American Ben Curtis will not play again in Europe until July’s Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St. Annes.
Curtis, who turned 35 on Saturday, had joined the European Tour at the commencement of this year after losing full playing rights on the PGA Tour.
He has been competing in Europe under a 10-year exemption afforded him in capturing the 2003 Open Championship.
- Ben Curtis now to play more in the States after winning back his PGA Tour card.
But after recently capturing the Texas Open to end a six-year victory drought and also finishing joint runner-up in last fortnight’s Players Championship the Ohio-born Curtis will now focus the remainder of his season on the PGA Tour.
“I’m playing the Memorial next week and having won back my PGA Tour card makes it easier,” he said.
“I have a real spring in my step and looking forward to going to getting back to the States as I was 13th in New Orleans and then fifth at Quail Hollow and tied second at the Players.
“I’m not into the U.S. Open so I still have to qualify for that but I’m now into the PGA Championship and I’m back into the Masters next year for the first time in two years, so that’s nice.
“But if I don’t get into the U.S. Open I will probably play two to three events before the Open Championship.
“I’ve never played Royal Lytham and St. Annes before and I’ve not played Muirfield, so the next two Opens are new venues for me.
“So I don’t think I will be back in Europe now that I’ve got my card back.
”I may play one of two more in Europe after The Open but we’ll see.”
Curtis had celebrated his birthday in posting a third round 81 that including ending with a pair of triple bogey eights.
In stark contrast to day three, he closed out the tournament finishing birdie and eagle in a score of 72 for a 10-over par tally.
“It just shows you the fickle nature of this game as I am nine shots better in one day,” he said.
“It wasn’t that nice a birthday present yesterday but I made up for a little bit of it today.
“I played alright on Thursday but my game just got steadily worse. I had a bad finish on Friday as well and it was just a tough week.
“But then when you start swinging bad and you are looking for your ball on every hole you sort of make it tough.
”You just to stay patient and not worry as those things happen in golf.”
