THE FLATS – Chesson Hadley and Stewart Cink making late FedEx Cup playoff push … Paul Haley’s return to PGA Tour a decade in the making … J.T. Griffin posts top-5 finish in Canada … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
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HADLEY, CINK MAKING FEDEX PLAYOFF PLAYOFF PUSH
Chesson Hadley and Stewart Cink made significant headway last weekend in qualifying for the FedEx Cup playoffs with good performances at the 3M Open in the Twin Cities in Minnesota.
Hadley posted a 10th place finish and a move up to No. 130 in the FedEx Cup points list as the former Tech All-American makes another late-season push to qualify for the playoffs and retain full playing privileges for 2022-23. Hadley shot a 9-under-par total of 275 for his third top-10 finish of the season, all of those coming in the last five weeks. Last summer, Hadley grabbed the 125th and final playoff spot in the season’s final regular season event, the Wyndham Championship.
Cink, meanwhile, tied for 24th place with a 6-under-par total of 278, moving up to No. 122 on the points list. A two-time winner in the 2020-21 season, Cink is exempt on the PGA Tour through next year but needs to finish in the top 125 to advance to this year’s playoffs.
Cameron Tringale, who sits No. 26 and is currently in position to play in the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta, missed the cut along with Seth Reeves (No. 183) and Richy Werenski (No. 197).
Vincent Whaley (No. 110), who took last week off, and Matt Kuchar (No. 51), playing to the first time since the Scottish Open three weeks ago, return to head a full contingent of Yellow Jackets at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit, including Cink, Hadley, Reeves, Tringale and Werenski.
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PAUL HALEY’S PGA TOUR RETURN A DECADE IN THE MAKING
Paul Haley II never doubted he had the ability to do this again.
“This,” of course, is earning his way back to the PGA TOUR. “Playing with the big boys,” he said. Achieving a dream. Competing on the biggest stage in the sport. It’s all happened before.
And now it’s happening again. Haley is #TOURBound.
Haley, 34, crossed the fail-safe number of Regular Season Points thanks to his victory at last week’s Memorial Health Championship presented by LRS. It was his fifth top-11 finish in his last six starts.
“The main goal is to get to the PGA TOUR, so I’m just extremely excited to get back out there,” he said. “I can’t wait.”
“Couldn’t be more grateful.” – @PaulHaleyGolf
A winner’s selfie over a decade in the making. pic.twitter.com/0PehdUbVzj
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) July 18, 2022
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HALEY, ALBERTSON HOLD POSITION ON KORN FERRY TOUR
Paul Haley II followed up his victory last week at the Memorial Health Championship with a tie for 31st at the Price Cutter Charity Championship last weekend. His 12-under-par score of 276 was good enough for him to hold his position at No. 2 on the Korn Ferry Tour points list, although he is guaranteed his PGA Tour card for 2022-23 based on his point total.
Anders Albertson, also in position to regain his PGA Tour card but not yet guaranteed, missed the cut last weekend and slid two spots to No. 19 in points. The top 25 after the regular season, which has two events remaining, earn PGA Tour cards.
Chris Petefish continued to make a move to guarantee status on the Korn Ferry Tour for next year by tying for 23rd place (274, -14). He jumped from 96th to 81st, and the top 75 at the end of the regular season will qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour playoffs and guarantee full status for 2023.
Nicholas Thompson, playing in his second event this year, started out strong with rounds of 67-68 but slipped over the weekend and finished 73rd. Will Dickson, a Monday qualifier for the third time this year, also missed the cut.
The tour takes this week off before wrapping up the regular season at the Utah Championship and the Pinnacle Bank Championship in successive weeks.
Chris Petefish opens with a nice -5 and sits t18 going into day 2 at the KFT Price Cutter – it was a very HOT day there today. @GTGolf pic.twitter.com/EHTQ9njNrc
— Course of Action Golf (@jrgolfplanners) July 22, 2022
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GRIFFIN BAGS TOP-5 FINISH IN CANADA
Looking to gain traction and return to the Korn Ferry Tour, J.T. Griffin took a big step in that direction last weekend by tying for fifth place at the Osprey Valley Open on PGA Tour Canada. Griffin shot 8-under-par in the final round to post a 72-hole total of 271 (-13).
It was the highest finish for Griffin on any tour this year and lifted him to 19th on the Fortinet Cup points list. Griffin had not made a cut in nine Korn Ferry Tour events in 2022, but has a T7 and a T5 in three events in Canada.
Luke Schniederjans tied for 47th place and slipped to 34th in the points standings.
