Stephen Leaney

An accomplished player on the Australasian Tour. Played in the German Open in 1997 and finished T-41st and decided to stay in Europe for six weeks. Played on the Challenge Tour and in six starts finished in the Top-10 six times and was runner-up four times. It was enough to get on the European Tour in 1998. Rebuilt his career after a life-threatening medical problem in 1993 when he had two ribs removed after doctors diagnosed blood clot and didn't play golf for seven months. Took him 18 months to recover from surgery. Member of the 2003 Presidents Cup team.
Burst to prominence in 1998 by winning twice on The European Tour and finishing 11th in Volvo Order of Merit. Won Moroccan Open by eight shots to record maiden victory in Europe, following some accomplished displays on the Australasian Tour. Added TNT Dutch Open to that initial win. Dedicated victory to his close friend, Stuart Appleby, whose wife died in a motor accident earlier that week. Showed a liking for Holland in 2000 when he collected a second TNT Dutch Open title in three years, leading from start to finish and making just a solitary bogey all week. Took a six-week break after The TNT Open in 2001 when he returned home to Adelaide to get married. Has twice missed out on earning a U.S. PGA Tour Card by a shot at the PGA Tour Qualifying School. Ensured a five-year exemption on The European Tour however when he won the 2002 Linde German Masters at Gut Larchenhof to round off his most successful season since 1998. Leaney played on the PGA Tour between 2003 and 2009, in 154 starts made 85 cuts with eight top-ten finishes. His best finish was 2nd at the 2003 U.S. Open (finished three shots back of winner Jim Furyk). He won $4,622,888 on the PGA Tour.
Played full time on the European Tour between 1998 and 2003, he played a total of 162 events making 120 cuts. He was in the top-ten 25 times and won euro4.3 million. In getting ready for turning 50, went to PGA Tour Champions Q-School finishing T-4th earning a card to play in 2019.
2019 Notes: Played twice on the European Tour in Australia T-78th at the Handa Vic Open and missed the cut at the Handa World Super 8 Perth. Turned 50 in March, played in 15 PGA Tour Champions events with three top-ten finishes. Was 56th on the Schwab rankings. Made his senior debut at the Rapiscan Systems finishing T-51st. At the Mitsubishi Electric Classic was T-10th. Was T-8th at the American Family Insurance Championship, four shots back of the playoff between Kelly/Goosen/Stricker. Was T-7th at the Boeing Classic Went back to Q-School and finished T-4th to regain his tour card for 2020.
2020 & 2021 Notes: Played in 31 PGA Tour Champions events with six top-tens and finished 48th in the Charles Schwab Cup. Was T-10th at the Morocco Championship. At the Chubb Classic finished T-5th, five shots back of winner Scott Parel. At the Cologuard Classic was T-9th, seven shots back of winner Bernhard Langer. Was T-10th at the TimberTech Championship. In events played in 2021 his best finish was T-7th at the American Family Insurance and The Ally Challenge. His last event of the season was T-36th at the TimberTech Championship.
2022 Notes: Best finish T-30th at the ClubCorp Classic.