Less than three weeks after the 2018-19 PGA Tour season ended, the 2019-20 season begins Sept. 12 with one of two tournaments that has moved to the newly expanded Fall schedule. The Greenbrier, which will be the season opener for 2019-20, and the Houston Open, which is set for mid-October, are the new additions to the Fall, along with an event in Japan, which replaces one in … [Read more...]
Players Near Bubble Have 2 Weeks to Qualify for FedExCup Playoffs
With only two weeks remaining in the regular season, some PGA Tour members are scrambling to qualify for the Playoffs, which begin August 8 at Liberty National in Jersey City, N.J., and conclude with the Tour Championship at East Lake August 22-25. The Playoffs events preceding the Tour Championship have been reduced from three to two, with the tournament in Boston … [Read more...]
Georgians Hope To Contend as British Open Returns to Northern Ireland
The 2019 British Open enters uncharted territory in more ways than one, as Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland will serve as tournament host for the first time since 1951. The course was the first outside England or Scotland to host golf’s oldest championship, but the event has not returned to Northern Ireland for almost 70 years due to the internal strife within the country … [Read more...]
Woods Rallies for First Time in a Major to Take Fifth Masters Title
While he was winning 14 majors between 1997 and 2008, Tiger Woods established a 100 percent predictable model for divining whether he was going to win a Grand Slam event going to the final round. When leading or sharing the lead after 54 holes, Woods was 14-0 in Grand Sam events. When he was trailing going to the final round, he was 0-for-everything else. His spotless … [Read more...]
Masters preview: McIlroy the Favorite, No Green Jacket for Tiger or Phil
The list of potential 2019 Masters champions is long, with a clear but not overwhelming favorite who comes into the tournament as the game’s hottest player, but who does not have the best relationship with Augusta National. Everything points to a Rory McIlroy victory in Augusta next week. He has finished sixth or better in each of his six starts in PGA Tour stroke play … [Read more...]
Masters Memories: Woods, Mickelson dominated for 2 decades
For more than two decades from the mid-1990s to the mid-2010s, golf fans could count on seeing the names of Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson on the leader board at the Masters on an annual basis. From 1995 to 2013, either Woods or Mickelson (and frequently both) finished at least seventh in the Masters. After that streak ended when Woods did not play and Mickelson missed the … [Read more...]
Kisner Defeats Kuchar in Finals of WGC Match Play
For the second straight year, former Georgia Bulldog golf team member Kevin Kisner found himself in the finals of the WGC Match Play Championship against a familiar competitor. Last year it was fellow ex-UGA golfer Bubba Watson, who used his considerable distance advantage to put a 7&6 beating on Kisner in the title match. This time, Kisner drew a player whose style … [Read more...]
Kuchar Tops Large Field of Georgians in Players Championship
A large contingent of golfers with Georgia ties will compete in the Players Championship, which will be played March 14-17 at TPC Sawgrass outside Jacksonville, returning to its early Spring date after being held in May since 2007. Of the 144 players in the field, 22 have Georgia ties, led by Matt Kuchar (Georgia Tech/St. Simons resident), who won the Players in 2012 and … [Read more...]
Georgians Fill Leader Boards on PGA, Web.com Tours
Golfers with Georgia ties were all over the leader boards on both the PGA and Web.com Tours this past weekend, combining for six top-10 finishes, with three others placing among the top 15. Charles Howell, Michael Thompson and Vaughn Taylor posted top 10s on the PGA Tour in Los Angeles , with Luke List and Bubba Watson both coming up one shot shots of a top-10 showing. J.T. … [Read more...]