Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – Chris Petefish earns second career top-10 finish on Korn Ferry Tour … Andy Ogletree starts 2023 strong with top-10 finish on Asian Tour … Richy Werenski posts best finish in 11 events on the PGA Tour … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

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PETEFISH GRABS TOP-10 FINISH AT PANAMA CHAMPIONSHIP

Chris Petefish was on the verge of grabbing his first Korn Ferry Tour victory last weekend, leading by one shot after a third-round 67, but the former Yellow Jacket star wasn’t able to complete the win, posting a 74 in the final round to tie for eighth place at the Panama Championship.

It was the first 54-hole lead and the second lead of any kind in his career, following a 36-hole lead at last year’s NV3 Invitational where he posted his top finish to date (T-3).

Originally the fourth alternate at deadline, Petefish got into the field following Ryan Blaum’s withdrawal on Monday. He is playing out of the Finishers 76-100 on 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Points List / Additional Qualifying Tournament Finalist category. In his second season on the Korn Ferry Tour, Petefish began the 2022 season with conditional status after a T91 at Final Stage of the 2021 Qualifying Tournament.

Petefish played in only one of the first nine events last season, climbed the priority ranking via reshuffles during the midpoint of the season and finished the year with three top-25 finishes in 14 starts, highlighted by the aforementioned NV5 Invitational presented by Old National Bank. He finished the 2022 season No. 90 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list. He played PGA TOUR Canada from 2018-21, making 17 starts over the four-year span and logging five top-25s, with his best finish being a T5 at the 2019 ATB Financial Classic.

Meanwhile, Seth Reeves rebounded from a withdrawal and a missed cut in the two Korn Ferry Tour events in the Bahamas to tie for 31^st last weekend in Panama.

Korn Ferry Tour leaderboard

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OGLETREE MAKES STRONG 2023 ASIAN TOUR DEBUT

A winner late last year on the Asian Tour, Andy Ogletree made a strong start to 2023 on that tour with a tie for ninth place last weekend in the PIF Saudi International in Saudi Arabia.

The 2019 U.S. Amateur champion earned $105,000 (USD) after shaking off an opening round of 73 with three strong rounds of 65-68-63 for an 11-under-par total of 269. Ogletree will stay in the Middle East for two International Series events coming up in the next two weeks.

Ogletree finished ninth on last year’s International Series Order of Merit, earning $297,337 (USD) over six events, including the victory at the International Series event in Egypt.

Leaderboard

 

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A post shared by Andy Ogletree (@andyogletree)

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OGLETREE PGA TOUR BAN LIFTED

American Andy Ogletree, who was invited to the first LIV Golf event in London, finished last and never played again, was effectively banned for the rest of the year. His agent, Mac Barnhardt, said Ogletree’s suspension was lifted on Jan. 1 and he is free to try and Monday qualify for PGA Tour events or accept sponsor exemptions.

Ogletree, the 2019 U.S. Amateur champion, won the International Series event last year in Egypt and is thus fully exempt this year on the Asian Tour, where he played in the Saudi International this past week and finished ninth.

The restriction on non-PGA Tour members, however, is curious. Understandably, the PGA Tour wants to discourage anyone from going to LIV Golf. And it certainly doesn’t want someone to be able to do both.

More from SI.com

Andy Ogletree played the first LIV event, got banned by the PGA Tour from KFT, Monday Qs etc so is playing Asian Tour. He just came top 10 in Saudi after winning an Int. Series event last year. He copped a lot of stick for coming last at Centurion. Good to see him playing well 👏 pic.twitter.com/jAdaR3SHus

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) February 5, 2023

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WERENSKI PACES JACKETS AT PEBBLE BEACH

Having struggled to make just eight cuts last season and only one so far this year, Richy Werenski was due for some good fortune, and he found it last weekend at one of the cathedrals of golf, Pebble Beach. The former Georgia Tech star tied for 20^th place at the weather-delayed AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, his best finish since the Wyndham Championship last August and only his third top-25 finish in his last 36 events.

Werenski played steady golf over 72 holes, posting rounds of 68-70-71-70 over the tournament’s three-course rotation, and stood tied for ninth place when play was suspended Sunday evening due to darkness. He bogeyed his first two holes when play resumed Monday to fall back to 8-under-par 279.

Paul Haley II also made the cut at 1-under-par 286.

PGA Tour Leaderboard

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  WM Phoenix Open • February 9-12, 2023 • TPC Scottsdale • Scottsdale, Ariz. • Purse: $20M • FedEx Cup points: 500
• Korn Ferry Tour:  Astara Golf Championship • Febuary 9-12, 2023 • Country Club de Bogota-Lagos • Bogota, Colombia • Purse: $1M
• PGA Tour Champions:  Trophy Hassan II • February 9-11, 2023 • Royal Golf Dar Es Salam • Rabat, MAR • Purse: $2M
• PGA Tour Canada:  Qualifying Tournament USA East 1 • February 21-24, 2023 • Weston Hills – Tour Course • Weston, Fla.
• Asian Tour: International Series Oman • February 9-12, 2023 • Al Mouj Golf • Oman • Purse: $2M
• 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

Among those teeing off today was the Pro-Am team of 2023 NCGA President Dave Pearson and pro partner Paul Haley II…the two opened with a 68 at Pebble Beach pic.twitter.com/ucM4iBq90J

— NCGA (@ncga1901) February 3, 2023

Chris Petefish played great on a very hard day with tough conditions. Leads going into the last round! LETS GO!! ⁦@GTGolf⁩ ⁦ pic.twitter.com/04F2PvgAJj

— Course of Action Golf (@jrgolfplanners) February 4, 2023

If I had a kid getting recruited to play college golf I’d scan all their social media feeds and send them to the best team and school that did NOT post private jet pics.

— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) February 4, 2023

Awesome day taping the @AceHardware Shootout benefiting @CMNHospitals at @MaunaKeaGolf with my co-host the super cool @RobRiggle
We’ve had an amazing week. I ran my mouth so much the guys called me out to see if I could break glass. Can’t hold back talent. pic.twitter.com/7wRyM4yfbg

— Charlie Rymer (@CharlieRymerPGA) February 3, 2023

18th tee @MaunaKeaGolf on Big Island with my AWESOME pro-am team. Birdies flying. Whales breaching. Maui in the background. All to raise money for the @CMNHospitals kids. My first time swinging a club since Nov. @AceHardware shootout. Great place to start! pic.twitter.com/pTK9qVeqJb

— Charlie Rymer (@CharlieRymerPGA) January 31, 2023

Even on a cloudy day @MaunaKeaHotel on the Big Island is SPECTACULAR. I’m here to tape the Ace Shootout that airs on @GolfChannel I got to meet @SpudDunks last night. That dude can actually FLY! @CMNHospitals @AceHardware pic.twitter.com/HrP08TkBiS

— Charlie Rymer (@CharlieRymerPGA) January 30, 2023