Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

Vincent Whaley, shown here at Tech’s Ramblin’ Wreck Cup fundraiser, came within two shots of his first pro victory last weekend.

THE FLATS – Anders Albertson and Roberto Castro post strong weekends at Web.com Tour in South Carolina … Vincent Whaley challenges for first professional victory in Adams Pro Tour event … This and more in this week’s edition of the Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.

There were a lot of birdies available last weekend in Greer, S.C., where Anders Albertson and Roberto Castro both shot 18-under-par 266 at the Thornblade Club. But they finished only in a tie for 14th place and were nine shots off the blistering pace set by Michael Arnaud, who posted a 27-under-par total of 257 to win by five shots.

Albertson has now put together finishes of T-8 and T-14 in back-to-back weeks (collective 28-under-par over eight rounds) to jump from 60th to 38th in earnings. Castro broke a streak of four consecutive top-10 finishes but continues to solidify his standing in earnings, now ninth, with a five-week run that includes finishes of second, T-7, T-5, T-8 and T-14. The top 25 in earnings at the end of the regular-season will earn PGA Tour cards for 2018-19.

The Yellow Jacket contingent on the PGA Tour will try to rebound from a lost weekend at the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas, Texas, where all five Tech alums in the field, including a couple of semi-retired Jackets in David Duval and Troy Matteson, missed the cut. Stewart Cink, Chesson Hadley, Matt Kuchar, Ollie Schniederjans and Richy Werenski all move across town for the Fort Worth Invitational at venerable Colonial Country Club. Kuchar will become one of only five Tour members to play in all five Texas stops this year.

On a weekend where there was not much to brag about, Matt Kuchar still offered some highlights, like this putt from downtown during the second round of the AT&T Byron Nelson.

A young guy won a Tour event! Can you believe it?! The youth movement is finally here!!

— Roberto Castro (@cicioCASTRO) May 21, 2018

I’m about 59th in line to check into my hotel room currently but not even mad about it because Ace Venture Pet Detective is on in the lobby.

— Chesson Hadley (@chessonhadley) May 21, 2018

U.S. Open: Chesson Hadley, who moved up two spots to No. 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of this week, was one of 23 players made exempt Monday into the 118th U.S. Open, which will be played June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island, N.Y. Hadley, who will play in his first U.S. Open, won the PGA Tour’s Puerto Rico Open in 2014 and posted two of his four Web.com Tour victories last year. He joins No. 22 Matt Kuchar, who also is exempt by advancing to the 2017 Tour Championship, in the field.

Sectional qualifying in the United States, at 36 holes, will take place at 10 sites on Monday, June 4. The sites are: Lake Merced Golf Club & The Olympic Club (Ocean Course), Daly City, Calif.; The Bear’s Club, Jupiter, Fla.; Ansley Golf Club (Settindown Creek Course), Roswell, Ga.; Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Md.; Canoe Brook Country Club (North and South Courses), Summit, N.J.; Brookside Golf & Country Club & Lakes Golf & Country Club, Columbus, Ohio; Springfield (Ohio) Country Club; Portland (Ore.) Golf Club; Ridgeway Country Club & Colonial Country Club (South Course), Memphis, Tenn.; and Shadow Hawk Golf Club, Richmond, Texas.

Elsewhere: Recent Tech graduate Vincent Whaley nearly pulled off his first professional victory last weekend at the Adams Pro Tour stop in Muskogee, Okla., coming up short by two strokes to finish second and pick up $10,400. Whaley fired rounds of 65-67-62-69 for a 17-under total of 263 at the Muscogee Creek Nation Casinos Real Okie Champ, but lost a final-round battle with Daniel Miernicki. Whaley moved up to eighth in earnings on that tour with $17,256.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PGA Tour: Fort Worth Invitational • May 24-27, 2018 • Colonial Country Club • Fort Worth, Texas • Purse: $7,100,000 • FedExCup Points: 500
Web.com Tour: Nashville Golf Open • May 24-27, 2018 • Nashville Golf and Athletic Club • Nashville, Tenn. • Purse: $550,000
PGA Tour Champions: Kitchen Aid Senior PGA Championship • May 24-27, 2018 • Golf Club at Harbor Shores • Benton Harbor, Miss. • Purse: $3,000,000
Mackenzie Tour:Freedom 55 Financial Open • May 31-June 3, 2018 • Point Grey Golf and Country Club • Vancouver, British Columbia • Purse: $200,000
PGA Tour China:Guilin Championship • June 7-10, 2018 • Guilin Landscape Golf Club • Kinming, China • Purse: ???
Adams Pro Tour:Cooper Communities NWA Charity Classic • June 6-9, 2018 • Bella Vista Village • Bella Vista, Ark. • Purse: $145,000