John Mallinger
Waste Management Phoenix Open Tournament Chairman Mike McQuaid announced today that John Mallinger and Gary Woodland will receive the last two sponsor exemptions for the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
“These are two young-guns on TOUR with a wealth of talent,” McQuaid said. “Mallinger is looking to capitalize on the success he saw late last season and Woodland nearly captured his first TOUR win last week at the Hope – we are excited to have both of them in our field.”
2011 marks the 4th appearance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open for Mallinger. Mallinger has had a very consistent start to his pro career, earning more than $1 million in three of his first four seasons on TOUR. In 2010, Mallinger’s best finish was at the regular season finale – the Wyndham Championship – where he finished T3. He finished 133rd on the 2010 money list.
Woodland, who turned pro in 2007, had his 2009 rookie year cut short in July due to an injury to his left shoulder, which eventually required surgery. Still recovering, Woodland had a shortened 2010 season, playing in only 8 events and making three cuts. In 2011, playing on a major medical exemption, Woodland is making the most of his time back on TOUR finishing second at last week’s Bob Hope Classic, where he lost in a playoff on the second hole to Jhonattan Vegas.
The Thunderbirds had a total of five exemptions to give out to the 2011 Waste Management Phoenix Open. The first three exemptions went to Tom Lehman, Jeff Quinney and Joe Ogilvie.
