THE FLATS – Matt Kuchar won his eighth PGA Tour event and first since 2014 … Richy Werenski challenges all weekend and earns top-5 finish … Three Jackets advance to the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School … This and more in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
There had been nothing to indicate that victory was imminent. Matt Kuchar had been a top-10 machine and challenged many times over the last 4 ½ years, including a runner-up finish at the 2017 Open Championship. But the former Georgia Tech All-American had not won since the 2014 RBC Heritage Classic. He had only four top-10 finishes in 2018 and tied for 57th last week at the Shriners Hospital Open in Las Vegas
But something clicked last weekend as Kuchar played the first three rounds in 64-64-65 to take a four-stroke lead after 54 holes. Sunday, he survived some shaky play down the stretch, with bogeys at 14 and 15, and rattled in a par putt from just inside three feet on 18 to shoot a final-round 69 for a one-stroke victory over Danny Lee (65). He broke the tournament scoring record with a 22-under-par and qualified to play in the Sentry Tournament of Champions, which brings together all of the 2018 PGA Tour winners at famed Kapalua Golf Club in Hawai’i in January.
He earned more than $1.2 million for the victory and vaulted to No. 5 in the FedEx Cup points standings.
Kuchar gets 8th Tour win at Mayakoba Golf Classic
Kuchar relies on experience at Mayakoba
“I aspire to make Presidents Cup, I aspire to make the TOUR Championship, I aspire to win multiple times in the ’18-’19 season,” Kuchar said. “A major’s still on my list. Those are all goals for me and I think this will help leapfrog that. That confidence because of winning a tournament hopefully propels me to a great ’19.”
Kuchar will try and keep the train rolling when he competes in the Australian Open this weekend, then partners with former Clemson All-American Kyle Stanley to represent the United States in the ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf, which will be played later this month in Melbourne, Australia. They will look to record the USA’s 25th title since the tournament’s inception in 1953. With eight total appearances between the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup, as well as twice a representative for the United States in the World Cup, Kuchar is no stranger to team success. In 2011, Kuchar teamed with Gary Woodland at Mission Hills Golf Club in China to win by two strokes over Germany and England. He also earned a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Somewhat lost on the euphoria of Kuchar’s celebration was a masterful performance by another former Yellow Jacket, Richy Werenski. The 2014 Tech graduate continues to build momentum in his third PGA Tour season, and tied for third at Mayakoba, finishing just three shots behind Kuchar at 19-under-par 265. It was the sixth career top-10 finish for Werenski, who put together rounds of 65-66-67-67 and moved up to No. 22 in the FedEx Cup standings. He has earned more than $500,000 this season.
Seth Reeves, who tied for seventh earlier at the Sanderson Farms Championship tied for 29th place after firing four rounds in the 60s (11-under 273), and sits at No. 84 in the FedEx Cup race. Anders Albertson tied for 55th place and comes in ad No. 66 in FedEx Cup points.
Web.com Tour: Georgia Tech graduated three former golfers from the Web.com Tour to the PGA Tour following the 2018 season, and three other alumni are still in the race to replace them for 2019. Paul Haley, J.T. Griffin and Vincent Whaley all advanced to the finals of the Web.com Tour Q-School last weekend at two different sites in the second stage of qualifying.
Haley, a native of Dallas, Texas, who graduated in 2011 and won the ACC Championship as a senior, was the medalist at the RTJ Trail Magnolia Course in Mobile, Ala. With a 23-under-par total of 265, while Griffin, also a 2011 graduate, tied for 12th place in Mobile (17-under 271). Whaley, a two-time collegiate champion who graduated in 2017, tied for sixth place (16-under-par 272) at Southern Hills Plantation in Brooksville, Fla.
The final stage of qualifying will take place Dec. 6-9 in Chandler, Ariz.
UPCOMING EVENTS
PGA Tour: RSM Classic • November 15-18, 2018 • Sea Island Resort (Seaside course) • Sea Island, Ga. • Purse: $6,400,000 • FedExCup Points: 500
Web.com Tour: The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic • January 13-16, 2019 • Sandals Emerald Bay Golf Club • Great Exuma, Bahamas • Purse: $600,000
PGA Tour Champions: PNC Father-Son Challenge • December 14-16, 2018 • Ritz-Carlton Golf Club • Orlando, Fla. • Purse: $1,085,000
Mackenzie Tour: Aruba Cup • December 13-15, 2018 • Tierra del Sol Resort and Golf • Noord, Aruba • Purse: $120,000
PGA Tour China: season over
Adams Pro Tour: season over
G Pro Tour: The Club at Savannah Quarters • November 14-15, 2018 • The Club at Savannah Quarters • Savannah, Ga. • Purse: n/a
