THE FLATS – Chris Petefish ties for 14th in the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School this week … PGA Tour veterans Stewart Cink, David Duval and Matt Kuchar compete with their sons this week in Orlando … Andy Ogletree added to Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers team in LIV Golf … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
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NO JACKETS EARN PGA TOUR CARDS THROUGH Q-SCHOOL
None of the six Yellow Jackets who participated in the final stage of PGA Tour Qualifying School this past weekend finished among the top five and ties to earn membership for 2024. Chris Petefish and Ross Steelman, both of whom played full-time on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, cemented their status on that tour for next season.
Petefish stood one stroke out of the top five through 54 holes, but was unable to post a good enough round in Monday’s final round and tied for 14th place at 4-under-par 276, four strokes out of the top five. Steelman tied for 28th place at 2-under-par 278.
Paul Haley II, who benefitted from Jon Rahm’s exit from the PGA Tour to sign with LIV Golf and stood No. 150 entering the final stage, attempted to enhance his status but tied for 72nd, leaving him with conditional status on the PGA Tour for 2024. Richy Werenski, who finished outside the top 150 in the FedEx Cup rankings on the PGA Tour in 2023, tied for 54th place, while Connor Howe tied for 107th and Shun Yat Hak finished 137th.
Howe and Hak will hold status on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR Americas.
Name: Chris Petefish
Age: 28
PGA TOUR starts: 0
Korn Ferry Tour starts: 39Petefish earned Korn Ferry Tour status after dealing with injuries during 2021 Q-School. pic.twitter.com/nyt2ASD5ik
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 18, 2023
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OGLETREE JOINS HY-FLYERS TEAM IN LIV GOLF
The journey included thousands upon thousands of air miles and a good bit of ridicule, too.
This was never Andy Ogletree’s intended path, but it worked out pretty well for him as he has turned the tough times into a deal with the LIV Golf League and Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers.
Ogletree, 25, the 2019 U.S. Amateur champion who played at Georgia Tech, earned a spot in the 2024 LIV Golf League because he won the Asian Tour’s International Series Order of Merit.
But due to Ogletree’s play in limited LIV Golf starts in 2023, the opportunity to play for LIV Golf was already afforded to him early, as he played in two events as a reserve and earned enough points to be in LIV’s “open zone” as a non-relegated player.
That allowed him to negotiate with LIV teams and not wait for the draft of players who made it through the Promotions event two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi.
Ogletree said he spent a good bit of time practicing with Mickelson in recent weeks in Southern California and has gotten to know his other teammates, Brendan Steele and former Tech All-American Cameron Tringale.
TEAM KUCHAR NEARLY SETS PNC CHAMPIONSHIP RECORD
Matt Kuchar and his son Cameron put on a show Saturday morning at the PNC Championship. The duo fired a 15-under 57 to lead the field by three shots.
While Tiger Woods and Charlie Woods were the talk all week leading up to the first round, it was the Kuchar duo who stole the show.
They were one stroke away from tying the 18-hole scoring record. Davis Love III and Dru Love carded a 56 in the second round of the 2018 PNC Championship en route to winning with a 26-under overall score.
With inclement weather, the tournament was forced to utilize split tees. So, the Kuchars started on the back nine. They were the first team off, and it was beneficial. The weather worsened as the day passed, leaving the Kuchars on the right end of the draw.
“We got pretty lucky,” Matt Kuchar said. “This weather right now is worse than we played in. We had a light drizzle. I brought an umbrella out for all of two minutes. Having a cart was a bonus. That 7:30 tee time, first off, wind wasn’t bad so conditions were fairly soft. I think we got lucky with the best of it.”
Team Kuchar took advantage of every opportunity Saturday. Through their first five holes, they went 5-under. They made the turn in 29 strokes after adding two more birdies on the par-4 16th and par-5 18th.
“To get off to a good start was an awfully good feeling, and then we kept it going,” Matt Kuchar said. “I think between his great play, his great putting, and we kind of just really ham-and-egged it well out there today.”
The Kuchars and Team Stewart (and Reagan) Cink wound up in a tie for fifth place after Sunday’s final round, while David Duval and his stepson Nick Karavitas finished second to Bernhard Langer and his son Stefan.
How?! 😲🌲
Matt Kuchar couldn’t help but laugh after this one from the trees. pic.twitter.com/iavJBTTYM5
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) December 17, 2023
Brady Duval makes the birdie putt to tie the lead for Team Duval at 16-under. 🐤
📺: Golf Channel & @peacock | @PNCchampionship pic.twitter.com/W5tpoZr8IN
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) December 17, 2023
