THE FLATS – Fall race for 2024 PGA Tour status begins this weekend for six Yellow Jackets … Chris Petefish looking for strong finish in Korn Ferry Tour finals … J.T. Griffin rallies in last two PGA Tour Canada events to retain status for 2024 … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
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SIX JACKETS TEEING IT UP AT FORTINET CHAMPIONSHIP
Six Yellow Jackets, some of whom are battling to retain their PGA Tour cards for the 2024 season, return to action this weekend as the PGA Tour begins its seven-event fall sprint with the Fortinet Championship in Napa, Calif.
Stewart Cink, Matt Kuchar and Richy Werenski are in the field as tournament winners the past two seasons, but Kuchar, at No. 66 in FedEx Cup points, is the only one of the three whose 2024 status is secure heading into the fall schedule.
The top 125 in points after the season-ending RSM Classic in November retain their cards for 2024. Cink, the winner of the Fortinet Championship in 2021, sits No. 167 in the FedEx Cup points standings, while Werenski is No. 145. Chesson Hadley holds the No. 121 position, while Paul Haley II is No. 134, and Vincent Whaley is No. 222.
Cink also sits in No. 40 in the Schwab Cup standings on the PGA Tour Champions.
Complete FedEx Cup points standings
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JACKETS RESUME KORN FERRY TOUR FINALS
Chris Petefish resumes his bid for PGA Tour status this weekend when the Korn Ferry Tour Finals resumes with the Simmons Bank Open in College Grove, Tenn. Petefish is No. 53 in the Korn Ferry Tour points list, and would continue to play through the Korn Ferry Tour Championship if he maintains his position.
With three events remaining, Petefish can improve his position with high finishes and potentially finish among the top 30 in points at the end, which would earn him a 2024 PGA Tour card. At his current position, he would be exempt into the final stage of the PGA Tour qualifying school, where the top five finishers earn 2024 cards.
Ross Steelman, a rookie on the tour following his No. 2 finish in the PGA Tour University standings at the end of the college season, ranks No. 162 and is an alternate for the Simmons Bank Open. His PGA Tour University finish affords him exemption into the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School, and unlimited sponsor exemptions into PGA Tour events this fall and next year.
After this week, the field will number the top 120 for the Nationwide Childrens Hospital Championship (Sept. 21-24), and the top 75 will compete in the season ending Korn Ferry Tour Championship (Oct. 5-8).
Full Korn Ferry Tour points list
The fish is bringing the mojo 🐠
Ever since @petefish7 put on his old fish head cover in Oklahoma, his game has been trending, including a second-place finish last week @UTChampionship. pic.twitter.com/7y2xNBsBnD
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) August 9, 2023
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FOUR YELLOW JACKETS CONCLUDE PGA TOUR CANADA SEASON
Four Yellow Jackets concluded their PGA Tour Canada seasons last weekend at the Fortinet Cup Championship in Calgary, Alberta. The top 60 players in the Fortinet Cup points standings qualify for the season-ending event.
J.T. Griffin put together two strong performance in the last two events, including a tie for 19th last weekend to finish at No. 52 in the points standings. Connor Howe tied for 29th to finish at No. 20 in the standings, while Luke Schniederjans tied for 52nd place to finish at No. 23 in points. Tyler Strafaci withdrew after three rounds, and finished No. 60 in points.
All four players retained their status on the tour for 2024.
Howe is exempt through the first stage of Q-School by virtue of his No. 18 finish in the PGA Tour University standings at the close of his senior season at Georgia Tech.
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CINK’S CALF MUSCLES IMPRESS SOCIAL MEDIA
The 2023 Ryder Cup is still more than a couple weeks away, but if the scoring was based on calf muscles, the U.S. would already hold an edge. And a HUGE one at that.
Zach Johnson’s squad gathered in Rome over the weekend for a scouting report of Marco Simone, but it was one particular photo from the team bonding mission that turned heads. And had everyone looking at Stewart Cink’s legs.
That’s because the 6-foot-4 American vice captain looked like an absolute unit wearing team shorts. Let’s just say it doesn’t appear that the 50-year-old has skipped leg day since winning the 2009 Open Championship. Have a look for yourself. (Cink is on the left side of the photo, but you’ll have no problem finding the guy who looks like he’s standing on two oil barrels.)
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Thank you @marcosimonegolf for an amazing weekend! pic.twitter.com/F2r3IF2uWi
— Ryder Cup USA (@RyderCupUSA) September 9, 2023
