Nissan #ProJackets Golf Report

July 12, 2016

THE FLATS – Good things come to those who wait, it seems. While Matt Kuchar has played extremely well over the last few months, he has put himself in position to grab a spot on the United States team for the Ryder Cup and play in the season-ending Tour Championship.

Kuchar, one of two Tech alumni in The Open Championship this week at Royal Troon, also has risen to No. 15 in the Official World Golf Ranking, thanks to his birdie-par-birdie finish two weeks ago at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational. His resulting tie for third place in that event put him in position Monday to claim a spot on the United States contingent for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The spot was vacated by the withdrawal of Jordan Spieth. Kuchar ranks eighth in Olympic qualification points among those who will tee it up Aug. 11-14 in Rio, and joined Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Patrick Reed on the USA team.

Barring any further withdrawals, here is the full 60-player field for the Olympics. The two-year qualification period ended Sunday.

At Royal Troon, Kuchar is paired for the first two rounds with Graeme McDowell and Andrew Johnston. He tied for 58th place last year, and his high finish in the Open Championship is a tie for ninth place in 2012. David Duval, the 2001 Open Champion, is paired with 1985 champion Sandy Lyle and 2016 British Amateur champion Scott Gregory.

PGA Tour: The alternate event on the PGA Tour this weekend is the Barbasol Championship, played at the Grand National course on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail in Opelika, Ala. Richy Werenski earned an exemption into this event last year after winning the “Big Break — The Palm Beaches” on the Golf Channel. This year, Roberto Castro, Chesson Hadley, Troy Matteson and Cameron Tringale are in the field. See tee times here.

Web.com Tour: Three former Yellow Jackets — Ollie Schniederjans, Anders Albertson and Kyle Scott — made the cut at last weekend’s LECOM Health Challenge in upstate New York, with Schniederjans leading the way with a T-37 finish. Schniederjans remains third in the Web.com Tour money list while Werenski, who missed the cut, remains No. 2.

Following his second-round 67 at the 2016 LECOM Health Challenge, Ollie Schniederjans talks about his play through two days.

In the opening round of the 2016 LECOM Health Challenge, Nicholas Thompson holes a 45-foot birdie putt on the par-4 17th hole.

Amateur update: Rising junior James Clark led a trio of Yellow Jackets in last weekend’s Eastern Amateur in Portsmouth, Va., tying for sixth place with an 8-under-par score of 272.

UPCOMING EVENTS

PGA Tour/European Tour: The Open Championship • July 14-17, 2016 • Royal Troon Golf Club • Ayshire, Scotland • Purse: $9,300,000 • Winning Share: n/a • FedExCup Points: 600
PGA Tour: Barbasol Championship • July 14-17, 2016 • Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail (Grand National) • Auburn/Opelika, Ala. • Purse: $3,500,000 • Winning Share: $630,000 • FedExCup Points: 300
Web.com Tour: Lincoln Land Charity Championship • July 14-17, 2016 • Panther Creek Country Club • Springfield, Ill. • Purse: $550,000 • Winning share: $99,000
PGA Tour Champions: Senior Open Championship • July 21-24, 2016 • Carnoustie Golf Club • Carnoustie, Scotland • Purse: $2,100,000 • Winning Share: n/a
MacKenzie Tour: Staal Foundation Open • July 14-17, 2016 • Whitewater Golf Club • Thunder Bay, Ontario • Purse: $175,000 • Winning Share: $31,500
SwingThought.com Tour: National Pro Series/Grand Island Golf Club • July 13-16, 2016 • Grand Island Golf Club • Albany, Ga.