THE FLATS – Andy Ogletree clinched the Order of Merit title on The Asian Tour International Series, securing 2024 LIV Golf spot … Stewart Cink, Vincent Whaley score top-10 finishes in Bermuda … Roberto Castro involved in bringing new TGL golf league to market … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
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OGLETREE CONFIRMED AS INTERNATIONAL SERIES ORDER OF MERIT CHAMPION
Andy Ogletree has been confirmed as The International Series Order of Merit champion for the 2023 season, after his final round at the Hong Kong Open secured the finish needed to wrap up the season-long race with one event to play, and claim that coveted place on next season’s LIV Golf League.
The impressive American golfer held a significant lead over nearest challengers David Puig of Spain and Zimbabwe’s Kieran Vincent going into the Hong Kong Open, and the 25-year-old knew the title would be secured barring any disasters, with one of his rivals realistically having to win outright at the Hong Kong Golf Club to stand any chance.
In the end, Ogletree carded a final-round 69 for a -12 total, level with International Series Singapore champion Puig who shot a final round 68, while Vincent ultimately finished five strokes further back on seven under after a five-under round of 65.
Ogletree, a winner of The International Series events in Qatar and England this season, has now secured a spot on the lucrative LIV Golf League next season as Order of Merit champion, following in the footsteps of Scott Vincent, last year’s overall champion.
He said: “It’s awesome! I am so excited to win the Order of Merit. It’s been a lot of hard work this year and a lot of great golf has gone into this. I just want to thank everyone that’s gotten me to this point: the Asian Tour for all that they’ve done, and my team back home for allowing me to play the way I’ve played this year. I couldn’t be more excited, and I can’t wait to play LIV next year.
“I’ll definitely play a few events on The International Series along with all the LIV events that I’m going to play, so next year should be a great year and I just can’t wait to get started.”
Andy Ogletree is the International Series order of merit champion! 🏆
He qualifies for LIV Golf in 2024 👏#LIVGolf pic.twitter.com/p3HtBVGIAy
— LIV Golf (@livgolf_league) November 12, 2023
It’s official!📢@andy_ogletree is the 2023 International Series Order of Merit champion!👏
He earns a full-time spot in the 2024 @livgolf_league season. 🙌🤩
Read more 👇#LIVGolf #InternationalSeries #whereitsAT
— Asian Tour (@asiantourgolf) November 12, 2023
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CINK, WHALEY EARN TOP-10 FINISHES IN BERMUDA
Needing to make significant moves to retain PGA Tour playing privileges for 2024, former Yellow Jackets Stewart Cink and Vincent Whaley each earned top-10 finishes last weekend at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship. But they have still have plenty of ground to make up when they tee it up at the Tour’s final event this weekend, The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Ga.
Whaley started out by posting the lowest round of his PGA Tour career, a 63, while Cink shot 64 on Thursday, but while they continued to play well over the weekend, they were unable to keep pace with eventual winner Camilo Villegas, who shot 24-under-par to win. Cink finished in seventh place at 18-under-par 266, while Whaley tied for seventh at 17-under-par 267. Richy Werenski made the cut but tied for 69th at 6-under-par 278.
Entering the final event, Cink is No. 152 in the FedEx Cup points list, while Werenski is No. 155 and Whaley is No. 160. Paul Haley II, who missed the cut, is No. 148. The top 125 after The RSM Classic will have full status on the PGA Tour for 2024.
Chesson Hadley, who rose to No. 104 with a strong performance at the Worldwide Technology Championship two weeks ago, did not play in Bermuda but will tee it up this weekend along with Matt Kuchar (No. 52) and the other four.
Butterfield Bermuda Championship leaderboard
#PROJACKETS
Big day for @Vincewhaley at the @ButterfieldBdaChamp – Opening-round 63 including this birdie.https://t.co/gYjWEPzXlS— Georgia Tech Golf (@GTGolf) November 9, 2023
From one shot outside the cutline to one shot inside of it.@WerenskiR holes it for eagle from the bunker to possibly secure a weekend tee time @Bermuda_Champ. pic.twitter.com/YwTFAFvbxn
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 10, 2023
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OGLETREE DISCUSSES RETURN TO LIV GOLF
Andy Ogletree has revealed he has held conversations with a group of LIV Golf teams, with the American star set to make his permanent return after initially being dumped from the circuit after just one event.
Ogletree has been the man to catch on the Asian Tour’s International Series so far this year, and this is set to earn him a spot back on the LIV setup in 2024. The American heads to the Hong Kong Open this week having all-but confirmed his Saudi league comeback, and ahead of the event talked up his future.
Revealing he has already been in contact with some of LIV Golf’s 12 teams, Ogletree said: “I’ve been in conversations with a couple of different teams, so, I’m trying to figure out which team fits best for me.
“And my conversations have been more about which team I’m going to be on, not so much of the movement of everything. You know, it’s a really exciting time for me, and it’s going to be a really big decision for me going forward of which team that I want to be on.
“Hopefully, I’ll be on that team for a long time. I look at it like a college golf choice. Which team do you want to be on? Which team do you see yourself with and which team gives you the best chance of playing the best golf? It’s super exciting. I’ve definitely been pretty busy the last couple of weeks, even though I’m trying to win a golf tournament.”
Andy Ogletree on earning his way back onto LIV for the 2024 season via the Asian Tour:
“I can’t wait, you know, getting a taste of it early on in the first tournament, I kind of thought going into LIV London that it wouldn’t be my only event last year and I would play at least… pic.twitter.com/PMS6zDZS9K
— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) November 12, 2023
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KUCHAR MASTERING THE FLAT STICK
Everyone hates to three putt. For some people, avoiding a hat-trick of putts on one hole for their entire round can be as pleasing as making a single birdie.
But however healthy your relationship with the putter is, you know the less you use it, the better you score. And in the professional game, scoring low via a lack of putter use can make you a whole lot of money. Just ask Matt Kuchar, who has made almost $60 million across his long career.
The PGA Tour’s leading money winner in 2010, Kuchar has just risen to the top of the pile in a key stat with the flat stick. According to PGA Tour records, Kuchar has now gone 212 consecutive holes without three-putting – up to and including the recent World Wide Technology Championship where the American carded a round-wrecking quadruple bogey.
Despite allowing a six-shot lead to slip through his fingers during the penultimate round at the Tiger Woods designed El Cardonal Golf Course at Diamante, Kuchar maintained his composure with the shortest club in his bag and finished just two shots behind emotional winner, Erik van Rooyen in Los Cabos, Mexico.
Regardless of that hiccup, Kuchar moved ahead of LIV Golfer Cameron Smith – who has long been known as one of the best putters in the world – in the no-three-putts table. Rather extraordinarily, Smith had been leading that particular category with a mammoth 205 holes in a row – a sequence that had kept him top on the PGA Tour’s list despite having last played a sanctioned event there in August 2022.
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HOW IS ROBERTO CASTRO INVOLVED IN NEW TGL GOLF LEAGUE?
Cameron Young slides a driver from his bag. He stares at a hole referred to as Texas Hill Country. It’s new to him—a par 4 with sand hazards and rough to avoid. The 26-year-old is in the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking, but he’s not sure how to proceed. He turns to his companion, former pro Roberto Castro. “What’s going on here?” Young asks.
Castro consults with their caddie and reports, “It’s 312 to that bunker there.”
Young makes clean contact. The ball lofts skyward.
But there’s no sky above him. On this steamy day in late October, Young is in an air-conditioned soundstage on the back lot of Universal Studios in Orlando, Florida. The building once hosted Nickelodeon TV shows. The “caddie” Castro consulted is virtual—it lives on a 15-inch tablet. The tee is on a patch of natural grass the width of a large mattress. It sits atop wooden pallets on a concrete floor.
Great read. Cool to be a small part of the CapTech team working on a BIG project. @CapTech_Tweets @TGL https://t.co/TrcwmleNnV
— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) November 9, 2023
UPCOMING EVENTS
- PGA Tour: The RSM Classic • November 16-19, 2023 • Sea Island Golf Club (Seaside Course) • St. Simons Island, Ga. • Purse: $8.4M • FedEx Cup points: 500
- Korn Ferry Tour: season concluded
- PGA Tour Champions: season concluded
- PGA Tour Canada: season concluded
- Asian Tour/International Series: BNI Indonesian Masters • November 16-19, 2023 • Royal Jakarta Golf Club • Indonesia • Purse: $1.5M
- LIV Golf Series: season concluded
- G Pro Tour: Mimosa Challenge • November 7-9, 2023 • Mimosa Hills Golf & Country Club • Morganton, N.C. • Purse: $66,525
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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: 239
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 ChampionsDid not play Schwab Cup points ranking: 9
YTD Earnings (Champions): $1,258,156
Career earnings (Champions): $1,726,795
FedEx Cup points ranking: 173
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $378,476
Career earnings (PGA Tour): $43,905,340 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 ChampionsDid not play Schwab Cup Points ranking: 61
YTD earnings (Champions): $356,865
Career earnings (Champions): $650,155
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: 143
YTD earnings: $628,066
Career earnings: $12,352,126 SHUN YAT HAK
Hometown: Hong Kong
Turned pro: 2013
Years at Georgia Tech: 2012-13
Status: PGA Tour ChinaDid not play GPro Tour points ranking: n/a 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: 109
YTD earnings: $1,469,667
Career earnings (PGAT): $60,228,357 CHRISTO LAMPRECHT
Hometown: George, South Africa
Turned pro: 2024
Years at Georgia Tech: 2000-24
Status: Korn Ferry TourDid not play KFT points ranking: 140
YTD earnings: $42,504
Career earnings (KFT): $42,504 ANDY MAO
Hometown: Johns Creek, Ga.
Turned pro: 2024
Years at Georgia Tech: 2020-24
Status: developmental toursDid not play GPro points ranking: 72
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: 34
YTD earnings (LIV): $2,432,833
Order of Merit (Asian Tour): 52
YTD earnings (Asian Tour): $20,300
Career earnings (LIV): $3,543,875 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 TourDid not play KFT points ranking: 43
YTD earnings (KFT): $227,620
Career earnings (PGAT): $233,065
Career earnings (KFT): $859,183 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 TourDid not play KFT Points ranking: 100
YTD earnings: $85,403
Career earnings (KFT): $651,113
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: 39
YTD earnings: $6,976 ROSS STEELMAN
Hometown: Columbia, Mo.
Residence: Atlanta, Ga.
Turned pro: 2023
Years at Georgia Tech: 2021-23
Status: Korn Ferry TourDid not play KFT points ranking: 56
YTD earnings (KFT): $172,746
Career earnings (KFT): $196,867 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: 28
YTD Earnings (LIV): $2,727,625
YTD earnings (Asian Tour): n/a
Career earnings (LIV): $9,599,325
Career earnings (PGAT): $17,310,004 RICHY WERENSKI
Hometown: South Hadley, Mass.
Turned pro: 2014
Years at Georgia Tech: 2011-14
Status: Korn Ferry TourDid not play KFT points ranking: 55
YTD earnings (KFT): $65,960
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $57,000
Career earnings (KFT): $632,504
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: 103
YTD earnings (PGA Tour): $1,474,033
Career earnings (PGA Tour): $4,119,842
KFT points ranking: 107
YTD earnings (KFT): $206,369
Career earnings (KFT): $350,642