Georgia Tech #ProJackets Golf Report

THE FLATS – Matt Kuchar returns to action as one of three former Georgia Tech players in the PGA Championship … Paul Haley II earns season-best tie for fourth finish on Web.com Tour … Five Yellow Jackets advance from U.S. Open local qualifiers … more in this week’s #ProJackets Report.

Matt Kuchar, who remains No. 1 in the FedEx Cup points race after taking three weeks off following his runner-up finish at the RBC Heritage Classic, returns this week for the second major championship of 2019, the PGA Championship at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, N.Y. Kuchar has a pair of top-10 finishes (2015, 2017) in 10 previous appearances in the event. He missed the cut in two U.S. Opens held at Bethpage’s Black Course (2002, 2009).

Chesson Hadley, currently No. 67 in the FedEx Cup race, also earned a spot in the field this week. Stewart Cink withdrew from the PGA Championship because of back issues that have been bothering him for the last three months. Reports say he is taking time away and hopes to return this summer. Cink’s exit opened a door for Werenski, a third-year PGA Tour pro who is making his second major championship start (2018 U.S. Open).

None of the three played last week at the AT&T Byron Nelson where Cameron Tringale tied for 23^rd place at 12-under-par 272. He closed with a 6-under-par 65 by hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation and missing no putts within 10 feet.

Tringale’s best finishes this year have all come in the Deep South, a tie for fifth at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, a tie for 17^th at the Valero Texas Open, and now his tie for 23^rd at the Byron Nelson.

Web.com Tour:  Paul Haley II posted his best finish of 2019, a tie for fourth place last weekend at the KC Golf Classic in Kansas City, Mo., where he shot 67-67 on the weekend and jumped from 99^th to 51^st in Web.com points. Vincent Whaley held at 14^th after tying for 38^th. J.T. Griffin missed the cut.

With only three former Yellow Jackets in the field for the PGA Championship, other PGA Tour members like Anders Albertson and Seth Reeves are playing in this weekend’s Knoxville Open along with Haley, Whaley and Nicholas Thompson, back in action after a week off.

Chris Petefish earned a spot for the second time this spring via Monday qualifying.

U.S. Open qualifying: Five Georgia Tech players, two past, two present and one future, have made it through local U.S. Open local qualifiers. Griffin tied for fourth place (67) at Marietta (Ga.) Country Club to advance, current sophomore Noah Norton was the medalist (67) at his qualifier in Chico, Calif., and Tyler Strafaci was co-medalist (66) at his qualifier in Plantation, Fla. Incoming freshman Andy Mao won the local qualifier Thursday at Whitewater Creek in Fayetteville, Ga., while Petefish won the qualifier in Jackson, Tenn.

Elsewhere: Shun Yat Hak tied for 13^th in past weekend’s Beijing Championship in the PGA Tour’s China Series, and is 29^th in that tour’s order of merit.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• PGA Tour:  PGA Championship • May 16-19, 2019 • Bethpage State Park (Black Course) • Farmingdale, N.Y. • Purse: n/a • FedExCup Points: 600
• Web.com Tour:  Knoxville Open • May 16-19, 2019 • Fox Den Country Club • Knoxville, Tenn. • Purse: $550,000
• PGA Tour Champions:  KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship • May 23-26, 2019 • Oak Hill Country Club • Rochester, N.Y. • Purse: $3,250,000
• Mackenzie Tour:  Canada Life Open • May 23-26, 2019 • Point Grey Golf and Country Club • Vancouver, British Columbia • Purse: n/a
• PGA Tour China:  Qinhuangdao Championship • May 16-19, 2019 • Qinhuangdao Poly Golf Club • Qinhuangdao, Hebei
• All Pro Tour:  Bravado Wireless Real Okie Championship • May 21-24, 2019 • Muscogee Country Club • Muscogee, Okla. • Purse: $125,000
• SwingThought Tour:  Tega Cay Golf Club • May 15-16, 2019 • Charlotte, N.C.
• G Pro Tour:  Biggs Classic • May 23-25, 2019 • The Sound Golf Links • Hertford, N.C.