THE FLATS – Stewart Cink returns to PGA Tour Champions with trip to Canada … Cink is a new American face in Ryder Cup back room … As long as there has been a FedEx Cup playoff, Matt Kuchar has been there … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
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STEWART CINK LOOKING FORWARD TO CANADA STOP
Stewart Cink, just like you hear from a lot of PGA Tour Champions rookies, is eager to catch up with some of his longtime friends.
Before Cink starts his preparations for the 2023 Shaw Charity Classic at Canyon Meadows, he and his wife, Lisa, were planning on a quick trip to the Canadian Rockies. They’ve picked out a popular hike at Lake Louise.
“We’re going to spend most of the day out on the trail,” said Cink, who is homebased in hot and humid Atlanta. “I used to do the same thing when I played the PGA Tour event in Denver every year — I’d go out and hike somewhere up in the mountains. But I never could get another golfer to take Tuesday off and go with me. Never could. I was always either by myself or with a caddie or had my trainer with me or just a friend from the area, but never with another golfer. And this year … well, we didn’t even ask anybody. It’ll just be my wife and I.”
Editor’s note: Cink will be joined in the Shaw Charity Classic field by 13-time winner and 2001 Open Champion David Duval.
Former world number one, David Duval, along with three of the top rookies on the PGA TOUR Champions – Stewart Cink, Boo Weekley and Notah Begay III – will round out the 78-man field that is now set for the 11th edition of the Shaw Charity Classic presented by Rogers! pic.twitter.com/qyb10l5u2C
— Shaw Charity Classic (@ShawClassic) August 12, 2023
Stewart Cink, David Duval among final additions to Shaw Charity Classic field #yyc https://t.co/Pmw9eSPhRG
— Calgary Sun (@calgarysun) August 13, 2023
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CINK IS A NEW AMERICAN FACE IN RYDER CUP BACK ROOM
The Ryder Cup task force that sought continuity has occasionally run the risk of being a closed shop with so many repeat faces in golf carts.
Stewart Cink is a new addition to the club. Zach Johnson appointed him his fifth and final assistant captain for this year’s matches at Marco Simone in Rome. Cink will be an assistant for the first time, having played in five Ryder Cup matches.
“Stewart is someone I can trust will give me honest and constructive feedback as we head into the final stages of preparing for the Ryder Cup,” Johnson said.
What that means going forward will depend on whom Jim Furyk selects for his assistant captains in the Presidents Cup next year at Royal Montreal.
More from the Associated Press
We’ll never forget all the incredible long putts @StewartCink made over the years — Including this one from long range at the 2010 @RyderCup! 👏 pic.twitter.com/PR86MJnWqj
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) August 6, 2023
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FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS ARE HERE, AND SO IS MATT KUCHAR
Matt Kuchar keeps winding up in the PGA Tour record book for reasons that make him proud, but aren’t exactly his biggest goals.
In March, he won his 36th match in the Dell Match Play to tie the record set by Tiger Woods. Now he becomes the only player to have reached the FedEx Cup playoffs every year since they began in 2007.
That’s 17 consecutive years, a record he holds alone. Adam Scott had made every postseason but finished at No. 72 this year when the cutoff was reduced from 125 players to 70.
“It’s the same thing in Match Play, the matches won and tying Tiger’s record. I see a bigger fish to fry,” Kuchar said. “It’s not something to me to knock out these titles or whatever they’re called. There are other goals than most matches or most FedEx Cup playoff appearances.”
Editor’s note: Kuchar tied for 61st at the FedEx-St. Jude Classic and did not advance to this week’s BMW Championship.
More from the Associated Press
2007 vs. 2023
Matt Kuchar is the only player to qualify for the #FedExCup Playoffs in every season of its existence. pic.twitter.com/TS4jGRppQw
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 9, 2023
Making birdie the hard way 💪
Matt Kuchar holes it @FedExChamp. pic.twitter.com/vN576gfQKc
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) August 12, 2023
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TOUR LEADER OGLETREE RESUMES BID TO COMPLETE DREAM SEASON
Andy Ogletree, currently riding high on top of both the Asian Tour and The International Series Order of Merits, is keen to “knock the rust off’ and compete on the Asian Tour after playing limited golf over the past few months.
The American tees-off in the International Series England tomorrow at Close House, near Newcastle, having last played on the Asian Tour in April.
Said Ogletree: “Obviously, it’s been a long time since we played an International Series event. I am ready to knock the rust off and see where my game is at. I haven’t played in a while. I am looking forward to playing.”
The former US Amateur champion is in pursuit of his third International Series title, having triumphed in Egypt last year, and Qatar this season.
Getting ready for 4 weeks on the road! This was striped! @andy_ogletree ! @KWAYNE_FITNESS pic.twitter.com/LpsAOkvJnR
— Tony Ruggiero (@dewsweepergolf) July 31, 2023
