Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – Matt Kuchar notched his third international victory in Singapore … Vincent Whaley earns his best PGA Tour finish … Ollie Schniederjans opens Korn Ferry season with solid finish … more in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

International travel has been fruitful for Matt Kuchar. First, the Georgia Tech All-American helped the United States to a come-from-behind victory in the Presidents Cup in December, draining the clinching putt during his singles match on the final day. Last weekend, he scored a three-stroke victory over Justin Rose in the SMBC Singapore Open to earn the third international victory of his career.

Kuchar, the world number 24, regrouped after his travails at the par-five seventh and staged a grandstand finish with birdies at the 16th and 18th to card a 70 for a three stroke victory over Rose, who picked up four shots on the back nine to sign for a closing 67.

He had taken command of the tournament with a third-round 62 on Saturday, the lowest round shot in the event since it moved to the Sentosa Golf Club in 2005.

Counting his nine victories on the PGA Tour, Kuchar has 16 professional tournament titles in his career and has more than $50 million in career PGA Tour earnings.

PGA TOUR

Stateside last weekend, five former Yellow Jackets competed in The American Express, the first 2020 event in the West Coast swing on the PGA Tour. Chesson Hadley and Vincent Whaley tied for 29^th place with 14-under-par totals of 278, while Cameron Tringale tied for 43^rd place (-12).

The finish was the best for Whaley, who shot three rounds in the 60s, in seven starts in his rookie campaign. The 2017 Tech graduate has made three cuts and made just over $74,000.

Stewart Cink and Richy Werenski, who was making his first start since suffering a broken hand in a car accident last October, both missed the cut, but are back in action this weekend in the Farmers Insurance Open at famed Torrey Pines Golf Club in San Diego, Calif., along with Hadley, Tringale and Whaley.

KORN FERRY TOUR

Ollie Schniederjans enjoyed a solid start to his 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season with a tie for 11^th place at the Great Exuma Classic in the Bahamas. Schniederjans was unable to keep his PGA Tour card after the 2019 campaign after competing on that level for three years. Seth Reeves, who played his rookie year on the PGA Tour last season but also was unable to keep his card, missed the cut last week.

Both players are in the field for the Great Abaco Classic in Nassau, currently in progress.

Five Georgia Tech players have varying degrees of status during the early part of the Korn Ferry schedule. Anders Albertson, as a previous winner on the tour, is fully exempt for 2020 after playing last season on the PGA Tour. J.T. Griffin and Paul Haley II finished one stroke out of the top 40 in the final stage of the qualifying event, while Nicholas Thompson tied for 53^rd. They all have conditional status.

“Get your heart rate up!!” @mdandersonnews https://t.co/jlqv4IHLLy

— Stewart Cink (@stewartcink) January 14, 2020

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  Farmers Insurance Open • January 23-26, 2020 • Torrey Pines Golf Club (South Course) • San Diego, Calif. • Purse: $7,500,000 • FedEx Cup points: 500
• Web.com Tour:  The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic • January 19-22, 2020 • Royal Blue Golf Club • Nassau, Bahamas • Purse: $600,000
• PGA Tour Champions:  Morocco Champions • January 30-February 1, 2020 • Samanah Golf Club • Marrakech, Morocco • Purse: $2,000,000
• Mackenzie Tour:  qualifying schools in United States • March-April, 2020
• PGA Tour China:  Sanya Championship • March 26-29, 2020 • Yalong Bay Golf Club • Sanya, Hainan
• All Pro Tour:  Coke Dr. Pepper Open • March 11-14, 2020 • Oak Wing Golf Club/Links on the Bayou • Alexandria, La.
• SwingThought Tour:  The Club at LaCosta • February 12-13, 2020 • San Diego, Calif.
• G Pro Tour:  South Coast Bank Championship • February 4-6, 2020 • Frederica Golf Club • St. Simons, Ga.