Michael Long

It holds a unique collection of New Zealand titles (U-18, U-21, Amateur, and Open Championships) and an Australasian Tour record of 18 consecutive cuts in a season (1996). He called a penalty stroke on himself while challenging Ernie Els for Johnnie Walker Classic in 1997. The Kiwi was addressing the ball to attempt a birdie putt on the final day and spotted that it moved a tiny fraction. No one else noticed. Two put for bogey after the penalty and finished one behind Els. "When it happens, you've got to be honest with yourself and own up," he said. He joined the European Tour as an affiliate member, and his performances for the rest of 1997 earned him full membership.
In late 1999 Long's career was interrupted after suffering a broken C5 bone in his neck in a boogie boarding accident.
After recovering, he turned his attention to America and played on the Korn Ferry Tour. He had some success at this level, winning twice, at the 2001 Boise Open and the 2003 VB Open, and losing in a playoff for the 2004 Lake Erie Charity Classic. He twice finished high enough on the money list to graduate to the PGA Tour. Playing two full seasons on the main tour, in 2002 and 2005, he could not keep his card on either occasion.
By 2008 Long had lost his playing rights on the Korn Ferry and PGA Tours and returned to Australasia. He topped the 2008 Von Nida Tour money list and was T-3rd in the 2009 Australian Open. From 2009 Long also played on the OneAsia tour. In 2011 he lost in a four-man playoff for the Nanshan China Masters, and he had third-place finishes in the 2009 Midea China Classic and the 2012 Enjoy Jakarta Indonesia Open.
In early 2016, at 47, Long won the Oates Victorian Open after a playoff against Matthew Millar. Millar had birdied the last three holes to force a playoff. At the first playoff hole, Long hooked his second shot into the long grass but hit the ball to five feet and holed the putt to win the title with a birdie 4. In May 2018, Long won the TX Civil & Logistics WA PGA Championship at Kalgoorlie Golf Course, one shot ahead of Brody Martin after a final round 64.
Since turning 50, Long has played on the Ladbrokes Legends Tour. In 2018 he won Lincoln Place NSW Senior Open and the Australian PGA Seniors Championship, and he won the Sheraton South Pacific Golf Classic in 2019. In January 2020, he won the European Senior Tour Q-School. The 2020 season was canceled, but his playing rights were rolled over to the 2021 season, and he finally made his debut on the tour in June 2021. The following month he led his qualifying section for the 2021 Senior Open Championship with a 5-under-par 65 to get a place in the event, his first senior major. He finished T-35th in that event.
He played in 99 European Tour events, making 54 cuts and five top-ten finishes. He earned euro395,943 playing full-time between 1997 and 1999. His best finish was T-2nd at the 1997 Johnnie Walker Classic.
Played on the PGA Tour in 2002 and 2005, in 56 starts, made 21 cuts with three top-25 finishes. He earned $347,682. Best finish 15th at the 2002 SEI Pennsylvania Classic. He played on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2000, '01, '03, '04, '06, and '07. In 177 starts, they made 99 cuts with 13 top-ten finishes. Won twice, the 2001 Boise Open and 2003 VB Open, and was runner-up twice. He earned $703,778 on that tour; his best year was in 2004 when he was 19th on the money list with earnings of $199,943.
When he turned 50 in 2018, he tried to get his PGA Tour Champions card but was T-50th. I played in one event that year, T-31st, at the Shaw Charity Classic.
2021 Notes: Played in 9 Legends Tour events and was 34th on the order of merit. The best finish was T-14th at the Farmfoods European Legends Links.
2022 Notes: Played in 14 Legends Tour events with three top-ten finishes. He was 24th on the order of merit. Their best finish was T-6th at the MCB Tour Championship - Mauritius.
2023 Notes: Finished T-23rd in the Riegler & Partner Legends.