson finished sixth in second-stage qualifying at the Hombre Golf Club at Panama City Beach, Florida, on a tight and tricky course at the weekend.

He told coach Andre White he was playing well and a double bogey in the third round only happened when he misjudged the wind and the ball went flying over a green into water. "Then he went and shot four under for the back nine which shows how good a player he is now," said White.

Wilkinson prospered from a week off after the Nationwide Tour championship three week's ago. Waite, 43, qualified in 10th place from his second-stage qualifying at Lake Jovita, Florida.

Twenty years a professional, he has career earnings of $US4.5 million and is a lifetime member of the main PGA Tour thanks to the number of cuts he has made - more than 200. This year he made six of 12 cuts on the PGA tour and two of six on the Nationwide.
Waite lives at Orlando, only 20km from the Orange County National courses. Two years ago he had the agony of missing his full card by one shot at the qualifying school after four-putting the final green.

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