Two Aussies made the weekend at the Frys.com Open, the first event of the 205/16 wraparound season on the PGA Tour.

Aaron Baddeley and Stuart Appleby finishing T55 and T69 respectively. Tour rookies Rhein Gibson and Cameron Smith were among those to miss the cut as they begin their first full-season on the world’s biggest Tour.

While a T69 finish wasn’t Appleby’s ultimate goal he will be well pleased to have played all four rounds of his first PGA TOUR event since back surgery in February.

The nine time PGA TOUR winner has teed it up in four Web.com events since undergoing surgery however made just one cut and with drew from his last start, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital event, in September.

While Appleby will be looking to improve in a number of statistical categories as he works into his season, he showed plenty of positives in making 12 birdies over the four days and will be better for the competitive run.

Aaron Baddeley, having missed keeping his card for the first time in 13 years, was also consistent in California with four straight rounds of 71.

While 4-under saw him finish well behind Tour rookie and winner Emiliano Grillo, it was a step in the right direction for the Victorian after finding the going tough last year.

Among those who were unable to make the weekend was the ever-inspirational Jarrod Lyle whose exciting opening round of 3-under-par 69 included an amazing hole-out for eagle.

Unfortunately there was no such magic in round two for the lovable Victorian as he battles to get back his PGA TOUR card via a major medical exemption, a 5-over par 77 not enough to survive the cut.

Lyle has nine starts left on his major medical extension and needs to earn about $218,000 to get back his playing status though has said he intends to try to Monday qualify for several events rather than relying solely on invitations.

PGA TOUR rookies, Cameron Smith and Rhein Gibson will be no doubt glad to get the first one out of the way after making their debut as a full-time PGA TOUR card holder. 

Although only missing the weekend by two strokes following rounds of 71 and 73, it would be understandable if Smith was suffering some rust having played limited tournament golf since his breakout performance at the US Open in June.

Gibson, likely suffering from the opposite to Smith, teed it up this week after a nine week stretch of Tournaments that was the finish to his Web.com season with just one week to recuperate. Gibson will however take confidence that he can compete at this level following a solid 1-under par opening round 71 that included 2 birdies, 1 bogey and 15 pars.