Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – David Duval remembers his dominant win at Kapalua in 1999 … Andy Ogletree calls his 2023 a “perfect year” … Chris Petefish, Ross Steelman guaranteed 12 starts on Korn Ferry Tour in 2024 … Stewart Cink remains eligible for PGA Tour starts … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

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DAVID DUVAL LOOKS BACK ON HIS DOMINANT 1999 WIN AT KAPALUA

Editor’s note: In 1999, the PGA TOUR moved its tournament designed for the previous year’s champions – the Mercedes Championships – from California’s La Costa Resort and Spa to the Plantation Course at Kapalua in Hawaii. David Duval won four 1998 tournaments, earning him the right to play in that inaugural Kapalua tournament. A current member of PGA TOUR Champions, Duval fondly remembers that week when he simply dominated the field.

At La Costa Resort and Spa in 1998, I was a stroke behind Phil Mickelson going into the final round of what was then called the Mercedes Championships (now The Sentry) – a 30-player field for winners from the previous season. I didn’t play well on the last day, shooting a 1-over 73 and dropping into a tie for sixth. I never had a chance for a do-over at La Costa as the TOUR moved the 1999 Mercedes Championships to The Plantation Course at Kapalua in Maui.

I arrived in Hawaii having never played the course before. I had never even seen it, but everything about my first visit to Kapalua was memorable, from my week-long stay at The Ritz-Carlton Maui to the incredible Hawaii weather and how welcoming all the fans and volunteers were.

#PROJACKETS@david59duval remembers his dominant nine-stroke win at Kapalua in 1999. https://t.co/t47f1pD20j

— Georgia Tech Golf (@GTGolf) January 2, 2024

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OGLETREE DESCRIBES 2023 AS “PERFECT YEAR”

The only time Andy Ogletree struggled throughout his triumphant 2023 Asian Tour season, was when he had to pop open a celebratory champagne bottle at the end of the Hong Kong Open.

Probably, it was the excitement of achieving the number one objective Ogletree and his team had set at the start of the year. By making the cut at the Hong Kong Golf Club, the 25-year-old American secured the Order of Merit crown on The International Series with one event remaining, which earned him a card on the 2024 LIV Golf season, and soon after he wrapped up the Asian Tour merit list.

“Thankfully, I am a professional golfer and not a professional champagne opener. But I will get many opportunities on LIV Golf to pop champagne next year, and I will get better at it,” said Ogletree, who will play for Captain Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers team.

And that’s the thing about him. There are no ifs and buts, maybes and hopefullys in Ogletree’s lexicon. There is just unwavering self-belief and oodles of conviction.

It showed every time he teed up on the Asian Tour this year. In 11 starts, he won twice (International Series Qatar and International Series England) and recorded five other top-10s. That led to him winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit by almost double the points (2,128.26) over the second-placed Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines (1,436.6), and The International Series Order of Merit by almost double the prize money ($US1,101,828.33) won by second-placed Spaniard David Puig (US$577,800).

More from LIVGolf.com

Let’s ride 👊🏼 https://t.co/APy07jr7rt

— Andy Ogletree (@andy_ogletree) December 18, 2023

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PETEFISH, STEELMAN GUARANTEED 12 KORN FERRY TOUR STARTS

Everyone who played Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry hoped to reach the top five and earn a TOUR card. But with 165 players in the field, another threshold was on the minds of many.

Following the top five finishers and ties, the next 40 finishers and ties earned exempt status through multiple reshuffles of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season. The first 25 finishers and ties were guaranteed 12 starts and will be subject to the third reshuffle. Any remaining finishers – up to the top 40 and ties – earned eight guaranteed starts and will be subject to the second reshuffle.

Chris Petefish and Ross Steelman, both of whom played full-time on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, are both in the group that is guaranteed 12 starts in 2024.

Petefish stood one stroke out of the top five through 54 holes, but was unable to post a good enough round in Monday’s final round and tied for 14^th place at 4-under-par 276, four strokes out of the top five. Steelman tied for 28^th place at 2-under-par 278.

More from PGATour.com

“This is awesome, I’m playing golf for a living.”

Ross Steelman reflects on the same dream he had in junior golf with his dad on the bag.

The @PGATOURU alum now gets to bring his dad along for the ride @PriceCutterCC. pic.twitter.com/uk8qWIYkkT

— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 19, 2023

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CINK RETAINS PGA TOUR STATUS FOR 2024

The players who finished anywhere between 1-125 on the FedEx Cup Standings have secured their cards successfully. While golfers from 126th to 150th will have a conditional status on the tour, On the other hand, the players ranking from 151st to the end will lose their cards for the upcoming season. Many were caught in the tide.

Cink has won eight times on the PGA Tour. In 2023, the 2009 Open champion won none of the events and had only one top-10 finish. Moreover, he played 27 events out of which he missed cuts 14 times. The veteran also played on the PGA Tour Champions but has lost his PGA Tour card.

save him for the coming season, He will get the PGA Tour winner exemption for the 2024 season even though he stood 153rd on the FedExCup Fall standings.

More from Essentially Sports

On this day in 2013, Stewart Cink won the PNC Father-Son Championship. Cink played golf at Georgia Tech, he received the Fred Haskins Award in 1995. After turning professional, he would win eight times on the PGA Tour, including the 2009 British Open Championship. #OnThisDay pic.twitter.com/hBkIj3GWcM

— Georgia State Golf Association (@GSGA) December 15, 2023

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DUVAL SET TO JOIN AUDITION PROCESS FOR NBC GOLF ANALYST ROLE

The competition for one of the best jobs in golf television is about to begin.

NBC Sports plans to rotate multiple analysts over the coming months rather than hire a single one to replace the departed Paul Azinger, sources tell Front Office Sports.

Among those expected to get a shot are current PGA Tour player Kevin Kisner, NBC’s Brad Faxon and Justin Leonard, outspoken Golf Channel analyst Brandel Chamblee, and former world No. 1 David Duval.

Former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy could also be a candidate for the vacant role, according to Sports Business Journal, but could end up calling only a handful of events.

The analyst who impresses golf viewers and executives the most would inherit the legendary Johnny Miller’s microphone in the 18th-hole broadcast tower alongside play-by-play announcer Dan Hicks.

“Think of this as a rolling audition by NBC,” said one source.

The talent bakeoff strategy makes sense. NBC doesn’t want to repeat the blunder it made by hiring Azinger to replace Miller, who retired in 2018 after 29 seasons in the broadcast booth.

More from Front Office Sports

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour: The Sentry Tournament of Champions • January 4-7, 2024 • Plantation Course at Kapalua • Kapalua, Maui, Hawai’i. • Purse: TBD • FedEx Cup points: 700
• Korn Ferry Tour:  The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic • January 14-17, 2024 • Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club • Great Exuma, Bahamas • Purse: $1.85M
• PGA Tour Champions:  Mitsubishi Electric Championship at Hualalei • January 18-20, 2023 • Ritz-Carlton Golf Club • Orlando, Fla. • Purse: $2M
• PGA Tour Americas: Bupa Championship • March 21-24, 2024 • PGA Riviera Maya • Tulum, Mexico • Purse: $225K • Fortinet Cup points: n/a
• Asian Tour/International Series: Season concluded
• LIV Golf Series: Mayakoba • February 2-4, 2024 • El Camaleon Golf Club • Mayakoba, Mexico • Purse: $20M

#PROJACKETS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

A real gentleman @david59duval a star in my #TrickGolfShow https://t.co/VoimM3O8lI pic.twitter.com/huyYg9ku5y

— David Edwards (@trickgolfshow) January 2, 2024

Flaming Pizza! pic.twitter.com/WUZt8EzXns

— Charlie Rymer (@CharlieRymerPGA) December 28, 2023