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FEBRUARY 2009

Better ’09 for state’s PGA Tour pros?

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or most of Georgia’s contingent on the PGA Tour, the 2008 season was not a particularly memorable one, although there were some exceptions. Duluth’s Stewart Cink and Sea Island’s Davis Love opened the 2009 season in the Mercedes-Benz Championship in Hawaii, a reward for winning a tour-

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sixth in regular season points for the FedEdCup and ninth on the final money list with almost $4 million. Cink’s ‘08 season was divided into two disparate halves; before and after his win in Hartford. Other than his participation on the Ryder Cup team, Cink’s post-victory highlights were non-existent. And as well as he played the first six months of the season, he let a win get away in Tampa and did not put up much of a fight in the Match Play finals against Tiger Woods. Statistically, it was a solid season for the former Georgia Tech great. But he continued to miss fairways at a surprisingly high rate (181st in driving accuracy), while struggling with his short game (142nd in scrambling). Love was headed for his worst season in 20-plus years on the PGA Tour before a late surge in the Fall Finish revived his career at the age of 44. After a season-best finish of T19 in his first 17 starts, Love placed sixth or better three times in his last six starts, including a season-ending win at Disney, the 20th of his career. After finishing 154th in regular season FedExCup points to miss the playoffs, Love ended ’08 with almost $1.7 million in earnings (48th). But other than driving distance, his stats were pretty dismal across the board even with his strong finish, which carried over to a tie for second in his

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nament in ’08, as did former Georgia Bulldog Ryuji Imada. The rest of Georgia’s PGA Tour members had to wait another week or two to start their ’09 campaigns, with a common theme the hope that this year will be a more successful one than 2008. On the surface, Cink’s ‘08 season was an extremely successful one. He scored his first win in five years in Hartford, the site of his first PGA Tour victory as a rookie in 1997. He was part of a victorious Ryder Cup team for the first time in four starts, and enjoyed his best ever finish in the Masters (solo third). Cink was fifth in the PGA Tour’s all-around statistical category,

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By Mike Blum

Love, Howell off to quick early starts

’09 opener, placing him within range of the top 50 in the World Rankings and a Masters berth. Imada scored his first PGA Tour win in four seasons in Atlanta, but will not get the opportunity to defend his title in the defunct AT&T Classic. Imada had a pair of runner-up finishes among three topfives early in ’08 and a near win in the Fall Series, ending the season 13th in earnings with over $3 million. Imada’s success stemmed largely from an outstanding year with the putter, which produced a succession of strong final rounds and offset some awful stats in the ball striking categories. The 32-year-old Imada closed out 2008 by helping lead Japan to a third place finish in the World Cup. The list of Georgians who would just as soon forget 2008 begins with Augusta native Charles Howell. His earnings ($1.45 million) were the lowest of his eight seasons on the PGA Tour, with two of his four top-10 finishes coming in the Fall Series. As usual, Howell missed lots of fairways and putts, with his only redeeming stat a first place finish in scoring average on par 5s. Howell turns 30 in June, and there are probably not a lot of PGA Tour followers who would have predicted he would have just two victories in his 20s. [ See Georgians, page 6 ]

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Paul Claxton returns to Nationwide Tour

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Instruction Fore You

How does anyone choose a putter? By Ted Fort PGA Golf Professional Marietta Golf Center Have you ever played with someone that couldn’t putt the ball in an ocean with three chances? Even more importantly, are you that person? Anyone that has ever played the game understands the whimsical nature of putting. Even some of the greatest golfers in history, like Hogan and Watson, became frustrated with it. It’s a part of the game that allows all players, amateurs or pros, males or females, beginners or veterans, to empathize with the Tour player that misses a four footer. One thing to understand is that there’s no “one way” to accomplish the task of getting the ball in the hole. But, with this in mind, it’s important to understand that some characteristics go together. Without going into infinite detail, I will explain what some strokes have in common. In order to choose a putter that matches your style, you must understand how to qualify your style. Player A: There are players that attempt to keep the face of the putter square during the entire stroke. These are the players that feel a straight back and

straight through stroke with a square face. It’s similar to the action of a dog’s door, and some equate the motion to that of a pendulum. The following things tend to be the case for this player: sees the putter head move on a straight line, keeps the face square, holds the grip in the middle of the palm, holds the club very upright, feels no release, and aligns the face of the putter to the hole. Player B: Others allow the face to open and close, which would be similar to the action of a saloon door. This player sees the putter head making a blurred arc on the ground. For this player, these characteristics tend to exist: sees the putter head move in an arc, allows the face to open and close, holds the putter closer to the fingers than the palm, holds the club flatter, feels a release, and aligns the face of the putter slightly to the right of the hole. For those that like to keep things uncomplicated, player “A” should play with a face balanced putter. And, player “B” should play with a heel shafted putter. If you’re a “feel player” and that’s all you need to know, stop reading. The two putters in the top of the picture are face balanced, one with an S shaped shaft and one with a center shaft. And, the two putters in the bottom of the picture are heel shafted or not face balanced. For others that require a greater depth of understanding, we’re going to dig a little deeper. It is not mandatory that all of the characteristics listed in player “A” or player “B” have to co-exist, but they tend to coexist. One of the things that I’ve mentioned is the release of the putter. We need to define the word “release” as there are many misguided efforts to do so. I know that Tiger discussed the positive effect that releasing the putter had for him. So, to begin, we have to describe the con-

dition of the left wrist. Although it is important to have a flat left wrist in the full stroke, it’s not as important in the putting stroke. But, it’s extremely important the wrist remain in the condition that it began. Maintaining a flat left wrist would be placing a ruler under your watch and not breaking it. A bent left wrist would be breaking the ruler. If your left wrist starts flat or bent, keep it in that condition during the entire stroke. We will define releasing as the closing of the face while maintaining the left wrist condition, and the word we use for this is roll. To keep this article shorter than“War and Peace”, we are going to end with two additional points. Firstly, the feel of roll exists for those using heel shafted putters. And, the feel of no roll exists for those using a face balanced putter. The shaft will rotate around a club’s center of gravity. Therefore, if the club is face balanced, the shaft runs through the club’s center of gravity. And, it results in the feeling of no roll. Secondly, because the ball compresses against the face, there is a small interval of time in which the ball is stuck to the face. For the player that uses a closing face, it should be open at address, open at impact, and square at separation (when the ball leaves). For the player that keeps the face square, it should be square at address, square at impact, and square at separation. For this reason, it is IMPERATIVE to have your putter fit to your desired pattern. The days of choosing a putter based on name brand, cool colors, or price are history. And, for the “feel player” that kept reading, I warned you to stop. For the engineers that need more information, I’d be happy to respond to any questions that you might have. Ted U. Fort, Jr. 2006 Georgia PGA Teacher of the Year www.mariettagolfcenter.com [email protected]

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Golf Media, Inc. John Barrett EDITOR Mike Blum CONTRIBUTORS

Ted Fort Jackie Cannizzo, Women’s Golf Editor Steve Dinberg Lake-Finlay Image Group Joseph Field Georgia Golf Course Owners Association Cindy Acree, Executive Director MARKETING & ADVERTISING

J.R. Ross, Sales Representative Rick Holt, Corporate Sales ART DIRECTOR

Lori Montgomery [email protected] GEORGIA SECTION, PGA OF AMERICA PRESIDENT

Jim Arendt, Chicopee Woods Golf Course VICE-PRESIDENT

Patrick Richardson, Wilmington Island Club SECRETARY

Brian Stubbs, Country Club of Columbus HONORARY PRESIDENT

Danny Elkins, Georgia Golf Center BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Bud Robison, West Point, Ga Marten Olsson, The Club at River Forest Steve Godley, Jekyll Island Golf Club Bob Elmore, Bacon Park GC Shawn McKinnon, Berkeley Hills CC Richard Hatcher, Ansley GC Jeff Dunovant, First Tee of East Lake Scott Mahr, Barnsley Gardens Resort Clark Spratlin, Blue Ridge Golf & River Club Dan Mullins, Classic Golf Management Josh Williams, Savannah Golf Club Rodger Hogan, Royal Lakes Golf & CC EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mike Paull

Forecast

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR Pat Day

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JUNIOR GOLF DIRECTOR Scott Gordon

PGA Tour preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Chip Shots and Golf Talk. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

FedExCup changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Masters field adding names . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Georgians on Nationwide Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Golf Fore Juniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Champions Tour preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Course reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

James Mason regains status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

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[ Continued from the cover ]

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Barring a third PGA Tour victory, Howell will not be in the field for the 2009 Masters, but a fourth place finish in his season opener in Hawaii showed a flash of his past play. Fellow Augustan Vaughn Taylor, a member of the 2006 U.S. Ryder Cup team, has fallen even farther than Howell, entering ’09 outside the top 200 in the World Rankings. Taylor, 32, earned just over $1 million last season (98th), and did not lock up his exempt status until a tie for second in the next-to-last tournament of the season. Taylor’s stats were not as bad as his results, but some indifferent final round play did not help his cause. It was the first time in his 5-year career that Taylor finished outside the top 70 in earnings. Sea Island’s Jonathan Byrd dropped from 42nd on the money list to 101st, with his Sunday struggles (148 in final round scoring average) and poor greens in regulation stats (149) among the major reasons. Byrd enjoyed a respectable season on the greens, but was unable to convert on his chances to contend, with a tie for fourth in Atlanta his only top 10 in a stroke play event. Recent Georgia Tech standout and Atlanta area resident Troy Matteson took a second straight backwards step after an excellent rookie season in 2006. Unlike Byrd, Matteson had a solid season from a ball striking standpoint, but ranked 163

Ryuji Imada

and 181 in the two primary putting categories. Matteson managed to close out the season with back-to-back top 10s in Florida Fall Finish events, with his best showing of ’08 coming early in the season in Tampa, where he tied for second. He finished 89th with $1.2 million. Putting also was the main stumbling block for Alpharetta resident Heath Slocum, who enjoyed a typical season by his standards, earning $1.49 million to finish 63rd, his seventh straight year in the top 80. Slocum matched Matteson with five top-10 finishes, contending in Hartford and Atlanta and finishing with the low final round score in the U.S. Open to tie for eighth. Slocum was third in fairways hit and first in proximity to the hole on approach shots, but his struggles with the putter prevented him from fully capitalizing on his opportunities. Jason Bohn is glad 2008 has come and gone, but not for reasons on the golf course. For the second straight year, Bohn’s season was shortened by injury, with complications from back surgery sidelining him for four months. Bohn, an Acworth resident, returned for the last two events of the season, and managed to retain his exempt status despite making just 15 starts. A sixth place finish in the Heritage Classic and a

Matt Kuchar

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Georgians take aim at ‘09 PGA Tour

Charles Howell

third in Charlotte enabled Bohn to narrowly finish inside the top 125 on the money list, and he entered ’09 hoping to enjoy his first healthy season since 2006. Former Georgia Tech golfer Matt Kuchar enjoyed his best year since his rookie season of 2002, finishing 70th with $1.45 million. Kuchar nearly scored his second career win late last season in Las Vegas, and added top 10 finishes on three of the tour’s most respected courses (Harbour Town, Colonial, Muirfield Village). Kuchar was among the tour’s top scramblers, helping offset his status as one of the game’s shorter hitters. Ex-Georgia Bulldog Bubba Watson is at the other end of the driving distance chart, leading in that category for the third straight year with a 315-yard average. Although he ended up 58th with more than $1.5 million, Watson managed to finish in the top 30 in the final FedExCup standings to earn a return trip to Augusta, just missing his first win in the Buick Open. Watson also hit plenty of greens, but too many missed fairways and putts kept him from taking full advantage of his prodigious length off the tee. In just his second season on the PGA Tour, recent Georgia Tech golfer Nicholas Thompson was on the both the points and money lists, earning $1.87 million. Thompson nearly scored his first win in his native Florida late in the season, one of four top-5 finishes in ‘08. Thompson finished third in total driving, but will need to improve his greens in regulation stats if he hopes for a repeat showing in ’09. Atlanta’s Billy Andrade has lost his exempt status for the first time since his rookie season of 1988, slipping to 193rd on the money list. The popular veteran will be able to play a healthy schedule thanks to sponsor exemptions, but with the Champions Tour still five years away, he may be looking to transition from the course to the broadcast booth. Andrade’s deft putting touch has kept him competitive despite other deficiencies in his play,

but with that aspect of his game slipping, he has not posted a top-10 finish either of the last two seasons. Roswell’s Justin Bolli and Vidalia native Paul Claxton finished 158 and 218 respectively on the money list and will return to the Nationwide Tour this year. Larry Mize made his Champions Tour debut late last year and will be joined in May by Bob Tway, who was 132nd in earnings last year and will play a handful of PGA Tour events before turning 50. Joining the PGA Tour this year are five Georgians, four who played college golf in the state. All five finished in the Nationwide Tour’s top 25 last year. Warner Robins native and former Georgia PGA member Kris Blanks will be a PGA Tour rookie in ’09 along with ’07 U. of Georgia graduate Brendon Todd, exGeorgia Tech golfer Matt Weibring and recent Georgia Southern standout Aron Price. Former Georgia Tech standout Bryce Molder returns to the PGA Tour after a one-year absence.

Weir Scholarship deadline approaching The deadline for applications for Weir Scholarships for 2009-10 is March 4. The Weir Scholarships are for high school seniors who are employed or are the dependents of employees at golf course facilities in Georgia with a professional who is a member of the PGA. The scholarships include full tuition, room and board and schoolrelated supplies for the school of the applicant's choice. Information can be found at www.weir-foundation.org or by contacting Mike McCollum at 706-573-2255.

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Tiger’s return main focus of ’09 PGA Tour PGA Tour PREVIEW

By Mike Blum

s the PGA Tour began its 2009 season last month in Hawaii, two questions dominated the outlook for the year ahead: When will Tiger Woods return to active duty and how will his layoff since mid-June of last year affect him? Woods has not played since his memorable U.S. Open victory in 2008, and there has been considerable speculation when he will make his ’09 debut. Will it be the Match Play Championship in Tucson late this month? The WGC event at Doral in mid-March? Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Invitational two weeks before the Masters? The most optimistic date for his return would be a little over eight months since his last appearance, not a great deal of time missed considering the nature of his knee injury. Ernie Els missed a comparable amount of time with a less serious injury, and by some accounts, has not been the same player since. Woods competed in the U.S. Open against doctor’s orders, and it’s hard to imagine him not being in the field for the Masters unless he is completely unable to walk. As Woods displayed at Torrey Pines, he is eminently capable of winning a major championship without a healthy pair of legs. But it’s a little different playing despite a painful injury

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Zach Johnson

as opposed to playing with an injury that has not fully healed. Most of the early commentary on Woods’ return leans in the direction of his being better than ever thanks to having two fully functional knees for the first time in a while. But there is the matter of Woods adjusting to his surgically repaired knee and its ability to handle the tremendous stress he puts on it with his powerful swing. The simple fact is that no one knows whether Woods will be better, worse or essentially the same when he makes his return. Els may have returned too soon, and has seemingly paid a price for it. Woods has typically performed well when returning from relatively lengthy absences, but this is new territory for him. His standards will likely keep him out of competition until he thinks he is fully prepared, but this time he also has to factor in whether the knee is sufficiently healed to hold up in the long term, which it was unable to do the last time he had work done on it. The PGA Tour suffered in Woods’ absence the second half of the 2008 season, more in terms of perception than reality. The TV ratings slumped significantly, as they always do when Woods is not competing and contending, but outside the PGA Tour and a few broadcast network headquarters, who really cares? The Woods-less portion of the 2008 PGA Tour schedule included some heroics by veterans Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh, along with the emergence of budding stars Anthony Kim and Camilo Villegas. The unexpected resurgence of Greg Norman invigorated the British Open until a tremendous closing rush by Padraig Harrington, who won a tense duel with rival Sergio Garcia in the PGA Championship one month later. Like Woods did in 2007, Singh denied the FedExCup race an exciting finish by wrapping up the points title before the Tour Championship. But that did not prevent the first down-to-the-wire finish at East Lake since 2000, with four of the game’s biggest names engaging in a crowdpleasing shootout down the stretch. After losing three straight Ryder Cups with Woods in the lineup, the Americans scored a decisive win at Valhalla sans Tiger, a feat some of Woods’ worshipers found difficult to comprehend. Even the mostly ignored Fall Finish produced a few fireworks, as all seven tournaments were decided in either a playoff or by one stroke, concluding with an entertaining battle between the odd couple of Davis Love and Tommy “Two

Tiger Woods

Gloves” Gainey. As the 2009 season got under way, much of the non-Woods attention was focused on three of the game’s emerging stars, all of whom were involved in the duel for the 2008 Tour Championship. Garcia has risen to second in the World Rankings, with Kim and Villegas both moving into the top 10. Adam Scott and Augusta native Charles Howell, two talented twenty-somethings who have underachieved to varying degrees, both came up just short in their attempts to win early in the season. Both were bested down the stretch by Zach Johnson, who won for the second time in his last six starts going back to his Fall Finish win in San Antonio. Johnson, who scored his first three Tour wins in Georgia, joined the state’s PGA Tour contingent in the off-season, moving to the warmer climes of St. Simons Island from his native Iowa. There is a chance Johnson, Love and Jonathan Byrd will be able to play a PGA Tour event on what has become their home turf, as the Tour is attempting to secure a title sponsor for a Fall Finish event that would be played at Sea Island Golf Club the first week in November. The tournament in San Antonio has taken the place of Atlanta’s long time tour stop in the FedExCup portion of the schedule. Coupled with the demise of the Ginn-sponsored event in Florida, the Fall Finish has been reduced from seven tournaments to five, six if a sponsor can be found for the Sea Island event. The three majors with rotating venues visit courses that have not hosted that many championships, but all three have

produced some drama in limited engagements. The U.S. Open is back at Bethpage State Park in suburban New York, where Woods bested Phil Mickelson by three strokes in 2002, the first time the public course had hosted a major event. The course is very much tailored to power hitters, but is reportedly going to be a little less daunting to short-to-medium hitters this year. The 2002 PGA Championship was played at Hazeltine in Minnesota, and Woods was narrowly denied a third major that year, with Rich Beem surviving a furious finish by Tiger to score a surprise victory. The course has been altered significantly since its much-criticized U.S. Open debut in 1970, but was still conducive to scoring by non-bombers when it last hosted the PGA. The wild card among the major venues this year is Turnberry, which will be the site of the British Open for just the fourth time. In the championship’s long history, only seven 72-hole totals under 270 have been posted, four of them at Turnberry. The Scottish course was the site of the classic Tom Watson-Jack Nicklaus duel in 1977, with Nick Price edging Jesper Parnevik in another sub-par shootout in ’94. But in 1986, the weather was not nearly as conducive to low scoring, with Norman winning by five strokes with an even par total of 280. For most of the likely contenders, this will be the first time they have played the course in competition, making for some uncertainty for most of the participants, Woods among them. Woods is not the only veteran who comes into the ’09 with some question marks. Phil Mickelson has not contended in a major since his 72nd hole meltdown at Winged Foot in 2006. With his 40th birthday a year away, he still has plenty of game, but does he have the mental toughness to claim a fourth major title? Vijay Singh won four times in eight starts — all against strong fields — to close out the 2008 season, but recently underwent minor knee surgery. At the age of 46, how long can he maintain his game at such an elite level? Ernie Els turns 40 later this year, and given his results the past few years, appears much less likely than Mickelson or Singh to add a fourth major title to his resume. Padraig Harrington also has a trio of majors to his credit, taking three of the last six, but his recent success has overshadowed the fact that no other European player has won a major in the 21st century.

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PHOTOS BY STEVE DINBERG

Questions also remain for other veteran players

2009 FEBRUARY

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PGA Tour tweaks FedExCup – again Latest changes will ensure East Lake to decide winner

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hen the PGA Tour unveiled the FedExCup prior to the 2007 season, the hope was that the addition of three new “playoff” events would help produce a dramatic conclusion at the Tour Championship. The PGA Tour set up a points system for both the regular season and playoffs, but the initial attempt failed to produce much interest during the regular season or volatility once the playoffs began. A handful of top players dominated the playoff events, with Tiger Woods hoisting the first FedExCup trophy despite skipping the first of the four tournaments. Woods placed second, first and first in the next three, including a runaway win at East Lake to end what little suspense existed in the points race. The points for the playoffs were tweaked

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up with one that rewards players who perform well during the regular system, increases the benefits to those who play the best in the playoffs and ensures that no one will wrap up the FedExCup title prior to the Tour Championship. The Tour Championship appears to be the biggest winner in the process, largely due to the change in when the FedExCup points are reset. The previous two years, points earned during the regular season were reset prior to the start of the playoffs, with players awarded a specific number of points based on their position on the points list. This year, points earned during the regular season will carry over to the playoffs, but will be greatly reduced from the numbers awarded the first two years of the FedExCup. Instead of tournament winners earning 4,500 points, they will now receive just 500, with slightly more for World Golf Championships (550) and major championship winners (600). Winners of the playoff events will receive 2,500 points each, but to prevent one player from locking up the title prior to the Tour Championship, the points will not be reset until after the BMW Championship, the third of the three playoffs events leading to East Lake. As a result of the new reset date and the change in points distribution, if any player in the top 5 after the reset wins the Tour Championship, he will also win the FedExCup. Mathematically, all 30 players in the Tour Championship field will have a chance to win the FedExCup, but the players near the bottom of the list will need a lot of help from those at the top, who would have to play poorly at East Lake for that to happen. The changes instituted this year seem to have solved the various problems the FedExCup has encountered in its brief history. Having regular season points carry over through the first three weeks of the playoffs gives those events greater stature, and should prevent a repeat of last year, when two-time major champion Padraig Harrington was

absent from East Lake after missing the first two cuts in the playoffs. There will still be a chance for players to make big moves in the standings in the playoffs, but they will have to play extremely well to do so, not just make the cut to move past players who don’t. And most importantly from the standpoint of the Tour Championship, there is no chance the FedExCup championship will be decided prior to the tournament, with multiple players having the opportunity to win the title with a victory. There are a few other changes this year involving fields and tournament sites. The playoff opener in suburban New York moves from the well-received Ridgewood CC to a much-hyped newer facility (Liberty National). The field has been reduced from 144 to 125, matching the spot on the money list required to retain exempt status for the next season. The Deutsche Bank Championship will again be played Labor Day weekend in the Boston area, with the only change a reduction in the field from 120 to 100. The BMW Championship (formerly Western Open) returns to its traditional home in Chicago at a renovated Cog Hill, with the field remaining at 70. The Tour Championship will be played Sept. 24-27, giving its 30 qualifiers one week off after a grueling stretch of golf. With a WGC event and the PGA Championship just prior to the start of the playoffs, most of the golf’s top players will have played five times in six weeks before the week off. Many of the players in the Tour Championship field will be back in action in the Presidents Cup after a one week respite, making it seven high profile events in 10 weeks. With the Ryder Cup played the week before the Tour Championship last year, some players were competing for the seventh time in nine weeks at East Lake.

PHOTOS BY STEVE DINBERG

By Mike Blum

after the ’07 season, with an emphasis placed on more movement in the standings during the playoff events. A sizeable bonus was awarded for making the cut in the first two tournaments, which resulted in some players making big moves without doing much, while those who missed the cut were severely penalized. This time, Vijay Singh won the first two playoff tournaments and had the FedExCup title wrapped up before the Tour Championship. Even though Camilo Villegas won the third playoff event plus the Tour Championship, a missed cut in the playoff opener left him second behind Singh. With no Tiger and no drama, the Tour Championship drew minimal media coverage (almost all of it negative) and minuscule TV ratings, so it was back to the drawing board again for the PGA Tour. This time, the numbers crunchers who devised the previous two formats have come

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Strong Georgia presence on Nationwide Tour Veteran group seek to return to PGA Tour

here are only a handful of Georgians who are fully exempt for the 2009 Nationwide Tour, but the state will still have a strong presence on the tour, with both its tournaments returning to the schedule. The Athens Regional Foundation Classic and South Georgia Classic will be played on consecutive weeks for the first time. The Nationwide Tour will play at Jennings Mill Country Club for a fourth straight year, with the ’09 tournament scheduled for April 16-19, the week after the Masters. Valdosta’s Kinderlou Forest will be the host of a Nationwide Tour event for the third consecutive year, with that tournament played April 23-26, the same week as the Champions Tour Legends of Golf in Savannah. This year’s schedule includes 29 tournaments, one less than last year. The tour lost events in Richmond, Va., Chicago, Rochester and Oregon, while adding a second stop in New Zealand plus events in Kansas City and southern California, the latter one of three tournaments with million dollar purses. The tour’s Georgia contingent for 2009 will include a number of familiar names, with just two newcomers – Major Manning and David Robinson. Manning is the latest former Augusta State golfer to move up in the pro ranks, firing a final round 68 in PGA Tour qualifying to advance 27 spots and narrowly earn exempt status. Manning, came to Augusta State from Clarkesville, and enjoyed success in both the junior and col-

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Justin Bolli

lege ranks, completing his career at Augusta State after the 2007 season. The highlight of Manning’s first full season as a tour player was a victory in South Carolina on the Hooters Tour. He had one other top-4 finish on both the Hooters and Tar Heel Tours, and made it through the first two stages of qualifying before opening finals with a 7-under 65 to share the first round lead. Manning was even par over the next four days to almost fall out of the top 100, but finished 70th after his closing 68 to earn his exempt status on the number. Robinson, a Sandersville resident who played on the golf team at Georgia College, was the Tar Heel Tour’s Player of the Year in 2008, winning three times and posting 12 top-10 finishes in 16 starts to become the first player on that tour to exceed $100,000 in earnings. After a number of years on the mini-tour circuit, this will be Robinson’s first Nationwide Tour season. Robinson finished ahead of only 15 players in the finals of PGA Tour qualifying, and will begin the season with limited status on tour. Robinson shot 67 in both the second and third rounds of qualifying, but was over par in each of his four other rounds in southern California. Heading up Georgia’s veteran contingent is Duluth’s Scott Dunlap, who is playing his sixth straight season on the tour and eighth overall. Dunlap won the Nationwide Tour’s season opening event in Panama last year, but did not post another

top 10 finish and ended the year 37th with just over $170,000. Dunlap was 8th in fairways hit and 23rd in greens in regulation, but struggles with the putter kept him from taking full advantage of his excellent ball striking. He shot 16-under for six rounds of qualifying, but a final round 67 left him three strokes shy of a spot on the PGA Tour. The 45-year-old Dunlap has two career Nationwide wins, with his rookie season dating all the way back to the tour’s inaugural year of 1990. Since then, Dunlap has played all over the world, winning tournaments in Canada, South America and South Africa. He also spent seven seasons on the PGA Tour from 1995-2002, finishing 44th on the money list in 2000, when he contended in the PGA Championship. He nearly won the ’05 BellSouth Classic after playing his way into the tournament in a Monday qualifier. Albany’s Josh Broadaway enjoyed his best Nationwide season in ’08, ending up 36th with $172,880. Broadaway, 30, had not finished in the top 90 in his first three years on tour, but posted five top-10 finishes last year, tying for third in Miami and contending in one of the tour’s top events in Columbus, Oh. Broadaway, who hits the ball cross-handed and putts left-handed, was fourth in putting in ’07 and seventh in the par breakers category. Four Georgians who won on the tour in 2007, including two who played on the PGA Tour last year, will be Nationwide Tour members.

Roswell’s Justin Bolli almost won the Sugarloaf finale — finishing in a tie for fifth, qualified for the FedExCup playoffs and made it to the second playoff event. Even though he finished with more than $458,000, it was not enough to retain his status on the PGA Tour, and he returns to the Nationwide Tour for a fourth season. Bolli finished in the top 10 on the Nationwide Tour in 2004 and ’07, winning tournaments both seasons, to earn his two trips to the PGA Tour. But a season-long struggle with his putter in ’08 kept him from staying in golf ’s major leagues. Other than his tie for fifth at Sugarloaf, the former walk-on to the Georgia golf team placed higher than 30th in only one other tournament. Paul Claxton had no more success in his fourth PGA Tour season last year than he did in his first three. After placing between 177 and 184 on the money list in three seasons spread out from 1997 to 2005, Claxton fell to 218th last year, making just 8 of 23 cuts with only two finishes better than 50th. Claxton, a Vidalia native who lives on St, Simons Island, left the Nationwide Tour after an excellent ’07 season as the tour’s all-time leading money winner, but returns as No. 2. The former Georgia Bulldog will be playing his 11th season on the tour, where he has won twice and never finished lower than 61st on the money list. John Kimbell won in Valdosta in his rookie season on the Nationwide Tour in ’07, but suffered through a rough sophomore season, dropping from 37th on the money list to 120th. The LaFayette resident struggled statistically across the board, managing just three top-30 finishes in 25 starts, with a tie for 18th his best showing. Tour veteran Franklin Langham endured a nightmare year in 2008, missing the cut in every event he entered before calling it a season in early August. Langham, who has played seven years on the PGA Tour and nine on the Nationwide, scored his third Nationwide win in ’07, but fought a losing battle with his swing last year. Langham is seventh on the all-time Nationwide Tour money list and qualified for the PGA Tour Championship in 2000, but other than one strong season on the Nationwide Tour in ’04, has not been the same player since an elbow injury that flared up during the 2000 season. Langham is a Thomson native and long-time Peachtree City resident and was a teammate of Claxton on the Georgia golf team. Five Georgians finished between 77 and 94 on the 2008 money list to retain nonexempt status for the ’09 season. Recent Georgia Bulldog standout Chris Kirk of Woodstock was 77th in his rookie season as a pro, highlighted by a runner-up finish in Knoxville, where he lost in a playoff. Other than that, however, it was not an especially productive first year for Kirk, although he made the cut in all three PGA Tour events he entered, including the U.S. Open. [ See Nationwide Tour, page 17 ]

FEBRUARY 2009

2009 FEBRUARY

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Mize, Tway among new Champions Tour names

Atlanta still missing from tour schedule

By Mike Blum

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he Champions Tour will not be returning to Atlanta in 2009, but it will be back in Savannah for a seventh straight year. The over-50 tour welcomed a Georgia native late last year, with a less well known Georgian regaining his full time playing privileges this year and a former state resident making his debut early in the season. Larry Mize, who was born and raised in Augusta and is a long-time Columbus resident, made his Champions Tour debut in the latter stages of the 2008 season, making four mostly uneventful starts. Duluth native and Dillard resident James Mason, who has played on the Champions Tour since 2001, posted a top5 finish in the finals of the tour’s qualifying tournament and will be fully exempt for the first time since the ’03 season, the year after he scored his lone tour win. Bob Tway, who lived in suburban Cobb County for most of his teens, will make his Champions Tour debut in early May, and is expected to be a very competitive player after some solid showings on the PGA Tour last year. They join Champions Tour veterans Allen Doyle and Larry Nelson along with relative newcomer Tim Simpson in comprising the bulk of Georgia’s contingent on the tour. Augusta native Jim Dent, who turns 70 this year, remains exempt, but has not been a competitive player for a number of seasons. The tour makes its lone Georgia appearance in late April with the tournament that started what was then the Senior Tour. The Liberty Mutual Legends of Golf has been

Allen Doyle

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Larry Nelson

played since 1978, and its initial success was largely responsible for the creation of the Senior Tour a few years later. After making several changes in sites, the tournament landed at the Westin Savannah Harbor Resort in 2003 and has remained there since, with the format returning to its original team concept last year. The Champions Tour was supposed to make a return to the Atlanta area this year, but the faltering economy ended the hopes for landing a title sponsor for the event. The tour has not visited the north Atlanta suburbs since 2000, with Country Club of the South and Golf Club of Georgia serving as hosts and Nationwide Insurance the title sponsor. This year’s Champions Tour schedule will consist of 26 tournaments, the fewest number in more than two decades. The tour lost three events from 2008 in Hawaii, suburban Boston and New York, and did not add a new tournament for ’09. As a result, the tour will have only one stretch the entire season when it will play more than three straight weeks, with the frequent off weeks likely to result in stronger fields for the remaining tournaments. In recent years, the Champions Tour has attracted a decreasing amount of attention, as the star players who made the tour what it was have long since ceased to be competitive players. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Trevino kept the Champions Tour relevant through the 1980s and ‘90s, but the past decade has not been as successful. The charismatically challenged Hale Irwin was “The Man” on the Champions Tour for most of that stretch, with the

recent contenders for that title – Jay Haas, Loren Roberts and Bernhard Langer – cut out of the same mold. Many of the more prominent players to turn 50 in recent years have either ignored the Champions Tour (Greg Norman, Nick Faldo), not played especially well (Nick Price, Curtis Strange, Mark O’Meara) or can’t decide whether to stick it out on the PGA Tour (Fred Funk). It’s been quite a while since an American player with marquee appeal has turned 50, and this year is no different. Tom Lehman and Tway are the only two players with any sort of resumes to join the tour this year, and neither is going to greatly enhance the tour’s status. Among the tour’s top players last year were such non-household names as R.W. Eaks, Bruce Vaughan, Mark Wiebe, D.A. Weibring, Denis Watson and Eduardo Romero, with those six combining for 10 victories, including three of the five majors. Lonnie Nielsen, Brad Bryant, Gene Jones, David Eger and Michael Goodes all qualified for the Tour Championship. A number of familiar names – Gil Morgan, Jim Thorpe, Ben Crenshaw, Bruce Fleisher, Fuzzy Zoeller, Irwin – are on the downside of their Champions Tour careers, and the players replacing them on leader boards are not exciting any more fans than they did. Langer and Romero, who spent his career playing primarily in Europe and his native Argentina, were the only players to win three times last year, with six others winning twice each. Haas has been the tour’s top player over the last three seasons with 10 victories and two money and Schwab Cup titles each, but does not exactly strike fear into the hearts of his fellow competitors or boost attendance totals. Other than Simpson and the newcomers, Georgia’s Champions Tour contingent is showing a little age. Allen Doyle turned 60 last year, and has not won since scoring his second straight U. S. Senior Open title in 2006. After eight straight seasons among the tour’s top 20 players, he has finished around 40th in earnings each of the last two years, and did not have a top-10 finish in ’08 after placing second in the season opener. The LaGrange resident has enjoyed a wonderful career since turning pro in his late 40s, entering the ’09 season sixth on the all-time Champions Tour money list with

more than $13 million. Marietta resident Larry Nelson also enjoyed a long run of success on the Champions Tour until he reached his late 50s, scoring 19 wins between 1998 and 2004. But Nelson, 61, has struggled over the last four years, in large part due to injuries, and has gone two seasons without a top-10 finish in an individual event. Tim Simpson has gradually moved up the money list in his three seasons on the tour, advancing from 46th to 37th to 26th. The Atlanta native and Lake Oconee resident had a pair of runner-up finishes last year, and remains among the better ball strikers among his peer group, with putting still his main nemesis. Larry Mize and Bob Tway could easily wind up competing for Rookie of the Year honors, with Mize enjoying a three-month head start. Mize was not a factor on the PGA Tour after 2001, and will have to reacquaint himself with the feeling of playing under pressure. He was respectable in his first four Champions Tour starts, but will need to card a few more scores of 66 and 67 if he hopes to win for the first time in more than 15 years. Tway kept his game in shape deeper into his late 40s, and turned in a number of strong efforts last year, finishing the among the scoring leaders on the PGA Tour. Tway also ranked among the leaders in several other categories, most notably putting, and rattled off a string of scores in the mid60s, including a 62 in his final event of the season. He will miss the first nine Champions Tour events of the season, but look for him to make a big impact once he turns 50 in May. Jim Dent notched 12 wins in his first 10 seasons on the Champions Tour, but his last win was more than a decade ago. Dent has earned almost $9 million during his Champions Tour career and led the tour in driving distance six straight seasons. Dent, who made just 13 starts last year, begins the 2009 season 20th in career Champions Tour earnings. Tim Conley, a long-time Braselton resident and the 2005 Georgia Open champion, tied for ninth in the finals of qualifying last year, and will have limited status, playing in the tour’s Monday qualifiers in an effort to get into the tournament fields. Conley, who played on both the PGA and Nationwide Tour prior to turning 50, has made 19 starts the past two seasons, 13 of those as a rookie in 2007. His earnings fell from $127,000 to $36,000, with a tie for 30th his best showing in ’08. Javier Sanchez, who lives in the Lake Oconee area, tied for 20th in the finals of Q-school and will be eligible to compete in the Monday qualifiers. Sanchez has enjoyed some success in his career as a mini-tour player, and is best known for qualifying for the U.S. Open four straight years, making it through both local and sectional qualifying all four times.

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Mason regains status on Champions Tour By Mike Blum

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or the past five seasons, James Mason has competed on the Champions Tour in a kind of limbo. Mason’s exempt status for winning a Champions Tour event in 2002 expired at the end of the ‘03 season, and since then Mason has competed on an irregular basis. He’s gotten into some tournaments but not others, and has spent the past two seasons having to rely on his success in Monday qualifiers to get into fields for the dwindling number of tour events. After placing around 40th in three of his first four seasons, Mason has finished 69th, 62nd and 75th on the money list the last three years, competing in fewer than half the tournaments in both 2007 and ‘08. A few years ago, the Champions Tour did away with its qualifying tournament that allowed players like Allen Doyle and

Mason, who had little or no experience on the PGA Tour, to gain access to the Champions Tour on a regular basis. The tour expanded the number of spots available from the weekly tournament qualifiers, but only a handful of players were able to parlay that into a healthy schedule and a sufficiently successful season to earn exempt status for the following year. Mason, a Duluth native and long-time Georgia PGA member who now lives in Dillard in the northeast Georgia mountains, took advantage of the resumption of the qualifying tournament, but not without some nervous moments at the end. With only five spots available on the 2009 Champions Tour, Mason began the final round in the precarious position of tied for fifth. On a difficult day from a weather standpoint, Mason played steadily, recording nine straight pars before a bogey on the 18th hole placed him in jeopardy of finishing outside the top five.

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Long time club pro ends days of Monday qualifiers

James Mason

Without any scoreboards on the course, the players had no grasp of how they stood coming down the stretch, and Mason feared that his closing bogey would cost him any chance of a top-5 finish. However, a number of players contending for the five available spots encountered some serious stumbling blocks the final day. To his surprise, Mason wound up tied for fourth and in a three-way playoff for two spots. After a trio of pars on the first playoff hole, Mason was the only one of the three to par the second hole, and just like that, he is again a full-time player on the Champions Tour. For Mason, the success in the qualifier came at exactly the right time. He turned 58 last month, and realizes “I’ve only got one or two more shots at it then I’m headed back to playing in the Section.” Even though it’s been a while since Mason has made a serious run at contending in a Champions Tour event, he still believes he can be a competitive player against the game’s top players over the age of 50. “Absolutely. I’m still in good enough health that I can totally compete, and I’ve learned so much the last six or seven years. I’m going to get to play at least 20 or so tournaments. I’m excited.” Mason turned 50 in 2001, and played in five Champions Tour events that year, all as a Monday qualifier. In just his second start of 2002, he won the long defunct NFL Classic in New Jersey – just the eighth time in tour history a Monday qualifier won the tournament – and contended for another victory later that year in Minnesota. He finished the year 40th on the money list, and played respectably in ’03, placing 41st in earnings to retain his status. Since that year, Mason has cracked the top 50 in earnings just once (42nd in

2004), and his number of playing opportunities has decreased the past three seasons from 18 to 13 to 12. Most of Mason’s recent starts have come thanks to his play in Monday qualifiers, although he has received a few sponsor exemptions along the way. His victory from 2002 hasn’t been much of a help in gaining access to events, as the Champions Tour places more weight in what players did during their days on the PGA Tour than performance on the Champions Tour. “That’s just the way the tour was set up,” Mason says. “They’re looking out for the ones who played the PGA Tour. But if you can play, you can get a spot out here.” Mason has shrugged off the various regulations that have made it harder for him to succeed than former Tour players. “I have certainly enjoyed it. I’m doing something a lot of people wish they were doing. I can’t describe how good it’s been. If you had told me when I came out that I would make over $2 million, I would have asked you what you were smoking.” Mason hasn’t always played as well as he would have liked, but has done well enough to stay out there for seven years, with hopes of a few more. “I’ve persevered. It’s a seven day a week job, and if you don’t approach it like that, you won’t do any good.” In recent years, Mason has had to make a few stops on the not very lucrative senior mini-tour circuit, but can concentrate his efforts this year on the Champions Tour. Mason will get into just about every tour event this season, which he says is “a big weight lifted. Hopefully, I’ll play fair enough to make a lot of money.” Mason managed just one top-10 finish in each of his last two seasons, but should fare better this year without the week to week uncertainty that is the life of the tour’s contingent of Monday qualifiers. Prior to joining the Champions Tour, Mason was a career PGA club professional, working primarily in the metro Atlanta area. As his 50th birthday approached, he turned to teaching to enable him to concentrate more on playing (he still teaches some at The Orchard in Clarkesville), and emerged as the Georgia PGA’s top player in his late 40s. From 1997, when he was 46, to 2000, Mason was the Georgia PGA’s Player of the Year three times in the four-year span. He won six Georgia PGA tournaments in that stretch, including the Section Championship three times, with three of his victories, the Atlanta Open among them, coming at the age of 49 in 2000. Mason won both the Georgia Senior Open and the Georgia PGA Senior Championship in 2001 before his lifechanging week in May of 2002 in New Jersey.

FEBRUARY 2009

Nationwide Tour [ Continued from page 12 ]

Augusta’s Scott Parel was 81st, with his best showing a fourth place finish in Valdosta. Parel was sixth in the driving stats, but some putting woes, particularly in the final round, kept him from retaining his exempt status. Parel, 43, will be playing his sixth season on the Nationwide Tour. Tommy Tolles, who played with Claxton and Langham on the Georgia golf team two decades ago, was 83rd on the money list, making just 14 starts and not playing late in the season. Tolles, 42, played on the PGA Tour from 1995-2002, twice qualifying for the Tour Championship, but has played all but one season since on the Nationwide Tour. Other than 2003, Tolles has not enjoyed much success of late, but did manage a pair of top-5 finishes in two of the top Nationwide events last year. Snellville’s Jonathan Fricke was 93rd in his rookie Nationwide season, which featured an odd second half. Fricke missed 13 of his last 15 cuts, but the two times he made it to the weekend in that stretch, he finished third and eighth. Fricke was among the tour leaders in driving distance and putted well, but finished well down the list in fairways and greens hit. Fricke reached the finals of Qschool and shot 63 in the second round, but finished outside the top 100 and did not appreciably improve his status for this season.

2009 FEBRUARY

Lake Oconee resident Blake Adams, who has spent his pro career on regional minitours, finished sixth in Valdosta after Monday qualifying for the tournament. He made it into 10 more events, posting three top-20 finishes, and finished 94th on the money list to earn limited playing privileges this season. Georgia PGA member Sonny Skinner made it to finals of Q-school and missed by only three strokes of being fully exempt on the Nationwide Tout this year. Skinner, 48, played on either the PGA or Nationwide Tour from 1990-2005, and made 10 starts last year after a strong final round vaulted him into the top 20 in Athens. Skinner, a teaching pro at River Pointe in Albany, placed second in last year’s PGA Professional National Championship at Reynolds Plantation, and was named PGA Professional of the Year. Skinner was also the 2006 Georgia PGA Player of the Year, and was runner-up last year. Former Norcross resident Reid Edstrom and Savannah’s Tim O’Neal both finished outside the top 100 on the money list and lost their tour status. Edstrom enjoyed a handful of solid weeks in his rookie season, but was only able to get into 14 tournaments. He did manage to uncork the longest drive on the tour last year, belting one that measured 416 yards. O’Neal, who was top-60 on the money list in three of his first four Nationwide seasons, made just 4 of 13 cuts in ’08, with his best finish a tie for 24th.

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Chip Shots Hatcher, Richardson take Pro-Pro title Richard Hatcher and Patrick Richardson teamed up to win the Georgia PGA Pro-Pro Championship at Jekyll Island GC to wrap up the Section’s 2008 tournament schedule. Hatcher, head professional at Ansley GC, and Richardson, head professional at Wilmington Island GC, won on the second playoff hole against Jon Hough, head professional at The Manor G&CC, and Wyatt Detmer, head professional at Orchard Hills. Both teams finished with 12-under 132 totals in the best ball competition, with each posting back-to-back scores of 66. After the teams halved the first playoff hole, Pro-Pro winners Richard Hatcher (L) and Patrick Richardson

the 10th on Jekyll’s Oleander course, Richardson holed a birdie putt on Oleander’s 18th to win the tournament. Hatcher and Richardson took home first place money of $2,200, with Hough and Detmer earning $1,500. It was the second title in the event for Hatcher and Richardson, who also won in 2001. Hough and Detmer were tournament champions in 2005 and also won the Pro-Pro Scramble in 2004. Defending champions Jeff Hull of the U. of Georgia GC and Chris Asbell of Georgia Golf Center tied for third at 133 with Russell Smith of Bent Tree CC and Jekyll Island Director of Golf Harry Kicklighter. Smith and Kicklighter shot 64 the final round. Tying for fifth at 134 were the teams of Robert Graham and Bill Fedder of the Piedmont Driving Club, Brian Stock and Shea Stancil of Champions Retreat, and Eric Reeves of Healy Point and Brandon Lovelady of Flat Creek. Reeves and Lovelady were the first round leaders with a 64. The tournament was sponsored by Traynor Golf Collection, Cleveland Golf and Srixon.

Georgia PGA seniors claim Challenge Cup

The Georgia PGA won the Senior Challenge Cup over a team of Georgia amateurs at Barnsley Gardens, taking both

Golf Talk Canongate family adds 2 more courses The Canongate family of golf courses has added two more courses to its growing list of clubs, with its newest additions among the most recent courses to open for play in the metro Atlanta area. Late in 2008, Canongate acquired the Sun City Peachtree course in Griffin, which opened for play last year. The course is part of an active adult community from developer Del Webb. The course was designed by Gary Stephenson, who is part of Phil Mickelson’s design team and worked on such noted courses in the southwest as Whisper Rock and Frisco Lakes. The course features five sets of tees and maxes out at just over 6,800 yards with a modest Course Rating/Slope. For information, call 678-877-0773 or visit canongategolf.com.

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The most recent addition is the Fairways of Canton, which opened late in 2007 as a public golf course, but is now a private course and is the 20th Canongate facility in Georgia. The course has been renamed Canongate at Laurel Canyon, the name of the development where the course is located in north Cherokee County outside Canton. Rocky Roquemore, who worked with Joe Lee on a number of the Canongate courses and has designed many of the more recent Canongate layouts, is the architect for the new course, which is visually appealing but also demanding because of the dramatic terrain. Roquemore says the course is his tribute to course architects of golf’s past, with the layout distinct from others in the metro area. For information, call 770-845-1430.

State Parks courses offer Winter rates

Georgia’s State Park courses are offering special Winter rates at all facilities through the end of February. A round of golf plus a shared cart is $28 any day of the week at all

the team and singles matches for a 10 ½ to 7 ½ victory. The Georgia PGA team held a 4-2 lead after team matches the first day, then edged the amateurs 6 ½ to 5 ½ in singles to clinch the victory. Team winners for the Georgia PGA team were Dan Mullins—DeWitt Weaver, Wyatt Detmer—Lonnie Reece, Steve Ridge-Danny Elkins and Bill Johnstone—John Nigh. Mullins, Weaver, Nigh, Johnstone, Detmer and Ridge also scored wins in singles. Phil Pavoni and Donnie Crump were the lone amateurs to win both their matches.

Weinhart second in PGA tournament

Tim Weinhart finished second in a PGA Winter Tournament Series event at PGA GC in south Florida, the best showing by a Georgia PGA member in the six-event series. Weinhart, an instructor at St. Marlo, shared the first round lead with 68 and shot 72 the next day for a 140 total, two strokes behind the winner. He tied for fourth and 11th in later series events and finished eighth overall with earnings of almost $6,900. Michael Parrott of Brookfield CC tied for fifth in the first event, and Bill

the State Park courses, with the lone exception Friday-Sunday at Georgia Vets in Cordele. The State Park courses are also offering GreenPass memberships that provide unlimited greens fees for a year at a home State Park course and 50 percent off at other State Park facilities. Family and junior memberships are also available. For information, call 1-800-434-0982 or visit www.golfgeorgia.com.

GSGA honors Noll with Barnes award

Dalton’s David Noll earned the GSGA’s top honor for 2008, winning the Tommy Barnes Award as the organization’s overall Player of the Year. Noll, who also captured his fourth Men’s Player of the Year honor, won his second Atlanta Amateur Match Play Championship in 2008, and posted a number of other top finishes in state events. He was second in the Mid-Am, third in the Georgia Amateur, fourth with partner Doug Green in the 4-Ball Championship and was second among the state’s amateurs in the Georgia Open. Noll has won four GSGA titles since 2003, when he won the Georgia Amateur.

Murchison of Towne Lake Hills tied for 15th. Murchison had ninth and seventh place finishes later in the series. Sonny Skinner of Albany’s River Pointe GC and Atlanta instructor Craig Stevens tied for fifth in the event in which Weinhart was fourth, three strokes behind the winner. Skinner was fifth, 11th and fifth in the final three events and ended up 15th in earnings for the series. Skinner PGA Player of the Year: Thanks to his play in PGA events and 10 appearances on the Nationwide Tour, Sonny Skinner finished first in the PGA of America’s points list to earn PGA Professional of the Year honors for 2008. Skinner, who teaches at River Pointe G&CC in Albany, placed second in the 2008 PGA Professional National Championship at Reynolds Plantation, and was a close second on the Georgia PGA Player of the Year Divots points list. A long time tour pro before becoming a Georgia PGA professional, Skinner made three cuts in his 10 Nationwide Tour starts in ’08, including a top-20 finish in the Athens Regional Foundation Classic. A highlight of the year for Skinner was his first appearance in the PGA Championship.

Riverdale’s Mariah Stackhouse became the first GSGA competitor to be named Player of the Year in two categories, achieving that accomplishment in the Girls and Women’s categories. Stackhouse, the 2007 Girls Player of the Year, ended Laura Coble’s 10-year run as Women’s Player of the Year. Stackhouse defended her 2007 titles in the Women’s Match Play and Girls Championships, and also won the GWGA Championship, defeating Coble in a playoff. Stackhouse also finished second in the Atlanta Women’s Amateur, placed fourth in the Women’s Top 60 Classic and reached the third round of the U.S. Girls Championship. Other Players of the Year for 2008 are Chase Parker of Augusta (Boys); Bill Ploeger of Columbus (Senior Men) and Brenda Pictor of Marietta (Senior Women). Bob Flynn of Kennesaw was the recipient of the Bill Todd Award, the highest honor that a GSGA volunteer can receive. Flynn, a member at Pinetree, has been involved with the GSGA in a variety of capacities for three decades. The winners were honored at the recent GSGA awards banquet, which was held at the Cherokee Town Club. FEBRUARY 2009

Masters field could be largest since ’66

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finale at the Disney resort, but that win did not earn him an automatic spot in the field. Other top American players not yet qualified include Woody Austin, Scott Verplank, David Toms, J.B. Holmes and Augusta native Charles Howell, who will need a victory to avoid missing the Masters for the first time since his first full season as a Tour player in 2001. Fellow Augustan Vaughn Taylor and Georgians Heath Slocum, Troy Matteson, Jonathan Byrd and Jason Bohn also need a tournament win in the next two months to make it to Augusta in April. Darren Clarke and Colin Montgomerie are among the top international players who have yet to qualify, with Montgomerie so far down in the World Rankings (135) that even a victory between now and the Masters would be unlikely to move him into the top 50. Several lesser known international players were just outside the top 50 as of late January, and need only one or two strong tournament showings between now and the Masters to qualify.

Masters qualifiers:

1. Masters champions: Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, Vijay Singh, Jose Maria Olazabal, Mark O’Meara, Ben Crenshaw, Bernhard Langer, Fred Couples, Ian Woosnam, Sandy Lyle, Larry Mize, Craig Stadler, Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller, Gary Player, Ray Floyd. (Others not expected to compete.) 2. U.S. Open champions, 2004-08: Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen. 3. British Open champions, 2004-08: Padraig Harrington, Todd Hamilton. 4. PGA champions, 2004-08: 5. Players champions: 2007-08: Sergio Garcia. 6-9. Amateur qualifiers: Danny Lee (U.S. Open winner), Drew Kittleson (U.S. Open runner-up), Jack Newman (Mid-Am winner), Steve Wilson (PubLinks winner), Reiner Sexton (British winner).

12. Top 4, 2008 British Open: Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Greg Norman. 13. Top 4, 2008 PGA Championship: Ben Curtis, Camilo Villegas. 14. PGA Tour FedExCup tournament winners, post-2008 Masters: Boo Weekley, Adam Scott, Anthony Kim, Ryuji Imada, Kenny Perry, Justin Leonard, Chez Reavie. 15. Top 30, 2008 FedExCup points list: Jim Furyk, K.J. Choi, Kevin Sutherland, Dudley Hart, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Hunter Mahan, Robert Allenby, Ken Duke, Billy Mayfair, Tim Clark, Briny Baird, Chad Campbell, Bubba Watson. 16. Top 30, PGA Tour money list: Stephen Ames. Woody Austin

17. Top 50, World Rankings (end of 2008): Justin Rose, Martin Kaymer, Luke Donald, Rory Sabbatini, Ross Fisher, Aaron Baddeley, Graeme McDowell, Shingo Katayama, Jeev Milkha Singh, Oliver Wilson, Soren Hansen, Soren Kjeldsen, Rory McIlroy, Wen-Tang Lin, Richard Sterne.

2009 qualifiers (through Jan. 25): Riyo Ishikawa (special invitation); Pat Perez (PGA Tour winner); Alvaro Quiros (Top 50 World Rankings).

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10. Top 16, 2008 Masters: Stewart Cink, Brandt Snedeker, Steve Flesch, Miguel Angel Jiminez, Andres Romero, Robert Karlsson, Nick Watney, Lee Westwood, Paul Casey, Stuart Appleby, Sean O’Hair.

Colin Montgomerie 2009 FEBRUARY

11. Top 8, 2008 U.S. Open: Rocco Mediate, D.J. Trahan, Carl Pettersson. John Merrick.

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STEVE DINBERG

W

ith the 2009 Masters a few months away, the field for the first of golf ’s four major championships is largely completed, but has already added three new names the first three weeks of the ’09 season. At the end of the 2008 calendar year, the Masters already had 88 qualifiers for this year’s event. With the three recent additions and the likelihood that several more players will be added, this could be the largest Masters field in more than four decades. Players can still qualify by winning a PGA Tour tournament that offers full FedExCup points before the ’09 Masters (the two events opposite the World Golf Championships tournaments don’t count) or by moving into the top 50 in the World Rankings as of March 30. Pat Perez earned a Masters invitation with his victory in the Bob Hope Classic, and Spain’s Alvaro Quiros moved into the top 30 in the rankings with his win in the European Tour Qatar Masters, assuring himself of a spot in the top 50 one week prior to the Masters. The Masters also issued a special invitation to Japanese teen-ager Riyo Ishikawa, who is closing in on a spot in the top 50 at the age of 17. If the Masters adds seven more players, the tournament will have its largest field since 1966, when 103 players competed. The largest field since was 2007, when 97 players competed. With nine weeks remaining for the deadline to earn a spot in the 2009 Masters field, there were a number of prominent players still looking to earn a late invitation to Augusta. Topping the list of American players not yet in the Masters field was Davis Love, who was 60th in the World Rankings as of late January. Love won the 2008 PGA Tour

Golf FORE Juniors Kalpak, Wright win 2008 GPGA finale The Georgia PGA Junior Tour completed its 2008 schedule in December at the Hampton Club on St. Simons Island, with David Kalpak of Greensboro and Kendall Wright of Duluth the overall boys and girls winners. Kalpak shot 73-74—147 to win the 16-18 division by one stroke over Eric Quinn of Norcross. Ryan Trocchio of Norcross, Drew Czuchry of Auburn and Zach Lindsey of Kennesaw tied for third at 151. Michael Garretson of Acworth was the 13-14 winner with a 153 total, followed by Caleb Morris of Metter at 154 and Sanders Park of Alpharetta at 154. Buster Bruton of Dallas shot a second round 74 for a 155 total to win the 12-13 division by one stroke over Joshua Crews of Albany. Ben Holm of Alpharetta was third at 160. Wright shot 158 to finish six ahead of Jessica Welch of Lavonia in the girls 15-18 division. Sloan Shanahan was the girls 1214 winner at 159.

Final 2008 points standings: Czuchry, Morris and Burton placed first in their age groups in the final 2008 points standings. Boys 16-18: Czuchry, 580; Jonathan Klotz, Columbus, 440; Paul Bruckner, Alpharetta, 437; Joel Sawyer, Elberton, 430; Trocchio, 387.5. Boys 14-15: Morris, 672.5; Aaron George, Dahlonega, 389; Chris Guglielmo, Cumming, 335; Brice Eaton, Jasper, 319; Jimmy Beck, Columbus, 300. Boys 12-13: Bruton, 630; Crews, 477.5; Holm, 312.5; Tyler Young, Kennesaw, 285; Clayton Faulkner, Watkinsville, 280. Girls 15-18: Kimberly Graff, Lilburn, 720; Wright, 500; Dona Kioseff, Valdosta, 425; Jessica Arthur, Lakemont, 370; Mary Kate Linder, Athens, 340. Girls 12-14: Shanahan, 500; Emily Kurey, Alpharetta, 422.5; Sally Morgan, Alpharetta, 385. 2009 schedule: Feb. 14-15 — Forest Heights, Statesboro; March 14-15 — Brickyard at Riverside, Macon; March 28-29 — Cateechee, Hartwell; April 25-26 —

Kimberly Graff

Caleb Morris

Kendall Wright

David Kalpak

Georgia Vets, Cordele; May 16-17 – Bartram Trail, Evans; May 27-28 – The Frog, Villa Rica; June 1-2 — Georgia PGA Junior Championship, Cartersville CC; June 17-18 – Barnsley Gardens, Adairsville; July 8-9 — Glen Arven, Thomasville; July 14-15 — Stone Mountain GC; August 15-16 —Callaway Gardens, Pine Mountain; Sept. 12-13 — Wilmington Island, Savannah; Oct. 10-11 — Georgia Club, Statham.

Skeadas takes first in SJGT ’09 opener

Savannah’s John Skeadas III won the Southeastern Junior Golf Tour’s season opening tournament at Sanctuary Cove in Waverly, shooting 142 to take the boys 1618 division by six strokes over Scott Wolfes of St. Simons Island. Cody Shafer of Evans was the boys 1415 winner at 146, with Sam Straka of Valdosta second at 148. Ben Holm of Alpharetta shot 156 to win the 12-13 division by one stroke over Joe Philaphet of Riverdale and by two over Parker Derby of Columbus. Amelia Hill of St. Simons was the girls 15-19 winner at 155, with Caitlin Pisciotta of Alpharetta second at 159. Katy Harris of St, Simons shot 161 to win girls 12-14. Results from late 2008 SJGT tournaments: At Amelia Island, Fla.: Boys 12-13 – Buster Bruton, Dallas, 1st, 159; 16-19 – David Hobby, Valdosta, 2nd, 156; Girls 15-

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19 – Lacey Fears, Bonaire, 1st, 159; Girls 12-14 – Isabella Skinner, Cumming, 1st, 167. At Tallahassee: Boys 12-13 – Derby, Columbus, 1st, 154; 14-15 – Sepp Straka, Valdosta, 2nd, 151; Sam Straka, 3rd, 153. At Wilmington Island: Boys 16-19 – Skeadas, 1st, 145; Tyler Erickson, Bonaire, and Austin Graham, Powder Springs, 2nd, 147; 14-15 – Howard Hickey, Savannah, 1st, 158; Alex Dye, Evans, 2nd, 159; 12-13 – Philaphet, 1st, 159; Girls 15-19 – Katie Voll, Alpharetta, 1st, 172; 12-14 – Elizabeth Kim, Martinez, 1st, 177. At Kinderlou Forest: Boys 16-19 – Shawn Yim, Buford, 1st, 145; 14-15 – Sam Straka, 1st, 144; Sepp Straka, 2nd, 146; Boys 12-13 – Philaphet, 2nd, 163 (lost playoff ); Girls 15-19 – Anna Keith, Moultrie, 1st, 154; Emilie Burger, Hoschton, 2nd, 156; 12-14 – Katy Harris, 2nd 170. 2009 SJGT tournaments in Georgia: Feb. 28-March 1, Callaway Gardens; March 28-29, Dublin CC; April 4-5, Jekyll Island GC; April 18-19, Lakes at Laura S. Walker; May 16-17, Meadow Links; May 27-28, Orchard Hills; June 8-9, Marietta CC; June 29-30, West Lake CC; July 9-10, Idle Hour; July 27-28, Hawks Ridge; Aug. 22-23, Doublegate CC; Sept. 12-13, CC of Columbus; Sept, 26-27, Forest Hills; Oct. 34, Glen Arven CC; Oct. 17-18, U. of Georgia GC; Nov. 21-22, Valdosta CC; Dec. 5-6, Kinderlou Forest.

FEBRUARY 2009

2009 British Open

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Course Reviews Wilmington Island Club (Semi-Private) 501 Wilmington Island Rd., Savannah • 912-897-1615 STAFF: Patrick Richardson is the Golf Professional; Don Hemmerle is the Superintendent. PAR/YARDAGE: Wilmington Island plays to a par of 71 with four sets of tees: Blue (6,672 yards); White (6,274); Gold (5,658) and Red (5,152). COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 72.5/133 (Blue); 70.7/129 (White); 67.7/120 (Gold); 70.8/129 (Red). ABOUT THE COURSE: One of the state’s most historic courses, the club has undergone many changes over the years, including its name and several renovations to the layout. Formerly known as the Savannah Inn & CC and later the Sheraton Savannah Resort, it became Wilmington Island Club in the 1990s after the once nationally known resort fell on some lean times. The club has since rebounded with the addition of a first class clubhouse and some major renovation work that has put much of the shine back on the classic Donald Ross layout. The original Ross design dates back to 1927, with Willard Byrd overseeing the first re-design in the mid-1960s. The course became a popular tournament site for the Georgia PGA and GSGA, serving as host for the Georgia Open through the early 1990s, as well as the GSGA Championship in 1979. The club has also hosted the GSGA 4-Ball Championship four times since 1991, most recently in 2006, and is a regular stop on state and regional junior tours. The most recent renovation work came earlier this decade, and included some significant changes. The first and 18th holes were switched, with the former par-5 18th now a par 4 beginning with a tee shot over a pond. The new 18th is now a demanding par-4 with a pond fronting a small green that presents a very difficult target to hit. The nines have been reversed, with holes 2-9 now 10-17 and 10-17 now 2-9, with the front nine now playing to a par of 35. A ditch that winds through the course was expanded in several spots, enhancing the appearance and adding a little more challenge to the predominantly friendly layout. Water is in play on more than half the holes, including a trio of scenic, short-to-medium par 3s. A variety of coastal trees border almost all the fairways and place a premium on driving accuracy, with the wellguarded greens complexes including some bunkers that can produce some nervous glances with water looming just off the putting surface.

Green Island Country Club (Private) 6501 Standing Boy Rd., Columbus • 706-324-3706

STAFF: Richard Korytoski is the Director of Golf; Matt Heitmueller is the Golf Professional. PAR/YARDAGE: Green Island CC is a par 71 with five sets of tees: Blue (6,435 yards); Member (6,215); White (5,968); Ladies Member (5,335) and Red (5,095), COURSE RATING/SLOPE: 71.9/136 (Blue); 71.1/133 (Member); 70.0/129 (White); 72.9/132 (Ladies Member); 70.8/129 (Red). ABOUT THE COURSE: Green Island has a proud tradition as a tournament host of both professional and amateur events, including the PGA Tour for more than 20 years (Southern Open, 1970-90) and a Champions Tour event in 2003. The GSGA has played its championship there three times, and will play its second Senior Championship at the club this year. Prolific golf course architect Joe Lee created the original design in 1961, with some renovation work done in the 1990s. Despite its absence of length, Green Island held its own against the Tour players, with the distinctive old-style layout requiring players to handle a variety of uneven lies on the rolling fairways. With a number of short par 4s along the way, scoring opportunities abound, but sound strategic thinking, a healthy dash of accuracy and a deft short game are required to capitalize on them. Many of the greens are elevated and open up towards the back, usually behind bunkers that can make for some very testy approach shots. Among the most recent design changes was the reduction of some of more severe slopes on the putting surfaces, which made things a little easier on one hand, but has also resulted in some new pin positions that can be difficult to attack. Offsetting the short 4s and one rolling but inviting par 5 are a pair of long par 5s with water in play, as well as two stout, uphill par 3s. A scenic, downhill par 3 with a pond in front will test your distance control and the sloping green will challenge your putting touch. Among the highlights of the unique layout is the par-4 10th, which played as the opening hole for the tour pros. Starting from a small tee along side a pond, the hole offers all sorts of problems beginning with an angled, uphill tee shot that has to avoid overhanging trees and find the right portion of the fairway to provide an unobstructed approach to a wide green guarded by trees left and a hazard short. Good luck if you miss a shot or get out of position.

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