Nissan #ProJackets Golf Report

June 20, 2017

THE FLATS – Recent Georgia Tech graduates Seth Reeves and James White continue to move up the ladder as spring turns to summer on the Web.com and Mackenzie Tours. Both players are rookies on their respective tours after making it through the qualifying stages.

Reeves moved significantly closer to the top 25 after tying for seventh place in last weekend’s Air Capital Classic in Wichita, Kan., a tournament won last year by his former teammate Ollie Schniederjans. The 2013 Tech graduate earned his second top-10 finish in 12 events after missing three cuts in a row, and moved up to 33rd in Web.com Tour earnings, after opening with career-low 64. It’s been a feast-or-famine type of year for Reeves, with five missed cuts and five finishes of 31st or higher, but he’s only eight spots below the position needed to earn a PGA Tour card.

Two other former Jackets are currently in the top 25. Chesson Hadley opened with a 65 and tied for 19th place at the Air Capital Classic, holding his position at 19th on the Web.com Tour money list. He has posted three top-20 finished in his last four events. Nicholas Thompson missed the cut and slipped to 25th.

Following his opening-round 65 at the 2017 Air Capital Classic, Chesson Hadley is feeling good about the state of his game.

Awesome week at the @AirCapClassic. The game is really close. Got the short game and putter working this week! On to Springfield.

— Chesson Hadley (@chessonhadley) June 18, 2017

White, who earned conditional status this season on the Mackenzie Tour, posted his best finish so far with a tie for seventh place last weekend at the GolfBC Championship in Kelowna, British Columbia. The 2012 Tech graduate fired rounds of 69-70-65-67 to jump from 32nd to 17th on the earnings list after three events. The top five at the end of the season earn Web.com Tour status for 2018, but White is exempt only for the first four events with his tie for 12th finish in the tour’s qualifying school. The Canadian tour takes three weeks off before resuming July 6-9 with the Players Cup.

You can get really good at golf in Kelowna, BC during the summer.. it's light outside from 5am to 10pm near perfect weather. #PassTheSugar

— James White (@JWhite_Golf) June 18, 2017

Matt Kuchar played measurably better each time around the Erin Hills course at last weekend’s U.S. Open, firing rounds of 74-71-70-68 to finish tied for 16th at 5-under-par 283. It didn’t earn him an exemption into next year’s U.S. Open, but it moved him up to 28th in FedEx Cup points, and Kuchar’s continued solid play has him in good position, albeit more than a year away, of making the United States team for the 2018 Ryder Cup for the fifth time.

Meanwhile, Stewart Cink capitalized on his sectional qualifying performance the week earlier and tied for 46th place with a 3-over-par 291 total, enabling him to hold at 47th in the FedEx Cup points standings.

US Ryder Cup team standings after the #USOpen….. pic.twitter.com/t44N0hkyoY

— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) June 20, 2017

Erin Hills is a good test. Distance doesn't = difficulty. 7,800 but soft and calm, players just too good. Design/conditions = difficulty.

— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) June 17, 2017

Neither Cink, who has twice won the Travelers Championship, nor Castro or Kuchar made the trip to Cromwell, Conn., for that event this weekend. But Bryce Molder is back in action along with New England native Richy Werenski, who gave us an inside look at the TPC River Highlands course during his practice round on Tuesday.

Here at the @TravelersChamp …will be posting some content over on @GalvinGreen during my practice round. Follow along! pic.twitter.com/qYX8l9kfbr

— Richy Werenski (@werenskir) June 20, 2017

UPCOMING EVENTS

PGA Tour: Travelers Championship • June 22-25, 2017 • TPC River Highlands • Cromwell, Conn. • Purse: $6,800,000 • FedExCup Points: 500
Web.com Tour: Lincoln Land Charity Championship • June 22-25, 2017 • Panther Creek Country Club • Springfield, Ill. • Purse: $550,000
PGA Tour Champions: American Family Insurance Championship • June 23-25, 2017 • University Ridge Golf Club • Madison, Wis. • Purse: $2,000,000
Mackenzie Tour: Players Cup • July 6-9, 2017 • Pine Ridge Golf Club • Winnepeg, Manitoba • $175,000
PGA Tour China: schedule to be announced
Swing Thought Tour: Grey Stone Golf Club • June 27-30, 2017 • Dickson, Tenn.