Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS –Matt Kuchar scores his 112^th career top-10 finish on a golf course where he has flourished throughout his career … Seth Reeves and the Korn Ferry Tour gets underway in the Bahamas … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

*****

KUCHAR SCORES ANOTHER TOP-10 FINISH

He obviously likes playing Waialae Country Club, having won the event in 2019. Matt Kuchar opened with an uncharacteristic 71, but then got hot and put together rounds of 67-64-66 to tie for seventh place in the Sony Open in Hawai’i last weekend in Honolulu. His 72-hole score was 13-under-par 267.

It was the 112^th career top-10 finish for the 44-year-old PGA Tour veteran, and his first of the 2022-23 season, helping him move up 28 spots to No. 60 in the FedEx Cup standings.

Stewart Cink, who is approaching 50, tied for 21^st place at 11-under-par 269, and Anders Albertson made his first cut since regaining his PGA Tour card, tying for 67^th place at 277 (-3). Chesson Hadley, Paul Haley II and Richy Werenski all made the trip to the islands but did not advance to the weekend.

All of the above minus Kuchar, who remains in Hawai’i, are in the field as the Tour moves to the mainland this weekend for The America Express in LaQuinta, Calif.

PGA Tour Leaderboard

*****

REEVES BEGINS 2023 KORN FERRY SLATE IN THE BAHAMAS

Fresh off his second try at the PGA Tour season, Seth Reeves returns to play on the Korn Ferry Tour, which begins this week with the Great Exuma Classic in the Bahamas.

Reeves had one top-10 finish and win more than $377,000 on the PGA Tour last year, more than his career earnings on the Korn Ferry Tour ($354,319), but finished 177^th in the FedEx Cup points race and was not able to keep his Tour card via the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs.

Reeves has one career win (the 2021 Pinnacle Bank Classic, and five top-10 finishes on the circuit.

Korn Ferry Tour leaderboard

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Seth Reeves (@seth_reeves)

*****

MATT KUCHAR’S HAPPY PLACE

Matt Kuchar hasn’t seen a top 10 since the 2022 RBC Heritage when he finished T3.

But coming to Oahu has generally been a soothing tonic for the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion, and this trip to Waialae was not any different with a T7 after a weekend of 64-66.

Making his 19th appearance at the Sony Open, Kuchar recorded his eighth top 10 with his second consecutive T7 and earnings of over $550,000 over the last two years.

More from SI.com

Among the knowledge dropped from @MarkRolfingGC with us on HTG right now: Sungjae Im spent time in Honolulu around Christmas and played a lot of golf there, while Matt Kuchar spent the past two weeks on the Big Island and is “playing phenomenally.”

— Jason Sobel (@JasonSobelTAN) January 11, 2023

Matt Kuchar closes the Sony Open in Hawaii with a 4-under 66 and is currently T6. He is in search of his eighth top-15 finish in his last 10 starts at the event.

— PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) January 15, 2023

Most strokes gained per round at Waialae Country Club since 2017 (min. 8 rounds)
Matt Kuchar +2.07 (💰)
Corey Conners +1.83
Brendan Steele +1.79
Jordan Spieth +1.78
Webb Simpson +1.68
Hayden Buckley +1.67
Hideki Matsuyama +1.63
Patton Kizzire +1.56 pic.twitter.com/wSHqD7QnSo

— Mark Fox (@ThePluggedLie) January 9, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  The American Express • January 19-22, 2023 • Pete Dye Stadium Course • LaQuinta, Calif. • Purse: $8M • FedEx Cup points: 500
• Korn Ferry Tour:  The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic • January 15-18, 2023 • Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club • Great Exuma, Bahamas • Purse: $1M
• PGA Tour Champions:  Mitsubishi Electric Championship • January 19-21, 2023 • Hualalai Golf Club • Ka’upulehu-Kona, Hawai’i. • Purse: $2M
• PGA Tour Canada:  to be announced
• Asian Tour: Saudi International • February 2-5, 2023 • Royal Greens Golf and Country Club • Saudi Arabia • Purse: $5M
• LIV Golf Series: Mayakoba • February 24-26, 2023 • El Camaleon Golf Club • Riviera Maya, Mexico • Purse: TBA
• G Pro Tour:  St. Simons Open • February 7-9, 2023 • King & Prince Golf Club • St. Simons Island, Ga. • Purse: $66,525

#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

After catching the lip of the bunker on his second, Stewart Cink makes a WILD birdie 3 from the fairway on 16! 😅

📺: Golf Channel and @peacock pic.twitter.com/gnaAOCguXa

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) January 14, 2023

Did @TaylorMadeGolf usher in a new era of customized golf equipment? @ogilviej weighs in on the latest Course Record Show Ep. Link in bio to full episode. Subscribe! #golfBiz #podcast #CRS pic.twitter.com/WidjdoVCiA

— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) January 15, 2023