Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – Andy Ogletree captured his second International Series event with victory in Qatar and moved to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit … Matt Kuchar and Tiger Woods share dad talk … Stewart Cink had a clear view of the streaker in Phoenix … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

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OGLETREE CAPTURES SECOND INTERNATIONAL SERIES TITLE

American Andy Ogletree became the first player to win two International Series events when he recorded a convincing victory Sunday in the US$2.5 million International Series Qatar, at Doha Golf Club.

The impressive 24-year old from Mississippi closed with a one-over-par 73 to finish on seven under and win by three shots from Thailand’s Gunn Charoenkul, who fired a 68, helped by an eagle on the par-five 18th.

Ogletree, who won the International Series Egypt in November and has two wins in just nine starts on the Asian Tour, started the day with a five-shot lead and was never really challenged, when for the fourth day in a row strong winds were unrelenting.

At the turn his lead was six and while a double bogey on hole 10, where he was unable to get up and down after an errant second shot went long and left, briefly offered some hope to his pursuers, he proceeded to steady the ship with seven pars and a birdie on the last.

“I think it just comes from all the work that I’ve put in,” said Ogletree, who won US$450,000.

“I’ve worked really hard this offseason post Egypt, and just have a lot of confidence because I work so hard. I don’t think anyone wants it more than me. I want to keep giving myself more opportunities and this is the route that I can do that. So, I’m really focused, and trying to win the Order of Merit out here is my number one goal this year, and that’s all I’m really focused on. And you got to win to do that, so this feels great.”

Ogletree moved to the top of the Asian Tour Order of Merit (OOM) and International Series OOM thanks to an outstanding start to the season. He finished ninth in the season-opening PIF Saudi International powered by SoftBank Investment Advisers and tied for seventh in last week’s International Series Oman.

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OGLETREE FINDS A HOME ON THE ASIAN TOUR AFTER PGA TOUR SUSPENSION

The distance Andy Ogletree has traveled the last year, both physically and metaphorically, is impossible to ignore.

There were dark times when injury and providence left him questioning everything about his future.

“I’d just missed the cut at a mini-tour event and had a Monday qualifier scheduled and withdrew. I was tired of it. I want to play in a tournament that matters, against good players,” Ogletree recalled. “I went from playing in the Masters with Tiger Woods to a mini-tour event in middle-of-nowhere Louisiana in a Comfort Inn with gross red carpet.”

Late Sunday as he gazed out at the Persian Gulf from his room at the posh Intercontinental Doha, the juxtaposition wasn’t lost on the 24-year-old Georgia Tech alum.

“It’s crazy to think about all that’s gone on the last year, it’s kind of been a rollercoaster ride. I don’t know where to begin,” he said from Qatar following his three-shot victory at the Asian Tour’s International Series event.

By way of backstory, Ogletree’s path began with his victory at the 2019 U.S. Amateur, which earned him a spot in the field at the ’20 Masters where, playing alongside Woods, he finished tied for 34th to claim low-amateur honors. Everything seemed to unravel after that.

There was a torn labrum in his left hip followed by back issues, and his game suffered with every medical set back. Hobbled by injury, he literally limped to a tie for 115th at the 2021 Korn Ferry Tour Q-School.

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KUCHAR AND WOODS SHARE DAD TALK

Tiger Woods did briefly peel back the game face on Tuesday for a charming conversation with Matt Kuchar about their two golf-mad sons, Charlie and Cam, who recently played a round together. Dad Content loading …

OK, so Kuchar has always sort of given off dad vibes, no matter his age or competitive state. For Woods, however, it’s been a more recent (and welcome) development. There was a time when he was the most steely, intimidating competitor on earth not named Michael Jordan. That fire is still there, but now it’s softened by him dropping dad dimes like “Anytime you got your kids playing, that’s what you want them to be doing” and a finely honed faux “EXCUSE ME!?” when Kuchar mentions Cam is competing in a Honda Classic pre-qualifier this week (he’s 12 by the way). Kuchar also gets in the mix by using “hook up” to mean “meet up.” Positively electric dad stuff.

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One big family out here.@TigerWoods and Matt Kuchar’s sons teed it up together and had the best time ever. pic.twitter.com/xs05zbfBz0

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 15, 2023

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KUCHARS ARE EVERYWHERE

Matt Kuchar shot a 66 on Day 1 at Riviera to sit five under and just two back of the lead and is tied with two-time major winner Collin Morikawa and Harris English. On the other side of the country, his son, Cameron, tried to pre-qualify for the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic.

He’s only 15, so his three-over 75 was very respectable. Kuchar and his wife, Sybi, who was a college tennis player at Georgia Tech, have another son, Carson, who is competing in a tennis tournament on the weekend.

“Yeah, they finally hit that age [when they can’t travel to PGA Tour with dad]; I knew it was coming,” Kuchar said Thursday. “The youngest has a tennis tournament this weekend. My oldest is trying to pre-qual right now for Honda. I’m excited for him. He’s turned into my little training buddy at home. Doing great, playing really good golf, has all sorts of potential, seen him shoot really low scores.”

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Notable risers in the Official World Golf Rankings after The Genesis Invitational:

Jon Rahm 3rd→1st
Max Homa 12th→8th
Keith Mitchell 56th→44th
Jason Day 57th→46th
Matt Kuchar 85th→65th
Gary Woodland 111th→96th

— Underdog Golf (@Underdog__Golf) February 20, 2023

Fast start for Matt Kuchar @TheGenesisInv 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1ZsAfycurN

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 16, 2023

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CINK WAS ON THE TEE FOR THE STREAKER IN ARIZONA

Stewart Cink, who was supposed to tee off at the 16th hole when the performance began, was confused at first when the crowd began to get louder than usual.

“I saw an idiot, is what I saw, running around on the green. I think, for the 10 or 15 minutes he got in the spotlight is probably going to result in several hours of whatever the opposite of the spotlight is,” Cink said.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  Honda Classic • February 23-26, 2023 • PGA National • Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. • Purse: $8.4M • FedEx Cup points: 500
• Korn Ferry Tour:  Club Car Championship • March 23-26, 2023 • The Landings Golf & Athletic Club • Savannah, Ga. • Purse: $1M
• PGA Tour Champions:  Cologuard Classic • March 3-5, 2023 • Omni Tucson National • Tucson, Ariz. • Purse: $2.2M
• 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:  Augusta Open • March 22-24, 2023 • Bartram Trail • Evans, Ga. • Purse: $66,525

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