TECH CONTINGENT AT-A-GLANCE
Castro, Schniederjans and Werenski will play the first two rounds of the 118th U.S. Open championship together Thursday and Friday, which is almost certainly the first time three Georgia Tech players have been paired together. The Yellow Jacket trio will tee off Thursday at 12:52 p.m. in the first round followed by a 7:07 a.m. tee time for round two.
Chesson Hadley is paired with American Brendan Steele and British amateur Harry Ellis for the first two rounds, teeing off at 7:07 a.m. Thursday and 12:52 p.m. Friday. Matt Kuchar will play the first two rounds with American Bryson Dechambeau and England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick, teeing off at 8:13 a.m. Thursday and 1:58 p.m. Friday. Tyler Strafaci has been paired with American pro Mickey DeMorat and Scotland’s Calum Hill, teeing off at 8:57 p.m. Thursday and 2:42 p.m. (the last group) on Friday.
Robert Castro (age 32, fifth U.S. Open)
Advanced from sectional qualifier at Ansley Golf Club-Settindown Creek, Roswell, Ga. (t3, won playoff) … Six-year PGA Tour veteran (more than $6.5 million in career earnings) playing the 2018 season on the Web.com Tour, where he ranks 13th in earnings … Four-time All-American and Byron Nelson Award winner at Tech.
Chesson Hadley (age 30, first U.S. Open)
Exemption category – top 60 in Official World Golf Ranking as of May 21, 2018 … Worked his way back to the PGA Tour this year by winning the 2017 money title on the Web.com Tour … Ranks 16th in FedEx Cup points with six top-10 finishes this year … One career PGA Tour victory and 13 top-10 finishes … Three-time All-American and 2010 ACC Champion at Tech.
Matt Kuchar (age 39, 16th U.S. Open)
Exemption category – qualified for 2017 Tour Championship, top 60 in Official World Golf Ranking as of May 21, 2018 … Played regularly on the PGA Tour since 2001, winning seven times and compiling more than $43 million in career earnings … Three-time All-American and two-time national player of the year at Tech.
Ollie Schniederjans (age 24, second U.S. Open)
Advanced from sectional qualifier at Columbus, Ohio … In his second full season on the PGA Tour, earning his Tour card after finishing in the top 25 on the Web.com Tour in 2016 … Finished 60th in FedEx Cup points in 2017, currently ranked 75th … Has five career top-10 finishes … Three-time All-American and two-time ACC Player of the Year at Tech.
Tyler Strafaci (age 19, first U.S. Open)
Advanced from sectional qualifier at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. (t3, won playoff); advanced from local qualifier at Lago Mar Country Club in Plantation, Fla. … All-ACC performer as a sophomore at Georgia Tech this year … Played in the PGA Tour Valspar Championship this spring … Grandfather, Frank, tied for ninth in 1937 U.S. Open at Oakland Hills Country Club, also played in 1946 (mc), 1947 (t67).
Richy Werenski (age 26, first U.S. Open)
Advanced from sectional qualifier at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla. (finished 2nd) … Second-year PGA Tour pro who finished No. 106 in FedEx Cup points as a rookie in 2017, currently ranked No. 143 … Three career top-10 finishes … Won the Golf Channel’s Big Break in 2015, earning him an exemption into the Barbasol Championship, his first PGA Tour start.
TECH’S RICH U.S. OPEN HISTORY
Before placing a record six players in the U.S. Open this year, Tech had as many as five players in the field once – 1999 at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club with PGA Tour pros Stewart Cink, David Duval and Larry Mize playing with Tech undergraduates Matt Kuchar and David Duval. In 13 U.S. Opens, Tech was represented by four competitors, and on six of those occasions one of them competed as an amateur.
At least one Yellow Jacket has competed in the U.S. Open every year since 1985. Since Larry Mize played in the first of his 18 Opens in 1981, only twice has there not been a Yellow Jacket in the field (1983 and 1984). In the 53 U.S. Open Championships held since 1966, when Bunky Henry competed in the first of his five U.S. Opens, at least one Yellow Jacket has competed in 41 of them.
Stewart Cink, who came up short of qualifying this year by a stroke, has played in 20 U.S. Open championships, tying for third in 2001 at Southern Hills for his best finish. David Duval, who still competes in an occasional basis and is an analyst for Golf Channel, played in 16 Opens, tying for second place in 1999 at Pinehurst for his best career finish.
Georgia Tech’s chronological history in the U.S. Open
LAST WEEK
PGA Tour: Through 54 holes, Stewart Cink and Richy Werenski were both 10-under-par and three shots off the lead at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. Paired together for the final round, neither player was able to challenge Dustin Johnson, who shot 66 to secure a six-stroke victory. Cink shot 72 in the final round, Werenski a 71, to secure their highest finishes of 2018. By tying for fourth place (272, -8), both players moved inside the all-important top-125 in the FedEx Cup standings, Cink at No. 100 and Werenski at No. 115. They must stay there in order to keep their PGA Tour cards for 2018-19.
