THE FLATS – Andy Ogletree leans on his LIV Golf compatriots for help with prep for Valhalla … Weekend features top-10 finishes from Vince Whaley and Seth Reeves on the Korn Ferry Tour … More details below in this week’s Georgia Tech #ProJackets Report.
OGLETREE GETS A LITTLE HELP FROM LIV FRIENDS AT PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
You might remember Andy Ogletree from his win at the 2019 U.S. Amateur or his performance as low amateur at the 2020 Masters, but his major championship portfolio has been in stasis since then. He’s making his first appearance in one of the big four in more than three years thanks to a breakthrough professional performance on the Asian Tour International Series last year—which got him both into the PGA and onto LIV as a member of Phil Mickelson’s HyFlyers.
Ogletree is seeing Valhalla for the first time this week, and his coach, Golf Digest 50 Best Teacher Tony Ruggiero, broke down how they prepared—starting with prioritizing the work that needed to be done before getting to Louisville. “The best way to give yourself time to get comfortable and familiar with a new course at a major is to do any swing stuff before you get there,” says Ruggiero, who reunited with his longtime student in 2022. “We met up in Atlanta and worked on some technical things to get his driving where he wanted it so we could focus on learning the course this week.”
In simple terms, Ogletree worked on getting better turn into his right hip on the backswing, which keeps his backswing on plane. On the downswing, making sure he turns his torso keeps him from hanging back and pushing the handle forward.
COMPETITION ROUND-UP
PGA of America
U.S. Amateur champion Andy Ogletree was the only former Yellow Jacket to qualify to play in the PGA Championship last weekend, getting into the field on his International Federation ranking after winning the Asian Tour Order of Merit title in 2023. The 2020 Tech graduate didn’t make the weekend, however, posting rounds of 73-75 to miss the cut in his second career major championship.
The Little Rock, Miss., native, who has played on both the Asian Tour’s International Series and the LIV Golf Series this year, gets to remain stateside, however, as the next two LIV events are in Houston and Nashville in the month of June.
Meanwhile, Chesson Hadley, Paul Haley II and Matt Kuchar will tee it up this week at the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas. Vince Whaley is an alternate.
Around the World … 🌎⛳️@Andy_Ogletree‘s goto drill for making more putts inside 10 feet. 🙌#HyFlyersGC pic.twitter.com/FCLWIBbh2b
— HyFlyers GC (@HyFlyers_GC) May 15, 2024
*****
Korn Ferry Tour
Vince Whaley made the most of his week off from the PGA Tour, competing in the AdventHealth Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour and posting a tie for fourth place. His 17-under-par score of 271 was just two shots out of a playoff for the title in his first 2024 start on that circuit. Whaley has played in 12 PGA Tour events, making six cuts and missing six, and is an alternate into the field for this week’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
Meanwhile, Seth Reeves earned a tie for 10th place at 15-under-par 273, Ross Steelman tied or 36th at 10-under-par 278, Connor Howe tied for 53rd at 8-under-par 280, and Paul Haley II finished 78th at 3-under-par 285. Ollie Schniederjans and Chris Petefish missed the cut.
Reeves jumped 30 spots to 66th on the Korn Ferry Tour points list after what was his highest finish of 2024 and second top-20 showing. Steelman remains the highest Yellow Jacket on the points list at No. 27.
With the exception of Haley, who is in the field for the PGA Tour’s Charles Schwas Challenge, the other six Jackets will tee it up this week at the Visit Knoxville Open in Knoxville, Tenn.
Vince Whaley birdies to take solo lead through 16 at @AHChampGolf1 📈@Vincewhaley pic.twitter.com/fUOFdZZzar
— Korn Ferry Tour (@KornFerryTour) May 16, 2024
*****
PGA Tour Americas
In the final PGA Tour Americas event south of the border in 2024, Luke Schniederjans turned in a solid effort with a tie for 23rd last weekend at the Inter Rapidisimo Golf Championship in Bogota, Colombia. Schniederjans shot 9-under-par 279 and sits 65th in the tour’s points ranking.
The remainder of the tour’s schedule will be contested north of the border in Canada starting in mid-June.
