Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – Yellow Jackets Stewart Cink, Paul Haley II and Matt Kuchar, tee it up at the U.S. Open this week in Los Angeles … Ross Steelman and Connor Howe make their professional debuts this week on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Canada … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

*****

TECH HAS THREESOME IN U.S. OPEN IN L.A.

Three former Yellow Jackets head to Los Angeles this week for the 123rd U.S. Open, which will take place Thursday through Sunday at the Los Angeles Country Club. Veterans PGA Tour pros Stewart Cink and Matt Kuchar have each played in the U.S. Open 20 times or more in their careers, while Paul Haley II will make the first appearance of his 11-year professional career.

Cink, who turned 50 in May, qualified for the U.S. Open by shooting 68-67 at The Lakes Golf and Country Club and Brookside Golf and Country Club in Columbus, Ohio on June 5. The PGA Tour veteran has enjoyed a renaissance with two victories coming at the age of 47, the latest being his triumph at Harbour Town Golf Links (RBC Heritage) in 2021. It was the Georgia Tech alum’s third triumph on the venerable Hilton Head, S.C., layout. In the fall of 2020, Cink won for the first time in 11 years at the Safeway Open, edging Harry Higgs by two strokes. Both wins came with son, Reagan, on his bag. Cink broke the hearts of many when he defeated sentimental favorite Tom Watson in a three-hole playoff at the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry. It was his first major championship. Cink had his own heartbreak in the 2001 U.S. Open at Southern Hills Country Club when he missed a short putt on the 72nd hole. He didn’t know it at the time, but it would have earned him a spot in Monday’s 18-hole playoff with Mark Brooks and eventual champion Retief Goosen. Goosen missed a short par putt on No. 18 to win the title in regulation. This will be Cink’s 23rd U.S. Open start. He has represented the United States in four Presidents Cups and five Ryder Cups.

Haley II qualified for his first U.S. Open by shooting 63-69 at Northwood Club and Bent Tree Country Club in Dallas, Texas, on May 22. The 35-year-old Haley starred at Georgia Tech, where he won the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference title before turning professional. Both of his professional victories have come on the Korn Ferry Tour: the 2012 Chile Classic and the 2022 Memorial Health Championship.

Kuchar qualified for the U.S. Open through his top 60 standing in the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 22, which was No. 51 last week. Kuchar will make his 20th U.S. Open start after getting inside the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 22. The 44-year-old owns nine PGA Tour victories, the last coming in the 2019 Sony Open in Hawaii. He also won the 2012 Players Championship. Kuchar won the 1997 U.S. Amateur at Cog Hill outside of Chicago and then proceeded to earn low-amateur honors in the 1998 Masters and U.S. Open at The Olympic Club, tying for 14th in the latter. His best U.S. Open finish is a tie for sixth in 2010 at Pebble Beach. He also was the runner-up in the 2017 Open Championship and he shared third in the 2012 Masters. A graduate of Georgia Tech, Kuchar represented the USA in the 1999 Walker Cup Match and on the 1998 USA World Amateur Team. He also competed in the 1998 and 1999 Palmer Cups. He’s represented the U.S. in four Ryder Cups and five Presidents Cups. Kuchar’s wife, Sybi, played tennis at Georgia Tech, and their 15-year-old son Cameron is an up-and-coming golfer who advanced out of U.S. Open local qualifying this year.

Official site of the U.S. Open

.@stewartcink just turned 50, but he still has MAJOR game.

His secret weapon? His wife on the bag! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/3oD5qcoWft

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 5, 2023

*****

FOUR JACKETS PLAY THE WEEKEND AT THE RBC CANADIAN OPEN

Matt Kuchar led a five-player Georgia Tech contingent last weekend at the RBC Canadian Open with a tie for 20^th place, posting an 8-under-par total of 20 at Oakdale Country Club in Toronto. The 23-year veteran of pro golf continued to enjoy a solid year and sits No. 50 in the FedEx Cup points standings, highest among the Yellow Jackets, and is No. 51 in the Official World Golf Ranking, earning him a spot in this week’s U.S. Open.

Chesson Hadley fired an opening 5-under-par 67 to share the first-round lead, and finished in a tie for 43^rd at 4-under-par 284. Richy Werenski tied for 65^th at even-par 288, while Vincent Whaley, recently back from a six-month layoff due to a wrist injury, tied for 72^nd at 290 (+2). Only Paul Haley II, who qualified for the U.S. Open this week, missed the cut.

Leaderboard

*****

STEELMAN MAKING PROFESSIONAL ON KORN FERRY TOUR

Ross Steelman, who finished as the runner-up individually and led Georgia Tech to a runner-up finish as a team, makes his professional debut this week on the Korn Ferry Tour in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open.

Steelman was voted a second-team All-America in the spring and also made the All-ACC team, and finished ranked No. 5 in the final Golfstat national collegiate rankings. He also was No. 4 in the final PGA Tour University ranking, which carried with it full exempt status on the Korn Ferry Tour and a pass to the final stage of PGA Tour qualifying school in November.

The Columbia, Mo., native joins another former Tech player continuing to make a comeback from double-hip surgery, Ollie Schniederjans, who returned to competition for the Korn Ferry Tour’s Club Car Championship in Savannah back in March but has not played since. He is in the field on a medical exemption.

Full field

That winning moment 🏆@GTGolf | #ACCMGOLF pic.twitter.com/yO5s60evbD

— The ACC (@theACC) April 24, 2023

*****

HOWE MAKING PROFESSIONAL DEBUT IN CANADA

Four Yellow Jackets have traveled north of the border to begin the 2023 season of PGA Tour Canada this week, including Connor Howe, who graduated in May and is making his professional debut this week at the Royal Beach Canadian Open in Victoria, British Columbia.

Howe earned All-ACC and honorable mention All-America honors last spring in helping Georgia Tech win the ACC Championship and runner-up at the NCAA Championship. He earned full status on PGA Tour Canada after tying for eighth at a U.S.-based qualifier in Alabama in April, then finished No. 18 in the final PGA Tour University Rankings. He also has an exemption to the second stage of PGA Tour qualifying school in November.

He joins J.T. Griffin, Luke Schniederjans and Tyler Strafaci in the field at British Columbia. All three finished in the top 60 of the Fortinet Cup rankings last year and return with full status.

Full field

.@GTGolf‘s Connor Howe with an impressive birdie to go 3 ⬆️! #NCAAGolf

📺: Golf Channel & @Peacock pic.twitter.com/oJJT2V0oTO

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 31, 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  U.S. Open • June 15-18, 2023 • Los Angeles Country Club • Los Angeles, Calif. • Purse: $9M • FedEx Cup points: 550
• Korn Ferry Tour:  Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas Wichita Open • June 15-18, 2023 • Crestview Country Club • Wichita, Kan. • Purse: $1M
• PGA Tour Champions:  Dick’s Sporting Good Open • June 23-25, 2023 • En-Joie Golf Club • Endicott, N.Y. • Purse: $2.1M
• PGA Tour Canada:  Royal Beach Victoria Open • June 15-18, 2023 • Uplands Golf Club • Victoria, British Columbia
• Asian Tour:  International Series England • August 17-20, 2023 • Colt House • United Kingdom • Purse: $2M
• LIV Golf Series: Valderrama, Spain • June 30-July 2, 2023 • Real Club Valderrama • Valderrama, Spain • Purse: $25M
• G Pro Tour:  Colonial Classic • June 13-15, 2023 • Colonial Country Club • Thomasville, N.C. • Purse: $66,525

#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Cameron Tringale (@camtring)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Seth Reeves (@seth_reeves)