Sept. 25, 2013
THE FLATS – Following victories in its first two fall events, Georgia Tech’s golf team has risen to No. 2 in the Golf World/Nike Golf Division I coaches’ poll. It is the highest ranking for the Yellow Jackets since 2006.
Alabama, which has won seven straight events dating back to last year, retained the No. 1 position by capturing 16 of the 21 first-place votes. Tech received three first-place votes after being ranked No. 4 in the pre-season, and California got the other two.
The Yellow Jackets won the season-opening Carpet Capital Collegiate event Sept. 6-8 by six shots over Georgia, while junior Ollie Schniederjans shared medalist honors for his first collegiate victory. It was Tech’s first victory in that event since 2001, and its seventh in the tournament’s history. Four of Tech’s players, including Richard Werenski, Seth Reeves and Anders Albertson, finished in the top 20.
Tech followed that up the next weekend with a 20-shot win over NC State at the Tar Heel Intercollegiate. Reeves took medalist honors by four strokes and garnered his second collegiate victory, while teammates Werenski, Schniederjans and Albertson finished 2-3-T4.
Tech returns to action Oct. 4-6 at the Brickyard Collegiate in Macon, Ga.
Matteson Fighting to Regain Tour Card
Georgia Tech’s Troy Matteson, who finished outside the PGA Tour’s top 125 in earnings during the regular season, has received new life in the Web.com Tour Finals and is in position to regain his tour card for 2013-14 with a good performance in this weekend’s Web.com Tour Championship.
The four-event Web.com Tour Finals includes the top-75 money winners on the Web.com Tour money list at the conclusion of the Web.com Tour regular season, as well as players who finished 126-200 on the PGA TOUR’s FedExCup points list at the conclusion of the PGA TOUR’s regular season.
PGA Tour cards already have been awarded to the top 25 earners during the Web.com Tour regular season. Former Tech All-American Chesson Hadley finished third in money earned and is assured of gaining a card for 2013-14.
Another 25 cards will go to those players who earn the most cumulative money in the four Finals events. Matteson stands 13th on that list heading into this weekend’s Web.com Tour Championship, which is being held at Dye’s Valley Course at Ponte Vedra, Fla.
Hadley is No. 14 in Finals earnings. If Matteson holds his position among the top 25 after this weekend, Tech is assured of having eight alumni exempt on the PGA Tour for 2013-14, including Hadley, Roberto Castro, Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar, Bryce Molder, Nicholas Thompson and Cameron Tringale.
