THE FLATS – Kuchar ties for 16th at Phoenix … Thompson and Griffin earn top-10 finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour … Mize posts strong 2020 debut on Champions Tour … more in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
In his first 2020 event on the mainland, Matt Kuchar played strong golf the entire weekend, posting rounds of 68-70-67-69, to tie for 16th at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, jumping more than 20 positions on the FedEx Cup points list. Kuchar has made four cuts in six Tour events in 2019-20, finishing 14th three times prior to last weekend, and also has a victory at the Singapore Open under his belt.
Meanwhile, Chesson Hadley tied for 59th place on the strength of a pair of 68s on Friday and Saturday, while Cameron Tringale missed his first cut of the 2019-20 season.
Tech will have its largest representation on the PGA Tour in the field this season with the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am at famed Pebble Beach Golf Links this weekend. Roberto Castro makes its 2020 debut, joining Kuchar, Hadley, Tringale, Stewart Cink, David Duval, Richy Werenski and Vincent Whaley are also competing.
KORN FERRY TOUR
Nicholas Thompson and J.T. Griffin turned in encouraging performances last weekend at the Panama Championship, tying for seventh and 10th place, respectively. Both players earned spots in the next event, the Country Club de Bogota Championship this weekend.
Thompson fired a 7-under-par total of 273 and posted his highest finish since last May, when he tied for sixth at the Evans Scholar Invitational. But the 2005 Tech graduate made only 10 cuts in 28 events and was left with conditional status for this year. For Griffin, who shot 6-under-par 274, his finish was the highest since last February. Like Thompson, Griffin was unable to sustain that level of play and made just eight cuts in 17 events.
Meanwhile, Seth Reeves tied for 24th place at Panama, and will join Griffin, Thompson and Paul Haley II in the field in Colombia.
PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS
Larry Mize made his 2020 debut on the Champions Tour and tied for 20th place last weekend at the Morocco Champions in Marrakech, firing a 5-under-par total of 211. Mize is in his 13th season competing on the senior circuit and is getting close to $5 million in career earnings. He has won nearly $13 million in career earnings combined on the Champions and PGA Tours.
ELSEWHERE
James Clark is preparing to compete in one of the five Mackenzie Tour qualifying events in the United States, entered in the USA East 1 qualifier, March 3-6 in Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. Former teammate Chris Petefish has already earned status to play on the Canadian tour this season.
For your Thursday evening cravings… pic.twitter.com/b9NamwySDv
— Stewart Cink (@stewartcink) January 30, 2020
I have been to Pebble Beach at least a dozen times but never made the drive to Big Sur. I did it this morning to take a break from the links and spend some time with my wife. It was stunning and it should be a bucket list item for everyone. pic.twitter.com/62qJl27yHo
— Chesson Hadley (@chessonhadley) February 3, 2020
UPCOMING EVENTS
- PGA Tour: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am • February 6-9, 2020 • Pebble Beach Golf Links • Pebble Beach, Calif. • Purse: $7,800,000 • FedEx Cup points: 500
- Web.com Tour: Country Club de Bogota Championship • February 6-9, 2020 • Country Club de Bogota-Lagos • Bogota, Colombia • Purse: $700,000
- PGA Tour Champions: Chubb Classic • February 14-16, 2020 • The Classic at Lely Resort • Naples, Fla. • Purse: $1,600,000
- 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.
PLAYER PLAYER LAST WEEK DATA ANDERS ALBERTSON
Hometown: Woodstock, Ga.
Turned pro: 2015
Years at Georgia Tech: 2011-15
Status: PGA TourDid not play FedEx Cup points ranking: 236
YTD earnings: $8,760
KFT points ranking: 126
YTD earnings (KFT): $14,525
Career earnings (PGAT): $556,905
Career earnings (KFT): $929,956 STEWART CINK
Hometown: Florence, Ala.
Residence: Duluth, Ga.
Turned pro: 1995
Years at Georgia Tech: 1991-95
Status: PGA Tour/PGA Tour ChampionsPGA Tour Champions
The Ally Challenge
WonSchwab Cup points ranking: 19
YTD Earnings (Champions): $144,315
Career earnings (Champions): $787,185
FedEx Cup points ranking: 171
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $273,786
Career earnings (PGA Tour): $43,800,650 WILL DICKSON
Hometown: Providence, R.I.
Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2021
Years at Georgia Tech: 2017-21
Status: Developmental toursDid not play GPro Points ranking: 20
YTD Earnings (GPro): $4,797
Career earnings (GPro): $59,704
Points ranking (KFT): 193
YTD earnings (KFT): $4,538
Points ranking (FET): 154
YTD earnings (FET): $2,571 DAVID DUVAL
Hometown: Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Residence: Denver, Colo.
Turned pro: 1993
Years at Georgia Tech: 1989-93
Status: PGA Tour ChampionsPGA Tour Champions
The Ally Challenge
T-5Schwab Cup Points ranking: 47
YTD earnings (Champions): $251,181
Career earnings (Champions): $545,141
Career earnings (PGAT): $18,983,931 J.T. GRIFFIN
Hometown: Wilson, N.C.
Residence: Marietta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2011
Years at Georgia Tech: 2007-11
Status: Korn Ferry TourDid not play Fortinet Cup points: n/a
YTD earnings (Canada): n/a
Career earnings (Canada): $29,836
Career earnings (KFT): $187,056 CHESSON HADLEY
Hometown: Raleigh, N.C.
Turned pro: 2010
Years at Georgia Tech: 2006-10
Status: PGA TourDid not play FedEx Cup points ranking: 136
YTD earnings: $515,103
Career earnings: $12,239,163 SHUN YAT HAK
Hometown: Hong Kong
Turned pro: 2013
Years at Georgia Tech: 2012-13
Status: PGA Tour ChinaDid not play Fortinet Cup points: n/a
YTD earnings: n/a
Career earnings: ¥251,305 PAUL HALEY II
Hometown: Dallas, Texas
Turned pro: 2011
Years at Georgia Tech: 2007-11
Status: PGA TourDid not play FedEx Cup points: 204
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $9,160
KFT points ranking: 203
YTD earnings (KFT): $9,160
Career earnings (PGAT): $837,353
Career earnings (KFT): $1,098,205 CONNOR HOWE
Hometown: Ogden, Utah
Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2023
Years at Georgia Tech: 2018-23
Status: PGA Tour CanadaDid not play KFT points ranking: 159
YTD earnings (KFT): $32,406
Fortinet Cup points ranking: n/a
YTD earnings (Canada): $n/a MATT KUCHAR
Hometown:
Lake Mary, Fla.
Residence: Sea Island, Ga.
Turned pro: 2000
Years at Georgia Tech: 1997-2000
Status: PGA TourDid not play FedEx Cup points ranking: 103
YTD earnings: $1,028,556
Career earnings (PGAT): $59,787,247 CHRISTO LAMPRECHT
Hometown: George, South Africa
Turned pro: 2024
Years at Georgia Tech: 2000-24
Status: Korn Ferry TourKorn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open
missed cutKFT points ranking: 138
YTD earnings: $32,300
Career earnings (KFT): $32,300 ANDY MAO
Hometown: Johns Creek, Ga.
Turned pro: 2024
Years at Georgia Tech: 2020-24
Status: developmental toursDid not play GPro points ranking: 95
YTD earnings: $1,215 LARRY MIZE
Residence: Columbus, Ga.
Turned pro: 1980
Years at Georgia Tech: 1975-79
Status: PGA Tour ChampionsDid not play Schwab Cup points ranking: 112
YTD earnings: $10,863
Career earnings (Champions): $5,166,866
Career earnings (PGAT): $7,947,092 ANDY OGLETREE
Hometown: Little Rock, Miss.
Residence: Roswell, Ga.
Turned pro: 2020
Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-20
Status: Asian TourDid not play LIV standings: 33
YTD earnings (LIV): $1,897,317
Order of Merit (Asian Tour): 52
YTD earnings (Asian Tour): $20,300
Career earnings (LIV): $2,724,375 CHRIS PETEFISH
Hometown: Danville, Calif.
Turned pro: 2018
Years at Georgia Tech: 2014-18
Status: Korn Ferry TourDid not play KFT Points ranking: 162
YTD earnings (KFT): $20,239
Career earnings (KFT): $342,455
Career earnings (PGA Tour Canada): $21,118 SETH REEVES
Hometown: Duluth, Ga.
Turned pro: 2014
Years at Georgia Tech: 2010-14
Status: Korn Ferry TourKorn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open
T-4KFT points ranking: 37
YTD earnings (KFT): $154,619
Career earnings (PGAT): $649,622
Career earnings (KFT): $780,736 LUKE SCHNIEDERJANS
Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga.
Residence: Alpharetta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2020
Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-20
Status: MacKenzie Tour/Forme TourDid not play Fortinet Cup points: 121
YTD earnings (Americas): $4,736
Career earnings (Canada): $46,844 OLLIE SCHNIEDERJANS
Hometown: Powder Springs, Ga.
Turned pro: 2015
Years at Georgia Tech: 2011-15
Status: Korn Ferry TourKorn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open
missed cutKFT Points ranking: 101
YTD earnings: $70,649
Career earnings (KFT): $636,359
Career earnings (PGAT): $3,879,653 BEN SMITH
Hometown: Novi, Mich.
Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2022
Years at Georgia Tech: 2018-22
Status: developmental toursDid not play GPro points ranking: 36
YTD earnings: $4,490 ROSS STEELMAN
Hometown: Columbia, Mo.
Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2023
Years at Georgia Tech: 2021-23
Status: Korn Ferry TourKorn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open
T-19KFT points ranking: 45
YTD earnings (KFT): $145,141
Career earnings (KFT): $169,262 TYLER STRAFACI
Hometown: Davie, Fla.
Residence: Davie, Fla.
Turned pro: 2020
Years at Georgia Tech: 2016-20
Status: noneDid not play Fortinet Cup points: 219
YTD earnings (Canada): $789
Career earnings (PGAT Americas): $45,681
YTD earnings (GPro Tour): $1,112
Career earnings (PGA Tour): $21,111
Career earnings (Canada): $12,970 CAMERON TRINGALE
Hometown: Laguna Niguel, Calif.
Turned pro: 2009
Years at Georgia Tech: 2005-09
Status: LIV Golf/Asian TourDid not play LIV standings: 26
YTD Earnings (LIV): $2,169,975
YTD earnings (Asian Tour): n/a
Career earnings (LIV): $8,550,825
Career earnings (PGAT): $17,310,004 RICHY WERENSKI
Hometown: South Hadley, Mass.
Turned pro: 2014
Years at Georgia Tech: 2011-14
Status: Korn Ferry TourKorn Ferry Tour
Albertsons Boise Open
T-36FedEx Cup points ranking: n/a
KFT points ranking: 54
YTD earnings (KFT): $65,960
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $57,000
Career earnings (KFT): $560,426
Career earnings (PGAT): $6,765,035 VINCENT WHALEY
Hometown: McKinney, Texas
Residence: Alpharetta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2017
Years at Georgia Tech: 2013-17
Status: PGA TourDid not play FedEx Cup points ranking: 121
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $282,284
Career earnings (PGA Tour): $2,928,093
KFT points ranking: 107
YTD earnings (KFT): $206,369
Career earnings (KFT): $350,642