Bulldog Golf

WGC Cadillac Championship, Puerto Rico Open and Chile Classic

2012-03-08T10:44:00.002-05:00

Four Bulldogs will begin play today in The Puerto Rico Open. Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd, Eric Compton, and Matt McQuillan will be in the field at The Trump International G.C. in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. The Golf Channel will have tape delayed coverage of play each evening and you can follow scores live at www.pgatour.com

Bubba Watson is the lone Bulldog in the field at the WGC Cadillac Championship at Doral. Golf Channel will have live coverage of the first two rounds from 1:00-6:00 and you can follow scores live at www.pgatour.com.

Five Bulldogs are in the field for The Chile Classic on the Nationwide Tour this week. Hudson Swafford, Paul Claxton, Russell Henley, Scott Parel, and Richard Scott will be playing the Price of Whales Country Club in Santiago, Chile. This is Richard Scott's first event of the 2012 season on The Nationwide Tour. Live scoring can be followed at www.pgatour.com

Bulldogs Come In Second In USF Invitational

2012-03-07T06:38:00.000-05:00

The 22nd-ranked Georgia men's golf team finished second on Tuesday in the USF Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

The Bulldogs fired a 3-under 285 in the final round to wind up at 4-under 860. No. 16 Central Florida opened the day with a 6-shot lead over the Bulldogs and maintained its advantage by also shooting a 3-under 285 to finish at 10-under 854.

Joey Garber and Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs on Tuesday as each signed for a 2-under 70. Keith Mitchell followed at even-par 72, while Brian Carter signed for a 1-over 73 and T.J. Mitchell had a 2-over 74.

T.J. Mitchell came in fifth individually at 2-under 214, three shots behind Louisville's Justin Dorward and Arkansas State's Chris Pledger. Garber and Reach were fifth at 1-under 215, while Keith Mitchell was 12th at 1-over 217 and Carter wound up at 4-over 220. Playing as an individual, Sepp Straka shot a 6-over 78 Tuesday to finish at 9-over 225.

"We would liked to have won this golf tournament of course, but we can leave here with our heads held high," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We played pretty solid golf for three days, and having a spirited head-to-head competition today with UCF was good for our guys. I think we grew up a lot at this tournament. There were a lot of positives that we can build on as we move forward."

The Bulldogs will return to action Monday in Montecito, Calif., in The Maestro -- a match-play event against Southern Cal. Georgia's next stroke-play event will be the Furman Intercollegiate March 16-18.

Bulldogs Improve To Second In USF Invitational

2012-03-06T07:38:00.000-05:00

T.J. Mitchell is fourth individually at the USF Invitational

The 22nd-ranked Georgia men's golf team moved up one spot and gained one shot on the leader on Monday in the USF Invitational at Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

In the second round on Monday, the Bulldogs carded a 4-under 284 --- the lowest loop of the day --- to move into second place at 1-under 575. Georgia trails No. 16 Central Florida by six strokes heading into Tuesday's final round.

T.J. Mitchell and Nicholas Reach each fired a 2-under 70 on Monday to pace the Bulldogs. Keith Mitchell, Joey Garber and Brian Carter all signed for an even-par 72.

T.J. Mitchell is now fourth in the individual race at 4-under 140, three shots behind Louisville's Justin Dorward (137). Keith Mitchell, Garber and Reach are 17th at 1-over 145, followed by Carter at 3-over 147. Playing as an individual, Sepp Straka shot a second-round 3-under 69 to go to 3-over 147.
The Bulldogs received a little inspiration as former Bulldog and Tampa resident, Ryuji Imada, came out to watch the team compete on Monday. The team also had the privilege of having dinner with the PGA Tour member at one of Imada's favorite local restaurant.

"As a coach, it's easy to be pleased with a day like this," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "T.J. stayed under par, and everyone else improved on his first-round score. That's the kind of improvement we've been talking about. Hopefully, we can see that improvement one more time on Tuesday."

The final round of the USF Invitational will be played Tuesday. Live results can be found at golfstat.com.

Honda Classic, Panama, and Golf Team in Tampa

2012-03-05T11:10:00.000-05:00

Bulldogs Third After First Round Of USF Invitational

The 22nd-ranked Georgia men’s golf team stands third after one round of the USF Invitational at the Lake Jovita Golf and Country Club.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs carded a 3-over-par 291 — seven shots behind team leader Central Florida’s 284. Middle Tennessee State is third at 289.T.J. Mitchell paced the Bulldogs in the first round with a 2-under 70. Mitchell is fifth in the individual race, five shots in back of Central Florida’s Jose Joia (65). Keith Mitchell and Joey Garber each signed for a 1-over 73 to place them in 15th. Brian Carter and Nicholas Reach shot 3-over 75s to close out the Bulldogs’ lineup. Sepp Straka, playing as an individual, carded a 6-over 78.

“I was encouraged by what I saw today,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We did enough good things to keep us in the hunt. We need to come out on Monday and correct our mistakes and build on the things that we did well.”The USF Invitational will continue on Monday and will conclude on Tuesday. Live scoring can be followed at www.golfstat.com

Honda Classic

Harris English was in the final pairing on Sunday, but it was Brian Harman who finished as low Bulldog at The Honda Classic. Harman had his best career finish as he tied for 12th at 4 under par. His week was highlighted by a second round 61, that is now the course record at the PGA National Champions Course.
Harris English fell down the leaderboard on Sunday with a final round 77 to finish tied for 18th at 2 under. English was just two shots back of the leader and eventual winner, Rory McIIroy, heading into the final round.
Erik Compton tied for 26th at even par. Compton, playing close to his south Florida home, recorded his best finish of the season thus far. Chris Kirk tied for 56th at 6 over par.
The next events on the PGA Tour will be the WGC Cadillac Championship and the Puerto Rico Open, both played this week.
Bubba Watson will be the only Bulldog in the field at the WGC Cadillac. Bulldogs in the field for the Puerto Rico Open will be Erik Compton, Ryuji Imada, Kevin Kisner, Matt McQuillan, and Brendon Todd.
Panama Claro Championship

Four Bulldogs made the cut at the Panama Claro Championship in Panama City, Panama. Justin Bolli finished the week tied for 6th at 1 under par. His week was highlighted by a first round 65 that had him a shot back of the lead.
Russell Henley finished in a tie for 33rd at 4 over par, Scott Parel finished tied for 43rd at 6 over par, and Paul Claxton finished tied for 5qst at 7 over par.
The next event for The Nationwide Tour is the Chile Classic in Santiago, Chile that begins on Thursday. Bolli, Henley, Claxton, Parel, and Hudson Swafford will be competing.

Final Round of Honda Classic Preview

2012-03-04T09:21:00.001-05:00

With Harris English and Brian Harman in contention to get their first wins of the PGA Tour, Sunday could be a big day for Georgia Golf. Final round preview from PGATour.com

2012-03-03T07:50:00.001-05:00

The No. 22 Georgia men’s golf team will continue its spring schedule at the USF Invitational in Dade City, Fla., Sunday through Tuesday.
The Bulldogs are coming off a ninth-place finish at the Puerto Rico Classic, where they were paced by Keith Mitchell who finished 14th in the individual race.
Georgia will feature a lineup of junior T.J. Mitchell, sophomores Brian Carter, Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell and freshman Nicholas Reach. Reach leads the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 72.46, followed by T.J. Mitchell at 72.75. Keith Mitchell, Garber and Carter have played less than 10 rounds each and are averaging 70.17, 72.00 and 72.57, respectively. Sepp Straka, who is averaging 74.60, will play as an individual.
“I can’t recall ever having a team this young, but it’s been fun,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “It’s been a fun challenge. Everywhere we go, it’s something new for these guys. It’s been enjoyable watching them get better week-to-week and helping them overcome the pitfalls and focus on the things we need to work on.
“All in all, it’s been good. Week to week, you don’t what you’re going to get. But I do know we’ll get a group that’s willing to play hard and lay it on the line. The more experience they get, the more tournament-ready they will be. We’ve had our ups and downs, but as long as we’re getting better, it’s going to be fine in the long run.”
Joining the Bulldogs and host South Florida will be No. 16 UCF, No. 18 Florida State, Arkansas State, Cincinnati, DePaul, Eastern Michigan, Florida Atlantic, Florida Gulf Coast, Kentucky, Louisville, Marquette, Middle Tennessee State, North Carolina, Troy and Villanova.
Live scoring and tee times can be found here.

Strong Start for Bulldogs on PGA and Nationwide Tours

2012-03-02T07:45:00.002-05:00

Harris English returned from a two week break from the PGA Tour and finds himself near the top of the leaderboard after round one of The Honda Classic. Currently English sits in a tie for second after a first round 4 under 66. He is followed by Erik Compton who is also in the top ten after a first round 3 under 67, that puts him in a tie for 10th.
Chris Kirk shot 71 in round one and is tied for 69th while Brendon Todd is tied for 87th at 2 over and Brian Harman is tied for 107th at 3 over.
The second round of play continues today and can be followed live at http://www.pgatour.com/ and on the Golf Channel from 3:00-6:00.

Justin Bolli finds himself just a shot off the lead after the first round of the Panama Claro Championship on The Nationwide Tour. Bolli carded a first round 5 under 65 to be the lone player at 5 under par. Russell Henley was in the top ten for most of his round, but slipped to a tie for 41st with a 2 over 72. Paul Claxton and Scott Parel are tied for 78th at 4 over 74. Hudson Swafford is in 117th after a first round 77. The second round will be played today and can be followed live at http://www.pgatour.com/.

Harman Ties for 26th in Mexico

2012-02-27T12:13:00.000-05:00

Brian Harman posted a four round total of 5 under par at The Mayakoba Golf Classic and finished in a tie for 26th. The PGA Tour event was played in Mexico and held opposite the Accenture Match Play. Harman earned $27,935 as he finished in the top 30 for his second consecutive event. Fellow Bulldog Erik Compton also was in the field in Mexico and finished in a tie for 55th.

The next event on the PGA Tour schedule is The Honda Classic that begins on Thursday as the PGA Tour begins it's Florida swing. Brian Harman, Chris Kirk, and Brendon Todd are in the field this week, while Erik Compton and Kevin Kisner are alternates.

Bulldogs Come In Ninth In Puerto Rico Classic

2012-02-22T10:16:00.000-05:00

The Georgia men’s golf team finished in ninth place in the Puerto Rico Classic on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs fired a final-round 4-over-par 292 to wind up at 5-over 869 in their first tournament of the spring portion of their schedule. Team honors went to Alabama, which finished at 834 and coasted to an 18-shot victory.

Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs on Tuesday as he signed for a 2-under 70. Keith Mitchell added an even-par 72, followed by Joey Garber at 2-over 74 and Sam Straka at 4-over 76. T.J. Mitchell had Georgia’s non-counting score of 5-over 77.

Keith Mitchell finished 14th in the individual race at 1-under 215, nine strokes behind medalist Justin Thomas of Alabama. Garber, making his Georgia debut since transferring from Michigan, came in 19th at even-par 216. Reach wound up at 2-over 218, with T.J. Mitchell and Straka at 9-over 225.

“We didn’t close as well as I would have liked,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “But the good news is I saw a lot of positives during this tournament. We’ll get back home, correct some things and keep working hard. I really think this team will get better and better as we move forward.”

The Bulldogs will return to action March 4-6 at the USF Invitational in Dade City, Fla.

Bulldogs Move To Fifth In Puerto Rico Classic

2012-02-21T08:12:00.000-05:00

The Georgia men’s golf team moved up one position on Monday in the second round of the Puerto Rico Classic.

After entering the day tied for sixth, the Bulldogs fired an even-par 288 to move to 1-over 577 and into fifth. Alabama has the team lead at 21-under 555.

Joey Garber, competing for the first time as a Bulldog since transferring from Michigan, paced the Bulldogs in the second round with a 2-under 70. Sam Straka added an even-par 72, while Keith Mitchell and T.J. Mitchell each signed for a 1-over 73. Nick Reach had the Bulldogs’ non-counting score of 4-over 76.

Garber moved into eighth in the individual race at 2-under 144, six shots behind Georgia Tech’s James White. Keith Mitchell is 14th at 1-under 143, followed by T.J. Mitchell and Reach at 4-over 148 and Straka at 5-over 149.

“Our guys really battled hard today, and that always make a coach proud,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “As competitors, you want to give it everything you’ve got whenever you’re on the course. Our young team will grow more and more experienced as we go forward. We want to make progress with every round, and I think we did that today.”

The Puerto Rico Classic, the Bulldogs’ first event of the spring, will conclude today. Live scoring can be followed at http://www.golfstat.com/.

Bulldogs Sixth After One Round In Puerto Rico

2012-02-20T11:21:00.001-05:00

The Georgia men's golf team opened the spring portion of its schedule on Sunday by shooting a 1-over-par 289 in the first round of the Puerto Rico Classic.

The Bulldogs are tied for sixth place with tournament host Purdue, 13 strokes behind Alabama.
Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Sunday as he shot a 2-under 70. Mitchell is sixth in the individual race, trailing Alabama's Justin Thomas, who opened with a 5-under 67.
Joey Garber, making his Bulldogs debut after transferring from Michigan, and Nicholas Reach followed with even-par 72s. T.J. Mitchell signed for a 3-over 75. Sam Straka had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 5-over 77.

"This tournament has always given us a chance to knock the rust off coming off the fall and winter," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "Our guys have been working hard, and all that was missing was the tournament aspect of things. Now that we've got a competitive round under our belts, we can keep focusing on getting better and playing more consistently."

The Puerto Rico Classic will resume on Monday and will conclude on Tuesday. Live scoring is available at http://www.golfstat.com/

Golfers Head to Puerto Rico

2012-02-17T11:09:00.002-05:00

The Men's Golf team will begin their spring portion of their schedule as they head to the Puerto Rico Shootout in Rio Mar, Puerto Rico. The five golfer line up will include senior T.J. Mitchell, sophomores Keith Mitchell and Joey Garber, and freshmen Nick Reach and Sam Straka.
The 54 hole event begins on Sunday and will conclude on Tuesday. Live scoring can be followed at http://www.golfstat.com/

A video preview of The Puerto Rico Shootout on G-TV can be viewed by clicking here:
http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-golf/spec-rel/021312aaa.html

Dawgs in Action on PGA and Nationwide Tour

2012-02-16T09:35:00.000-05:00

There will be 10 former Bulldogs teeing it up today between the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. The Northern Trust Open gets under way today at Riviera C.C. with five Bulldogs in the field. The Nationwide Tour season also begins today with the Pacific Rubiales Columbia Championship that also has five Bulldogs in the field.

Hudson Swafford and Russell Henley will both begin their rookie seasons on the Nationwide Tour in Columbia. They will be joined by former Bulldogs Paul Claxton, Justin Bolli, and Scott Parel. Live scoring can be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/

Erik Compton, Brendon Todd, Ryuji Imada, Chris Kirk, and Bubba Watson are in the field this week at the Northern Trust Open. The Golf Channel will have the first and second rounds of television coverage from 3:00-6:00 each day. Live scoring can also be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Results

2012-02-13T09:41:00.000-05:00

Brendon Todd finished tied for 9th the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

Brendon Todd and Brian Harman both recorded their best career finishes on the PGA Tour at The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am yesterday. Todd finished in a tie for 9th at 9 under par and Harman tied for 20th at 7 under. Harris English finish tied for 40th at 3 under and Ryuji Imada tied for 69th.

Brendon Todd climbed to 34th of the tour money list thanks to the $153,600 check this week. Brendon now has $304,207 for the year. Brian Harman collected $71,936 at Pebble while English cashed $21,849 and Imada earned $12,224.

Brian Harman and his amateur partner for the week, Greg Ontiveros, were victorious in the Pro-Am portion of the tournament. Harman and Ontiveros finished as co-medalist with the team of Padraig Harrington and J.P. McManus at 35 under par for the four rounds of competition.

This week the PGA Tour stops in Los Angeles at Riverera C.C. for the Northern Trust Open. Bulldogs in the field will include Brendon Todd, Erik Compton, Chris Kirk, Ryuji Imada, and Bubba Watson.

Harman Posts 64 in Round One at AT&T Pebble Beach

2012-02-10T07:18:00.001-05:00

Thanks to a pair of eagles, Brian Harman finds himself a single shot back of the lead at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am after a first round 8 under par 64 at Pebble Beach G.L. While the rookie lefty went out in bogey-free 3-under, the real fireworks show didn't start until his second nine on Pebble's front. After a bogey at the first, he rolled in a 12-footer for eagle at the second hole. Another followed from 11 feet at the fourth. At the sixth, he converted his second eagle of the round with a putt measuring 15'1". A nifty par save at the eighth set up a brilliant birdie at the ninth, the toughest hole on the course, from 27'5". It's the lowest score in Harman's 21 career rounds on the PGA TOUR and left him with a share of the clubhouse lead at the conclusion of his round. Harman currently sits in a tie for 4th place behind a three way tie for the lead at 9 under.

Brendon Todd is also currently in the top 10 of the leaderboard after a first round 5 under 67, also on Pebble Beach G.L. Todd also lead the field in putting after one round, taking only 22 putts on the day.

Ryuji Imada is currently in a tie for 27th after a 3 under 67 at Monterey Peninsula G.C. Matt McQuillan is in 114th place after a 73 at Spyglass Hill and Harris English sits in 142nd place at 3 over par after his first round also at Spyglass Hill. Kevin Kisner is in 149th place after his round of 75 at Monterey Peninsula G.C.

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

2012-02-09T10:31:00.000-05:00

The AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am begins today on the Monterey Peninsula in California. Six Bulldogs will be in the field as Ryuji Imada, Harris English, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd, Brian Harman, and Matt McQuillan will compete in the 72 hole event. The tournament will be played over three courses; Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club.
The first two rounds will be televised on The Golf Channel from 3:00-6:00 and live scoring can be followed on www.pgatour.com.

Golfer Macpherson Withdraws From Georgia

2012-02-08T16:27:00.000-05:00

2011 British Amateur Champion, Bryden Macpherson

Bryden Macpherson, a junior on the Georgia men’s golf team, has withdrawn from the university to return home to Australia, Bulldogs coach Chris Haack announced on Wednesday.

Macpherson plans to train in Australia until late March, when he will return to the United States to play in the Georgia Cup and then The Masters as an amateur. Macpherson earned a berth in The Masters by winning the 2011 British Amateur Championship. Following the Masters, he plans to turn pro and try to earn sponsor’s exemptions for PGA and Nationwide Tour events.

“I am so appreciative of the time I’ve had at Georgia,” Macpherson said. “I have grown as a person and as a golfer, and I’ve made friendships I know will last a lifetime. But I feel the time is right for me to begin pursuing my dream of becoming a professional golfer. And to do that, it’s in my best interest to return to Australia to work. I will miss my Georgia coaches and my teammates, but I fully expect them to go on to have a great rest of the season.”

“Bryden has been a valuable member of our program, and we’re all going to miss him,” Haack said. “He’s been a great golfer to have on the team, and he’s been an even better person. We wish him nothing but the best. Bryden joined us at a time when we really needed him, and he made a lasting impact on our program. We know he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”

With the Bulldogs dealing with depth issues due to injuries, Macpherson arrived from Australia in January of 2010. He posted four top-15 finishes in five events and was chosen as the SEC Freshman of the Year. In 2011, Macpherson was undefeated in the match play portion of the NCAA Championships as the Bulldogs finished as the national runner-up. This season, Macpherson had four top-12 efforts, including a career-best second-place finish at the Adams Cup of Newport. He ends his college career with a scoring average of 73.31 — 22nd on Georgia’s all-time list.

The Bulldogs will return to action Feb. 19-21 in the Puerto Rico Shootout.

Phoenix Open Results

2012-02-06T12:37:00.001-05:00

Bubba Watson finished tied for 5th in The Phoenix Open

Bubba Watson found himself in the final pairing on Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, but could not move up the leaderboard with a final round 70. His four round total was good enough to put him in a tie for 5th place at 11 under par. Harris English notched his best finish of his rookie season by finishing in a tie for 15th at 8 under par in just his fourth tournament. Kevin Kisner, who made the field via the Monday qualifier, finished in a tie for 55th at 1 under par. For their efforts, Watson earned $222,650, English earned $100,650, and Kisner earned $13,725.

The next event on the PGA Tour schedule is the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, which begins on Thursday. Former Bulldogs in the field will be Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner, Ryuji Imada, Harris English, Brian Harman, and Matt McQuillan.

Jones Cup Invitational

2012-02-03T09:35:00.002-05:00

The Jones Cup Invitational begins today at Ocean Forest Golf Club on Sea Island

The prestigious Jones Cup Invitational gets under way today at Ocean Forest G.C. in Sea Island, GA. In only its eighth edition, this tournament has become an important event in amateur golf, featuring top players from around the world. In all 13 countries will be represented in the 54 hole event.
Bulldogs in the field are junior Bryden Macpherson and sophomore Michael Cromie.

Live scoring can be followed at http://www.golfstat.com/

Bulldogs in The Phoenix Open

2012-02-02T08:39:00.003-05:00

The infamous 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale

The PGA Tour gets underway today in Scottsdale, Arizona for the party that is known as The Waste Management Phoenix Open. UGA will have 6 former Bulldogs in the field, thanks to Kevin Kisner making the field through the Monday qualifier this week. The qualifier actually lasted until Tuesday morning and involved Kisner and three others. Kisner made birdie on the 6th playoff hole to get the last spot in the field. The bachelor party for Kisner, who is getting married in March, was scheduled for this weekend in Las Vegas. The Vegas party plans has been put on hold and if Kisner makes the cut, the bachelor party will most likely be moved to the stands on the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale.

Bulldogs joining Kisner in Phoenix Open field will be Harris English, Bubba Watson, Ryuji Imada, Chris Kirk, and Brendon Todd. The

The Phoenix Open is well known for it's huge and loud crowds. The par three 16th hole has become famous in the world of golf with the entire hole being lined with stands of fans cheering and heckling the players. The Golf Channel will have coverage of the first two rounds from 4:00 -7:00. Live scoring can be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/.

Farmers Insurance Open Results

2012-01-30T12:23:00.003-05:00

Bubba Watson during the Farmers Insurance Open

Bubba Watson was not successful in defending his title at the Farmers Insurance Open, but he did record his best finish of the early 2012 PGA Tour season. Watson finished the 72 hole tournament at 9 under par in a tie for 13th place and was the top finisher of the eight Bulldogs in the field.
Harris English finished in a tie for 43rd at 5 under in his third PGA Tour event. Chris Kirk was 71st at 2 over and Brendon Todd finished in a tie for 76. Brian Harman, Ryuji Imada, Erik Compton, and Kevin Kisner each missed the 36 hole cut.

With the University of Georgia represented by having four golfers make the cut to play the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open, the UGA golf program will be the recipient of a $2,000 donation from Farmers Insurance. Farmers Insurance donated $500 to the college golf program of each player who wore their respective school colors during round 3.

This week the PGA Tour heads to Scottsdale, Arizona for the Waste Management Phoenix Open. Bulldogs in the field will be Bubba Watson, Harris English, Chris Kirk, Brendon Todd, and Ryuji Imada.

Farmers Insurance Open Round 1 Results

2012-01-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

Harris English kept up his strong play on the west coast swing of the PGA Tour during round one of the Farmers Insurance Open. English's 5 under par 67 was good enough to put him in a tie for 17th place heading into today's second round. The 67 was the low score posted by the eight Bulldogs in the field.

Bubba Watson, who is the defending champions at the Farmers, carded a 3 under 69 while Brendon Todd and Chris Kirk are each tied for 55th at 2 under par. Erik Compton is tied for 83rd at even par, Kevin Kisner and Ryuji Imada are both tied for 100th at 1 over par, and Brian Harman is tied for 116th at 2 over par.

One of the feature pairings of the day will be Harris English, Brendon Todd, and Erik Compton. All three Bulldogs will be playing together on the South Course during the main portion of the television broadcast. The threesome of Bulldogs will tee off at 10:10 local time. The Golf Channel will carry round two coverage from 3:00 to 6:00. Live Scoring can be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/

Saturday is College Day at the Farmers Insurance Open. All players who make the cut are encouraged to wear the colors of their respective college or university. In return, Farmers Insurance is going to donate $20,000 to the golf program of the player who has the low round of the day and $10,000 to the golf program of the player who has the second lowest round. Farmers Insurance will also be donating $500 for each player who makes the cut to that player's college or university golf program. With the 8 Bulldogs in the field having a chance to make the weekend, Saturday could be a very exciting round to watch. CBS will have the television coverage from 3:00-6:00

Three Bulldogs to Play Together at Farmers Insurance Open

2012-01-25T12:06:00.001-05:00

As a preview for College Day this Saturday at The Farmers Insurance Open, three Bulldogs will be paired together for the first two rounds of play. Erik Compton, Brendon Todd, and Harris English will play the North Course in round one and the South Course in round two. Their 10:10 tee time on Friday is going to serve as an opportunity for the television coverage to promote the College Day on Saturday by having the threesome of Bulldogs play together during the main portion of the television coverage.
Players making the cut are encouraged to wear their respective university colors for round 3. In return, Farmers Insurance will donate money to the colleges of the players who post the three low rounds of the day.

The University of Georgia is well represented in the field, with 8 Bulldogs competing this week. Joining Compton, Todd, and English will be Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk, Ryuji Imada, and defending champion Bubba Watson.

The Golf Channel will cover the first two rounds of play on Thursday and Friday from 3-6 pm.

English Records Top 20 Finish at Humana

2012-01-23T10:21:00.000-05:00

Harris English recorded his first career top 20 finish on tour at The Humana Challenge

Harris English used a second round 62 to propel him to his first career top 20 finish on the PGA Tour at The Humana Challenge in La Quinta, CA. Playing in just his second PGA Tour event, Harris posted a four round total of 16 under par to finish tied for 19th. The 19th place finish earned English $72, 800 and puts him at 46th on the money list at $84,075, after the first two events of the year.

Harris was followed by fellow Bulldogs, Brendon Todd who finished tied for 26th at 14 under par, Erik Compton and Chris Kirk both tied for 42nd at 11 under, Brian Harman tied for 54th at 9 under and Kevin Kisner tied for 64th at 7 under.

The PGA Tour will make a stop in La Jolla, CA this week for the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines and the field will include 8 former Bulldogs. Bubba Watson, who is the defending champion at the Farmers, will join the 7 Bulldogs who played in the Humana Challenge this past week.

Harris English has also received a sponsors exemption into the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the event following this week's Farmers Insurance Open.

Humana Challenge Begins Today With 7 Bulldogs in Field

2012-01-19T12:14:00.001-05:00

Brendon Todd tied for 13th last week at The Sony Open

The Humana Challenge gets under way today in La Quinta, California with 7 Bulldogs in the field of 144 players. Harris English, Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner, Ryuji Imada, Brian Harman, and Erik Compton will all be making their second starts of the season while Chris Kirk will be playing in his third event in as many weeks.
The Humana Challenge, formerly know as the Bob Hope Classic, will be played on three courses over four days this year. Previously the event was a five round tournament played over four courses. The three courses being played will be the Palmer Private and Nicklaus Private courses at PGA West and La Quinta C.C.
Brendon Todd, Harris English, Brian Harman, and Kevin Kisner are returning to La Quinta, where all four secured their 2012 PGA Tour playing privileges in December.

Television coverage will begin at 3:00 on The Golf Channel and live scoring can be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/

English Low Among Bulldogs After Round 1 at Sony Open

2012-01-13T11:23:00.000-05:00

Harris English is currently tied for 17th at the Sony Open in Hawaii

Harris English is low among the seven Bulldogs in the field this week after 18 holes at the Sony Open in Hawaii. English got off to a fast start by making birdie on three of his first four holes and at one point during his back nine, he was alone atop the leaderboard. Harris was able to post a 3 under par 67 that was good enough to put him in a tie for 17th.

English is followed by Brendon Todd who stands at 2 under and is tied for 30th. Chris Kirk's 1 under 69 was good enough to put him in a tie for 45th.

Erik Compton and Ryuji Imada both fired a 1 over par 71 and sit in a tie for 80th. Brian Harman is tied for 100th at 2 over and Kevin Kisner is tied for 121st at 3 over.

Ryuji Imada will be the first Bulldog on the course today when he tees off at 12:30 eastern time. He will be joined in the morning wave by Erik Compton, Brian Harman and Chris Kirk. Live scoring can be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/ and television coverage will begin at 7:00 pm on The Golf Channel.

Two Bulldogs Make Top 25 Under the Age of 25

2012-01-12T11:49:00.001-05:00

Russell Henley was included on a list of the top 25 players under age 25 in golf

Jason Sobel of The Golf Channel compiled a list of the top 25 players under the age of 25 in golf. Former Bulldogs, Russell Henley and Harris English, were included on the list in the top 25. Current Bulldog, Bryden Macpherson, just missed the cut as he was included in the list of the next 25 under 25 in golf. To see the complete article and list, go to http://www.golfchannel.com/news/jason-sobel/top-25-under-25/

7 Dawgs in the Field at Sony Open in Hawaii

2012-01-12T11:30:00.000-05:00

There will be seven former Bulldogs in the field this week in the Sony Open at Waialae CC for the first full field event of the 2012 PGA Tour Season.
Erik Compton, Brian Harman, and Harris English will be starting their rookie seasons on tour at the Sony. Of those three rookies, English is the only one who has never competed in a PGA Tour event. Compton is no stranger to PGA Tour events, having played in over 30 of them in his career. Harman is also familial with the PGA Tour as he has received numerous sponsor exemptions as both an amateur and a professional.

Brendon Todd returns to the PGA Tour this season after playing the tour as a rookie in 2009. Kevin Kisner, who started his rookie season a year ago at the Sony Open, is back for his sophomore season on tour.

Ryuji Imada will tee it up in Hawaii after spending the three previous weeks in Japan. Chris Kirk is looking to continue his strong start on tour in 2012 after finishing 7th last week. Kirk's 16 under par for the final three days and was only bested by the winner, Steve Stricker.

Television coverage of the Sony Open will be on The Golf Channel beginning at 7 pm for the first two rounds. Live scoring can also be followed at http://www.pgatour.com/

Kirk Starts Season Strong

2012-01-10T12:05:00.000-05:00

Chris Kirk finished tied for 7th at The Hyundai Tournament of Champions

Chris Kirk started the 2012 PGA Tour season by finishing in the top ten at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. Kirk was 14 under par for the four rounds of play and ended up tied for 7th while earning $190,000 for his efforts. Fellow Bulldog, Bubba Watson, finished tied for 18th at 8 under.

Kirk will remain in Hawaii for the Sony Open that begins on Thursday. He will be joined in the Sony Open field by 6 other Bulldogs. Erik Compton, Brian Harman and Harris English will begin their rookie seasons at the Sony Open with Brendon Todd, Ryuji Imada, and Kevin Kisner starting their 2012 seasons.

Erik Compton will also be the subject of a feature that will air tonight during Golf Central on The Golf Channel at 6:00 pm. You can also view his story about surviving two heart transplants and the journey to his rookie season on the PGA Tour on his website under the media tab: www.erikcompton.com

PGA Tour Kicks Off 2012 Season

2012-01-06T09:25:00.000-05:00

Chris Kirk will begin his 2012 PGA Tour Season today in Hawaii

The 2012 PGA Tour season officially kicks off on Friday with the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Kapalua, Maui, Hawaii.
There are a total of 28 players competing in the event this week, with two of them being Bulldogs (Chris Kirk and Bubba Watson). Players qualify for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions by winning a PGA Tour event during the 2011 season.

First round coverage will be tonight on The Golf Channel from 5:30-10:00.

Chris Kirk will tee of at 4:35 eastern time and Bubba Watson will tee off at 4:55.

The scoring can be followed live at http://www.pgatour.com/

Straka Twins Featured in Red and Black

2011-12-08T11:22:00.001-05:00

Sepp Straka appeared in three tournaments for the Bulldogs this fall

The Red and Black featured Bulldog freshmen golfers, Sam and Sepp Straka, in a story about being siblings and teammates here in Athens.

To read the story, click here:
http://redandblack.com/2011/12/08/golf-twins-different-players-own-distinct-styles/

Bulldogs Earn PGA Tour Cards

2011-12-06T10:15:00.001-05:00

Brendon Todd claimed medalist honors at PGA Tour Q-School

Thanks to a final round 68, Brendon Todd captured medalist honors at PGA Tour Q-School on Monday and will be back on the PGA Tour, where he played in 2009. Todd will be joined on tour in 2012 by three other Bulldogs who also earned their cards at Q-School. Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner, and Harris English finished inside the top 25 to cap an impressive week of golf by former Bulldog golfers. Kisner will be returning to the PGA Tour in 2012, while Harman and English will be rookies. English will be the only PGA Tour member in 2012 that played college golf the previous year.

At the beginning of the final round, there were 6 former Bulldogs who had a chance to secure their spot on the PGA Tour in 2012. While four Bulldogs earned their cards, Scott Parel finished one shot shy of his PGA Tour card and Hudson Swafford finished two shots shy. Both Parel and Swafford will have full playing privileges on the Nationwide Tour in 2012. Parel last played the Nationwide Tour full time in 2008 and Swafford will be a rookie in his first full year as a professional.

Richard Scott will have status on the Nationwide Tour for the first time in 2012 thanks to finishing 111th at Q-School. Paul Claxton finished 129th, but will have full Nationwide status in 2012 thanks to finishing 40th on the Nationwide Tour money list in 2011.

GolfChannel.com featured former Bulldog golfers Brendon Todd, Kevin Kisner, Brian Harman, Harris English, and Hudson Swafford in an article about the success of UGA Golf on the professionsl level. To read the article, click here:
http://www.golfchannel.com/news/rex-hoggard/final-day-pga-tour-q-school/

One Round to Go at Q-School Finals

2011-12-05T10:29:00.001-05:00

Hudson Swafford is one of six Bulldogs in position to get their PGA Tour cards at Q-School

With the final 18 of 108 holes left to be played, there are 6 Bulldogs in the top 28 at the finals of PGA Tour Q-School.
Harris English and Brendon Todd are both tied for 3rd place at 13 under par. They are followed by Brian Harman who is tied for 5th at 11 under, Scott Parel in 13th at 9 under, and Kevin Kisner and Hudson Swafford who are both tied for 24th at 7 under par. The top 25 finishers and ties will earn PGA Tour cards for 2012.
Swafford made a big move Sunday going from 68th to 24th, thanks to a 65 on the Stadium Course. Brian Harman continued his move up the leaderboard, with a 68 that took him from 10th to 5th.

Paul Claxton currently sits in 122nd at 5 over and Richard Scott is in 132nd at 6 over par. Players finishing outside the top 25 will earn Nationwide Tour status. Claxton already has full Nationwide Tour status thanks to finishing 40th on the 2011 money list.

The final round of Q-School can be watched live on The Golf Channel today from 3:30 - 7:00 and can also be followed live at PGATour.com:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/leaderboard/

Dawg Days at Q-School Finals

2011-12-02T10:16:00.001-05:00

Harris English currently sits in a tie for 2nd at Q-School

The second round of PGA Tour Q-School included 40 mph winds and some stellar rounds from former Bulldogs. Harris English moved into a tied for 2nd place with a bogey free round of 67 while Kevin Kisner remained in the top 10 with a round of 71. Brendon Todd managed to record 9 birdies during his round of 68 that moved him from 87 to a tie for 15th and Brian Harman moved from 43 to 21st with a round of 71.

Espn.com writer Ferrel Evans wrote an article about Harris English and Hudson Swafford competing in their first Q-School and being paired together in the first two rounds of the final stage. Read the article by clicking here:
http://espn.go.com/golf/story/_/id/7302183/harris-english-hudson-swafford-hunt-job-pga-tour-q-school

The top 25 players at the end of the 6 rounds will earn full playing privileges on the PGA Tour in 2012.

Here is how the 9 Bulldogs in the field stack up after 36 holes

T2      Harris English (-9)
T9      Kevin Kisner (-6)
T15    Brendon Todd (-5)
T21   Brian Harman (-4)
T47   Paul Claxton (-2)
T47   Richard Scott (-2)
T57   Scott Parel (-1)
T101 Hudson Swafford (+1)
170   Matt McQuillan (+11)

The third round can be followed live at:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/leaderboard/

First Round Scores From Round 1 of Q-School Finals

2011-12-01T10:32:00.001-05:00

Kevin Kisner is the low Bulldog after the first round Q-School

Here is a look at the first round scores of the 9 Bulldogs in the field of the final stage of PGA Tour Q-School. The final stage of Q-School is a six round tournament with the top 25 finishers securing playing status on the PGA Tour in 2012.

Kevin Kisner        (-5) 67 T10
Harris English        (-4) 68 T26
Brian Harman        (-3) 69 T43
Brendon Todd       (-1) 71 T87
Richard Scott        (-1) 71 T87
Paul Claxton          (+1) 73 T126
Scott Parel            (+1) 73 T126
Hudson Swafford (+2) 74 T146
Matt McQuillan    (+2) 74   T156

The second round will be played today and the scoring can be followed live by clicking here:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/leaderboard/

9 Bulldogs in Field at Q-School Finals

2011-11-29T09:01:00.001-05:00

A total of 9 former Bulldogs will begin golf's toughest test Wednesday at the PGA Tour's Q-School final stage.

PGA West is the site for the 6 round marathon that is the PGA Tour's final stage of Q-school as 173 players tee it up with the goal of finishing in the top 25 to earn full playing privileges on the PGA Tour in 2012. Play will begin on Wednesday on the Nicklaus Tournament and Stadium Courses in LaQuinta, California.

Here is a look at the 9 Dawgs in the field:

Paul Claxton: Made Q-School finals by finishing 40th on the 2011 Nationwide Tour money list. Looking to return to the PGA Tour for the first time since 2008.
Harris English: The 2011 UGA grad and member of this year’s Walker Cup team already has full Nationwide Tour status after winning on that circuit as an amateur earlier this year. English had a victory, runner-up and third-place finish in seven Nationwide Tour starts in 2011.
Brian Harman: One of the most consistent players on the mini tours. This is his first time advancing to Q-School finals after turning pro in 2009. Harman was 10th on the eGolf Professional Tour's money list in 2011.
Kevin Kisner: 2011 PGA Tour member led wire to wire at his second stage of Q-School site, shooting 17 under to win by 5.
Matt McQuillan: 2011 PGA Tour member made finals by finishing 145th on the money list.
Scott Parel: Runner-up at his second stage site thanks to posting a 64 and 63 in the first two rounds. Played the Nationwide Tour full time from 06-08.
Richard Scott: The 3 time Canadian Amateur champ is making his first appearance in Q-School finals. Playing well this fall, Monday qualified for McGladrey and made cut.
Hudson Swafford: 2011 UGA grad making the trip to Q School finals in his first year as a professional. Already has a win as a professional on eGolf Tour.
Brendon Todd: Played well in second half of Nationwide Tour season. Looking to return to PGA Tour, played full season in 09.

All the scoring and updates can be found here:
http://www.pgatour.com/qschool/

Garber, McCoy To Join Georgia's Men's Golf Team

2011-11-16T09:48:00.001-05:00

Joey Garber of Petoskey, Mich., and Lee McCoy of Palm Harbor, Fla., will be joining the Georgia men's golf team, Bulldogs coach Chris Haack announced Tuesday.

Joey Garber will compete for the Bulldogs starting this spring

Lee McCoy at the signing of his National Letter of Intent

A transfer from Michigan, Garber will enroll in January and will be eligible to compete for the Bulldogs when the spring portion of their schedule begins in February. As a freshman in 2010-11, Garber helped the Wolverines win the NCAA Central Regional and come in 10th in the NCAA Championships. He saw action in all 14 tournaments, posting two top-5, four top-10 and six top-20 efforts. His best finish was as the runner-up at the Ridges Intercollegiate. Garber's scoring average of 74.08 was the third-best effort ever by a Michigan freshman. Garber is a graduate of Petoskey High School. During his prep career, he earned Michigan's No. 1 ranking from National Junior Golf Scoreboard and Golfweek, and he was a two-time Mr. Michigan Golf.

As a high school senior, McCoy signed a national letter of intent with the Bulldogs. He is a native of Palm Harbor, Fla., who now lives in Clarkesville and attends Habersham Central High School. He was chosen as a Rolex Junior All-American in 2010 and 2011. He came in second in the American Junior Golf Association's Rolex Tournament of Champions and he placed third in the 2010 AJGA Under Armour/Hunter Mahan Championship. McCoy twice was chosen as the Orlando Junior Golf Player of the Year and the Pinellas County Junior Golf Player of the Year. McCoy's success on the links dates back to 2000 when, at the age of six, he won the U.S. Kids Golf World Championship.

"We are very excited about having Joey and Lee join our program," Haack said. "They are excellent prospects, and I know they will do what it takes academically and athletically to be successful at Georgia. Their golf talents are obvious, and we know they'll get better and better. These guys should help our team stay among the best in the nation and in the SEC."

Former Bulldogs at PGA Tour Q-School Second Stage

2011-11-15T11:11:00.001-05:00

The second stage of PGA Tour Q-School begins this week at six different venues across the country. In all, there will be 10 former Bulldogs who will be competing at 4 of the 6 locations this week. The former Bulldogs will be competing to advance on to the final stage of Q-School at PGA West in Palm Springs, Nov 30-Dec 5th. The top 25 finishers from final stage, get full playing privileges on the PGA Tour.

Six of the former Bulldogs will begin competing today and finish on Friday.

Kevin Kisner, Adam Mitchell, and Richard Scott will be playing at Redstone Golf Club in Humble, TX.

Justin Bolli, Harris English, and Brian Harman will be playing at Southerrn Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, FL.

The other four Bulldogs wil begin play tomorrow and Finish on Saturday.

Russell Henley and Hudson Swafford will be playing at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, FL.

Scott Parel and Brendon Todd will be playing Plantation Reserve Golf Course in Plantation, FL.

All of the scoring can be followed by visiting the Q-School page at PGATour.com

Macpherson, Watson Teeing It Up In Australian Open

2011-11-09T10:51:00.000-05:00

Current Georgia golfer Bryden Macpherson and ex-Bulldog Bubba Watson will be in action this week in the Emirates Australian Open.

The Australian Open will run Thursday through Sunday at The Lakes Golf Club in Sydney.

Macpherson, a native of Melbourne, earned one of the tournament's local exemptions, while Watson picked up of one the event's invitations. Macpherson will tee off at 7:05 a.m. Thursday, which is 3:05 p.m. EST Wednesday, in a group with fellow Aussies Rod Pampling and Stephen Leaney. Watson will be in the group that tees off 10 minutes later.

After the Bulldogs' fall schedule, Macpherson has an SEC-leading scoring average of 70.75. He posted three top-10s and was in the top 12 of all four events. Last summer, Macpherson won the Australian Amateur, earning berths in the 2011 British Open and the 2012 Masters. Watson has an Official World Golf Rating of 17th and he ranks 16th on the PGA Tour's 2011 money list with more than $3.4 million in earnings.

Results from the Australian Open will be available at pga.org.au/scores.

Beck Playing in Schwab Cup

2011-11-03T12:15:00.000-04:00

Chip Beck is making his first appearance in the Schwab Cup

Follow former Bulldog, Chip Beck, at the Charles Schwab Cup Championship. The Schwab Cup Championship is the final event of the season on the Champions Tour with the field made up of the top 30 players from the Champions Tour money list. The Schwab Cup is being played at the TPC Harding Park in San Francisco with the first of four rounds starting today.
Beck, who currently sits in 24th position on the money list, is playing in his first Schwab Cup. All of the scoring can be followed live by clicking here:
http://www.pgatour.com/s/leaderboard/

Nationwide Tour Championship

2011-10-27T10:49:00.001-04:00

The Nationwide Tour Championship starts today in Daniel Island, South Carolina. Three Bulldogs are in the field of 60 in this final event of the season on the Nationwide Tour.
Erik Compton currently sits in 14th place on the money list and is in good position to secure his PGA Tour Card for 2012. Paul Claxton currently is in 38th place on and Justin Bolli is in 55th place on the money list. Both Claxton and Bolli will need strong finishes in this last event of the season to move into the top 25 of the money list.

All the action can be followed live by clicking here:
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h045/

Bulldogs, Mitchell Win ODU/OBX Collegiate

2011-10-26T08:35:00.002-04:00

The Dawgs posted the seventh best tournament score in program history in Winning the ODU/OBX Collegiate

Led by first-time medalist T.J. Mitchell, the 16th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team won the ODU/Outerbanks Collegiate Invitational on Tuesday to conclude the fall portion of its schedule.

At Kilmarlic Golf Club, the Bulldogs posted a final-round 12-under-par 276 to wind up at 30-under 834. Georgia pulled away on the back nine for a four-shot victory over Liberty. The Bulldogs’ 30-under tally is the seventh-best in school history.

“It was so nice to look in the eyes of all our players after this one,” said Coach Chris Haack, who has piloted the Bulldogs to 46 titles in 16 seasons. “These guys have worked so hard, and you could tell that it meant a lot to them. We’ve got a pretty green team and we’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re really going to enjoy this one. Winning a tournament is a feeling that never gets old.”

Mitchell, a junior from Albany, closed with a 5-under 67 to finish first at 15-under 201. Mitchell posted a two-shot win over Liberty’s Robert Karlsson, with whom he was paired on Tuesday. Mitchell’s 15-under score ties the school record for the second-lowest figure, trailing only Chris Kirk's 18-under 295 in the 2007 All-American Classic. Mitchell finished the tournament with three eagles and 14 birdies.

“I could not be prouder of T.J.,” Haack said. “He got off to such a great start (an 8-under 64 in the first round) and really just kept his foot on the gas. Coming in, he knew what was at stake for the team and for him individually and he never backed off. He really grew up this week.”

Keith Mitchell (no relation to T.J.) and Bryden Macpherson also recorded top-10 efforts. Mitchell shot a 10-under 206, including a final-round 4-under 68, to come in a career-best third. Macpherson signed for a 2-under 70 on Tuesday to wind up eighth at 1-under 215. Macpherson recorded three top-10 finishes in his four fall events.

Brian Carter shot a 1-under 71 on Tuesday to finish 13th at 1-over 217. Michael Cromie came in 23rd at 3-over 219, including a final-round 3-over 75.

The Bulldogs will resume their schedule Feb. 19-21 in the Puerto Rico Shootout.

PGA Tour Feature on Erik Compton

2011-10-19T16:34:00.001-04:00

The PGA Tour has put together a video spotlight on former Bulldog, Erik Compton. Compton, who was an All-American while a Bulldog, is currently #13 on the Nationwide Tour Money List and has secured his spot on the PGA Tour for 2012.
The video can be watched by clicking here:
http://www.pgatour.com/video/r/shows/inside_the_pga_tour/2011/10/18/shows_compton_profile_11inside42.pgatour/index.html

Georgia Golf Update-Monday October 17th

2011-10-17T10:51:00.001-04:00

English Records Top 5 Finish at Miccosukee Championship on Nationwide Tour

Harris English is now 61st on the Nationwide Tour money list

Harris English, playing in just his fourth event as a professional, finished tied for 3rd and earned $31,200 to move up to No. 61 on the money list. Harris has one more event, The Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open, to move into the top 60 on the money list to qualify for the season ending Nationwide Tour Championship.
English won the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in July as an amateur. He turned pro at the Soboba Golf Classic, where he collected a paycheck of $2,588 for his T49 finish. English used a third-round 62 at the WNB Golf Classic in Midland, TX, as a stepping stone into a playoff with former U.S. Amateur champion Danny Lee, who won on the first extra hole. English trails No. 60 Andrew Buckle by $1,900.

Former Bulldogs playing and making the cut at the Miccosukee Championship include Justin Bolli who tied for 18th, Brendon Todd tied for 52nd, and Erik Compton tied for 57th.

Currently Erik Compton is the top Bulldog on the Nationwide Tour money list as he stands at 13th. Paul Claxton is in 39th followed by Justin Bolli at 53rd, Harris English in 61st and Brendon Todd in 84th.

McGladrey Classic Results

Kevin Kisner and Matt McQuillan both tied for 26th at the McGladrey Classic on the PGA Tour. Richard Scott, playing is his first PGA Tour event of the year, tied for 64th. Both Kisner and McQuillan picked up $29,000 for the week and Scott pocketed $8,400.

The next and final event of the season on the PGA Tour is the Childrens Miracle Network Hospitals Classic being played this week. Former Bulldogs in the field will include Kevin Kisner, Matt McQuillan, and Ryuji Imada.

Champions Tour AT&T Championship

Both Chip Beck and Tim Simpson were in action at the AT&T Championship on the Champions Tour. Beck finished tied for 47th while Simpson finished tied for 65.

Georgia Golf Update, Friday October 14th

2011-10-14T11:24:00.000-04:00

PGA Tour at Sea Island for McGladrey Classic

With the PGA Tour making a stop in Georgia this week, five former Bulldogs will be competing on the Seaside Course at Sea Island. Ryuji Imada, Matt McQuillan, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, and Richard Scott will be among the 132 players as the tour returns to Sea Island for the second year for the McGladry Classic.
Richard Scott, who resides on St. Simons Island, Monday qualified this week to earn a spot in the field.

Live scoring can be followed at:
http://www.pgatour.com/r/leaderboard/

Memories of Beck's 59 still vivid 20 years later
Stan Awtrey wrote an article for PGATour.com about Chip Beck shooting 59 on the PGA Tour 20 years ago. Chip Beck became the second golfer to shoot 59 in a PGA Tour event when he did so at the Las Vegas Invitational.

click here to read the full article:
http://www.pgatour.com/2011/tournaments/s530/10/11/beck_recalls_59/index.html

English Making Late Push for Tour Championship

Harris English currently sits at 81st on the Nationwide Tour money list

Harris English may have graduated from the University of Georgia in May but his education is continuing on the Nationwide Tour.
English, 22, is making a late-season run to the Nationwide Tour Championship but realizes time isn't on his side. With just two full regular-season tournaments left on the schedule English is hoping to do enough.

go to PGATour.com to read the rest of an article about Harris and his success on the Nationwide Tour:
http://www.pgatour.com/2011/h/10/12/harris-english/index.html

Follow Harris and other former Bulldogs Paul Claxton, Justin Bolli, Erik Compton, and Brendon Todd at the Micosukee Champsionship this week on the Nationwide Tour.
Click here for live scoring:
http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/

Bulldogs Come In Fourth At Brickyard Championship

2011-10-10T08:34:00.000-04:00

Macpherson tied for 12th at The Brickyard Collegiate

The 16th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team fired the lowest score of the third round to close out its showing in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship on Sunday.

At Riverside at the Brickyard, the Bulldogs shot a 7-under 281, which was Sunday’s lowest loop and was the second-lowest round of the three-day event. Georgia wound up in fourth at 8-over 872, with team honors going to Georgia Tech at 16-under 848.

“I was proud of the way the guys hung in there,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “With a young team, every day is so critical to the process. We know we’re going to make some mistakes along the way, but we’re learning and getting valuable experience every time we tee it up. This was definitely a positive day for us, and it’s one that we can build on.”

Junior Bryden Macpherson paced the Bulldogs on Sunday with a 3-under 69. Freshman Sepp Straka signed for a 2-under 70, while junior T.J. Mitchell and freshman Nicholas Reach each carded a 1-under 71. Sophomore Brian Carter had the Bulldogs’ non-counting score of 6-over 78.

Macpherson finished 12th individually --- his third top-20 in as many outings this season --- at 1-over 217. Medalist honors went to Florida State’s Brooke Koepka at 11-under 205. Carter placed 20th at 3-over 219, followed by Reach at 5-over 221, Straka at 7-over 223 and Mitchell at 8-over 224.

Playing as individuals, sophomore Michael Cromie shot a 2-over 74 on Sunday to finish at 6-over 222 and freshman Sam Straka carded a 2-under 70 for a final tally of 11-over 227.

Georgia will conclude its fall schedule Oct. 23-25 at the Old Dominion/Outerbanks Collegiate in Powells Point, N.C.

Bulldogs Ready to Defend Title at Brickyard Collegiate

2011-10-06T14:03:00.000-04:00

The 16th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team will continue the fall portion of its schedule by playing in the Fifth Annual Brickyard Collegiate Championship this weekend.

The Bulldogs will compete Friday through Sunday at The Brickyard at Riverside trying to continue the success they have enjoyed in Macon. Georgia claimed the 2007, 2008 and 2010 team titles and boasted individual medalists in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

“The Brickyard has been kind to us through the years,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We’ve got a lot of pleasant memories from this tournament. We’re bringing a new group in this year, but they know about our history at the Brickyard, and they would love nothing more than to keep it going for us.

“This is a great tournament, and it’s one that we’ll keep on our schedule as long as they have it. They do a terrific job with every part of it, and our guys really enjoy going down there.”

The Bulldogs will use a lineup of juniors Bryden Macpherson and T.J. Mitchell, sophomore Brian Carter, and freshmen Nicholas Reach and Sepp Straka. Macpherson leads the Bulldogs and is second in the SEC with a 69.5 scoring average, followed by Reach, who is ninth in the SEC, at 71.86. Georgia also will enter sophomore Michael Cromie and freshman Sam Straka as individuals, meaning their scores cannot count toward the team total.

Joining the Bulldogs and tournament host Mercer at the Brickyard will be Air Force, Augusta State, Chattanooga, Charleston, Colorado State, No. 18 Florida State, No. 5 Georgia Tech, Gonzaga, Mississippi, North Florida, Oklahoma, Texas-Arlington and Virginia Tech. Oklahoma is coached by former Georgia player and assistant coach Ryan Hybl.

The Bulldogs will tee off at 8:30 a.m. on Friday with their counterparts from Georgia Tech and Augusta State. Tee times and live scoring can be found at golfstat.com. Additional information can be found at brickyardcollegiate.org.

English Forces in Playoff on Nationwide Tour

2011-10-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

In just his second event as a professional, Harris English fell just short of winning his second title of the season on the Nationwide Tour.

English played his way into a sudden death playoff with Danny Lee after 72 holes at the WNB Golf Classic in Midland, Texas. Aided by a third round 62, English tied Lee on 18-under, the two went to extra holes. Lee won the title with a par on the first hole of the playoff.

English was seeking his second win on the Nationwide Tour in 2011. He won the Children's Hospital Invitational in July as an amateur and turned professional before last week's Soboba Golf Classic where he finished T49.

"I didn't hit my tee shot where I wanted to in the playoff. I tried to get a good angle at the flag but kind of got a bad break but that's what happens," English said. I gave myself a chance for par and that's all I could get. I started off a little slow today with a bogey at No. 1 but the eagle at No. 12 really got me going and got me back in it and I kind of cruised in from there. Overall, it was a good day. I was just glad I was in it."

With his second-place finish, English earned $56,700 and he moved to 79th on the 2011 money list while fellow Bulldog Brendon Todd finished in a tie for 10th.

Both English and Todd will be playing again this week when the Nationwide Tour stops in Chattanooga, TN for the Childrens's Hospital Classic. They will be joined by Bulldogs, Paul Claxton, Erik Compton, and Justin Bolli.

English and Henley Make Pro Debuts on Nationwide Tour

2011-09-22T08:08:00.001-04:00

Harris English and Russell Henley will make their pro debuts today on the Nationwide Tour

After being roommates in college, teammates for four years, and after just representing the U.S. at the Walker Cup, Russell Henley and Harris English will make their pro debuts at this week’s Soboba Classic on the Nationwide Tour.
English accepted Nationwide Tour membership after his victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. Henley is competing on a sponsor exemption. Henley could not accept membership because he waited more than 60 days to turn pro after his victory at the Stadion Classic at UGA.
Harris will have 5 tournaments left on the Nationwide schedule to play his way into the top 60, who qualify for the season ending Nationwide Tour Championship.
Henley will have to rely on sponsor exemptions on the Nationwide Tour for the remaining events if he were to not finish inside the top 25 this week.

Live scoring can be followed on the Nationwide Tour website at:
http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/

Macpherson, Bulldogs Take Second In Adams Cup

2011-09-21T11:14:00.000-04:00

Macpherson, Bulldogs Take Second in Adams Cup

Junior Bryden Macpherson and the 15th-ranked Georgia men's golf team each came in second on Tuesday in the Adams Cup of Newport.

The Bulldogs fired a final-round 1-under 287 to close at 13-under 851, nine shots behind Central Florida (842), which won the tournament for the second straight year.

Macpherson notched a career high with his runner-up effort as he finished at 10-under 206, including a 4-under 68 in the final round. Medalist honors went to Central Florida's Ricardo Gouveia, who finished two strokes ahead of Macpherson. Macpherson came in third in the season-opening Carpet Capital Collegiate in what was then his career-best finish.

"While I am a little disappointed that we did not win the golf tournament, I am excited about the way we played and the progress this team continues to make," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We've got a young group, but they are talented and they are getting better and better each week. I am very proud of Bryden. That's two top-5s for him right out of the gate. He's been a real leader for us and he's been a real presence in that No. 1 spot."

Freshman Nicholas Reach placed seventh at 2-under 214 as he fired a final-round 3-over 75. Junior T.J. Mitchell had an even-par 72 on Tuesday to finish in 14th at 1-over 217. Sophomore Michael Cromie (2-over 74 on Tuesday) and freshman Sepp Straka (73) each wound up at 5-over 221.

The Bulldogs will return to action on Sunday in a tri-match against Princeton and Army. The event will take place at Aronimink Golf Club in Newtown Square, Pa., and will start at 1 p.m.

Macpherson, Reach Pace Bulldogs In Adams Cup

2011-09-20T08:51:00.000-04:00

Junior Bryden Macpherson and the Bulldogs lead in Rhode Island

Behind strong starts from Bryden Macpherson and Nicholas Reach, the 15th-ranked Georgia men's golf team grabbed first place on Monday at the Adams Cup of Newport.

Playing 36 holes at Newport National Golf Club, the Bulldogs logged loops of 1-over par 289 and 13-under 275 for a total of 12-under 564. Georgia will enter Tuesday's final round at Carnegie Abbey Club with a three-stroke advantage over Central Florida.

Macpherson is tied for the tournament lead at 6-under 138 after signing for an even-par 72 and a 6-under 66. Reach is one shot back at 5-under 139 with scores of 5-under 67 and even-par 72.

"It feels good to be sitting atop the leaderboard," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We've got three guys in the top 20 (Macpherson, Reach and T.J. Mitchell), and when you can do that, you've got a shot. We've got an important day ahead of us on Tuesday, but I am pleased thus far with our efforts."

Mitchell is 17th at 1-over 145 following rounds of 4-over 76 and 3-under 69. Sophomore Michael Cromie posted loops of 2-over 74 and 1-over 73 for a total of 3-over 147. Freshman Sepp Straka opened with an 8-over 80 but rebounded with a 4-under 68 to stand at 4-over 148.

Georgia Golfers To Tee It Up In Rhode Island

2011-09-19T08:39:00.000-04:00

The 15th-ranked Georgia men’s golf team will resume the fall portion of its schedule this week in Rhode Island in the 18th Annual Adams Cup of Newport/Cleveland Golf Classic.

The tournament will consist of 36 holes on Monday at The Orchard Course at Newport National Golf Club and 18 holes on Tuesday at Carnegie Abbey Club. Georgia’s only other appearance in the event took place in 2002, with the Bulldogs coming in third.

Joining the Bulldogs and host Rhode Island will be Boston College, Brown, Bryant, Central Connecticut, Central Florida, Connecticut, Dartmouth, DePaul, Hartford, Holy Cross, Nova Southeastern, Rollins, St. Joseph’s, Temple, Texas Tech, Villanova and Yale. The 19-team field incorporates 12 different conferences.

“I am really excited about this tournament,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We’re going to see some teams we don’t normally see and we’re going to play in a part of the country we’ve rarely been to. This tournament has a strong history, and we’re proud to be a part of it this year.”

Haack will use a lineup of juniors Bryden Macpherson and T.J. Mitchell, sophomore Michael Cromie, and freshmen Nicholas Reach and Sepp Straka. That quintet placed seventh in the season-opening Carpet Capital Collegiate Sept. 9-11. Macpherson led the way with a career-best third-place finish at 5-under 211.

“We saw a lot of positive things in the first tournament, things that we can build on as we move forward,” Haack said.

Additional information about the Adams Cup can be found at Rhode Island’s website, GoRhody.com.

Georgia's Walker Cup Tradition

2011-09-07T17:25:00.001-04:00

English, Henley latest Bulldogs to play for the USA in biennial competition

Russell Henley and Harris English will represent the U.S. during the Walker Cup this Weekend

Recent Georgia graduates, Russell Henley and Harris English, were the feature of a article about the history of Georgia Bulldogs in the Walker Cup. The two Bulldogs will represent the U.S. at the Walker Cup this weekend at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland.

Click here to view the article.

Georgia Golf Update, Sept. 5th

2011-09-05T12:14:00.001-04:00

Bubba Leads Deutsche Bank Championship after 54 Holes

Bubba will try to get win number 3 at Deutsch Bank

After three rounds at the Deutsch Bank Championship, Bubba Watson has a 1 stroke lead over the field. Watson posted a third round 70 to go with a first round 68 and a second round 64. With a win today, Bubba would take over the top spot in the Fed Ex Cup standings.
Fellow Bulldog, Chris Kirk, currently stands in a tie for 50th at 3 under par. Ryuji Imada sits in a tie for 72nd at 3 over par.

Bubba will tee off in the last pairing scheduled for 1:45. Live scoring can be followed at PGA Tour.com

Kisner Records Top 5 Finish on Nationwide Tour

Kevin Kisner finished 5th at the Mylan Classic

Kevin Kisner finished tied for 5th at the Mylan Classic on the Nationwide Tour. Kisner, who held the 54 hole lead and was the defending champion of the Mylan Classic, fired a final round 70 to fall into 5th. Kisner finished the tournament at 14 under par, thanks in large part to a second round 62.

English and Henley advance to 2nd Round of Match Play

2011-08-25T10:26:00.001-04:00

Harris English at Erin Hills

Harris English and Russell Henley each won their first round matches at the U.S. Amateur.

English, who had 5 birdies in an 8 hole stretch, won his match 3&1 vs Andrew Yun.
English almost put the match away on the par-3 16th when his 7-iron from 192 yards landed 10 feet in front of the hole and grazed the hole for a near ace. The two men halved with pars. But matters were settled on No. 17 when Yun, after pushing a drive into the right rough, came up short of the green and couldn’t get up and down. Yun’s lone bogey of the round sent English into the second round of the Amateur for the second time. Harris will play Bobby Leopold in round 2, match scheduled to start at 11:00 am.

Henley defeated Kevin Dougherty 3&1 to advance to the second round. Henley will play Patrick Cantlay, who is currently the top ranked amateur in the world, in the round of 32. That match is scheduled to begin at noon.

The Golf Channel will have coverage of the second round today from 1-3 pm. Live scoring can be followed at:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScore.aspx?id=17179869326&year=2011&type=match2

English and Henley Advance to Match Play at U.S. Amateur

2011-08-24T16:53:00.000-04:00

2011 U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills

Former Bulldogs, Russell Henley and Harris English, finished in the top 64 of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur and will advance on to the match play portion of the tournament.

Henley stood at 7 under par after 36 holes and tied for third while English finished at 2 under and tied for 31st.

Harris will be seeded 32 in match play and Russell will be the 5th seed in the match play bracket.

Harris will face Andrew Yun in the first round of match play. Russell will be paired against Kevin Dougherty in his first round match.

The 111th U.S. Amateur is being played at Erin Hills in Erin, Wisconsin.

The matches can be followed live on the U.S. Amateur website:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScoringIndex.aspx?eid=17179869326&year=2011&id=2147493610

Dawgs to Begin Play at U.S. Amateur

2011-08-22T07:57:00.001-04:00

2011 U.S. Amateur at Erin Hills

The 2011 U.S. Amateur will begin today with 3 current and 2 former Bulldogs in the field. Erin Hills will serve as the host for the championship with Blue Mound Country Club will serve as the second stroke play course for the first two rounds.
Erin Hills, located in Erin, WI, will also be the host of the 2017 U.S. Open. Playing to a yardage of 7,760, Erin Hills will be the longest course in USGA history by playing 18 yards longer than last year's U.S. Amateur venue, Chambers Bay.

Harris English and Bryden Macpherson will both play their first rounds at Erin Hills. English will tee off at 7:30 with Macpherson following him at 7:40.

Russell Henley, Michael Cromie, and Keith Mitchell will begin their first rounds at Blue Mound Country Club. Henley will start at 7:50, Cromie at 9:00, and Mitchell at 1:15.

The first two rounds of the U.S. Amateur are played to determine the low 64 players who will advance to match play. Scoring can be followed live at:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScore.aspx?id=17179869326&year=2011&type=stroke

Swafford Claims First Professional Win

2011-08-15T08:10:00.000-04:00

Hudson Swafford wins the HGM Hotels Classic

Former Georgia golfer Hudson Swafford notched his first professional victory on Saturday, claiming the eGolf Professional Tour's HGM Hotels Classic at Rock Barn.
Swafford entered the final round trailing by four shots, but had two birdies and an eagle over the last five holes to finish at 21-under 266 for a 1-shot win over Fernando Mechereffe.
Swafford earned the $30,000 first prize in just his sixth professional event.

“I was playing really well entering the week,” Swafford said. “I had a great practice round on Monday with (former Bulldogs) Brian Harman and Adam Mitchell, then came out slow with a 69 on the easier of the two courses. But I remained patient and was able to stick with it through the week.”
For Swafford, the win moved him up to No. 11 on the tour’s money list, thus solidifying his PGA Tour Q-School bonus – paid annually to the top 20 members on the regular-season-ending member money list.

“That bonus is huge. To be honest with you, that was the only thing I was really worried about coming down the stretch,” Swafford said. “That is such a huge deal at this time of year, to not have to worry about that $4,500 payment. It means a lot to me.”
In other results of ex-Bulldogs, Harman came in third at 19-under 268, Richard Scott placed 21st at 12-under 275 and Mitchell finished 31st at 10-under 277.

Swafford’s victory extended what has been a strong last few months for players associated with the Georgia golf team. Russell Henley and Harris English became just the second and third amateurs to win Nationwide Tour events and were named to the Walker Cup Team, while Bryden Macpherson claimed the British Amateur title and secured berths in the British Open and the Masters. Ex-Bulldogs Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk have wins on the PGA Tour this season, and Erik Compton posted a Nationwide Tour victory.

Bulldogs Henley and English Selected to U.S. Walker Cup Team

2011-08-01T10:30:00.000-04:00

Former Georgia All-Americans Harris English and Russell Henley were chosen for the United States' Walker Cup Team on Sunday, according to the United States Golf Association.

The USGA picked four players on Sunday for Team USA: English, Henley, Patrick Cantlay of UCLA and Peter Uihlein of Oklahoma State. The remainder of the 10-man USA team that will compete against 10 amateurs representing Great Britain and Ireland will be named later this summer.

The Walker Cup will be played Sept. 10-11 at Royal Aberdeen Golf Club in Scotland.

"This is a tremendous accomplishment for Harris and Russell," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "They set their sights on making the Walker Cup team, and that's exactly what they did. All their hard work has paid off with this selection. I could not be prouder of them. I know they will represent the University of Georgia and the United States in a first-rate manner in Scotland."

With the selections of English and Henley, Georgia now has been represented in the Walker Cup by 15 golfers, including Vinny Giles (1969, 1971, 1973, 1975 and 1993), Danny Yates (1989, 1993, 1999 and 2001) and Jimmy Gabrielsen (1971, 1981 and 1991). Brian Harman and Adam Mitchell helped the United States win the Walker Cup in Ardmore, Pa., in 2009.

The biennial Walker Cup match consists of 18 singles matches and eight foursomes (alternate-shot) matches over the competition’s two days. Team USA has won the last three matches and leads the series overall, 34-7-1.

Russell Henley to Appear on CBS

2011-07-29T17:15:00.000-04:00

Russell Henley to appear on CBS

Russell Henley will be featured on the CBS Sports television show, "Next on the Tee: The Future of Golf" on Saturday July 30th. The show is scheduled to air at 2:00 pm eastern. The segment featuring Russell was filmed in Macon at Russell's home course, Idle Hour Country Club.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 25th

2011-07-25T17:07:00.003-04:00

English Wins Nationwide Event

Harris English makes birdie on the 72nd hole

Former Georgia All-American Harris English won the Nationwide Tour's Children's Hospital Invitational on Sunday at the Ohio State Golf Club's Scarlet Course.

English, a recent graduate, became just the third amateur to win on the Nationwide Tour, joining former Georgia teammate Russell Henley (who won the Stadion Classic at UGA earlier this year) and Daniel Summerhays (who also won in Columbus as an amateur in 2007).

English is also the third ex-Bulldog to win on the Nationwide Tour this year, following Henley and Erik Compton in the Mexico Open.

English finished at 14-under-par 270, one shot better than Kyle Reifers and fellow amateur John Peterson. English birdied the 72nd hole to avoid a three-man playoff.

“That’s really what you dream about growing up. You want to put yourself in those positions to win. This is what you spend hours and hours practicing for as a little kid,” said Engilsh. “When I saw the ball disappear it was the greatest feeling in the world. It’s pretty unbelievable.”

English made this win his second in as many tournaments thanks to his win at the Southern Amateur the previous week. Harris will now travel to Niagara Falls Country Club to compete in the Porter Cup along with fellow Bulldogs Russell Henley and Bryden Macpherson.

English will be a guest on the Golf Channel Show, The Morning Drive on Tuesday morning at 7:15 am.
Since English has maintained his amateur status the $144,000 first-place prize went to Reifers.

English's father, Ben, a former Georgia basketball player, caddied for him in the event.

Reach Loses in Playoff at Palmetto

Incoming Freshman, Nick Reach, lost in a playoff at The Palmetto Amateur. Reach, who held a one stroke lead after 54 holes, fired a final round 70 and was tied at 10 under par after 72 holes with Will McCurdy. McCurdy defeated Reach on the first playoff hole with a par on the par 3 16th hole.

Beck Finishes in Top 25 at Senior British

Former Bulldog, Chip Beck, finished tied for 23rd at the Senior British Open. Beck carded a final round 77 to finish the tournament at even par after climbing into the top ten during the third round. Russ Cochran won the tournament at 12 2under par.

The 13th Bulldog Open is Headed Back to The UGA Golf Course

After originally being scheduled to be played at The Georgia Club, the venue of the 13th Bulldog Open has been changed back to "The Home of The Bulldogs", The University of Georgia Golf Course.
The annual tournament that supports the golf team will be held on Friday September 9th, the Friday before the home football game vs. South Carolina.
We are expecting to have a full field again this year, so get your team signed up early. If you need an additional entry form, please let us know by emailing jason.payne@ugateeoff.com or call the Georgia Golf office at (706) 369-6066.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 22

2011-07-22T09:21:00.000-04:00

Kisner and McQuillan Tied for 2nd on PGA Tour's Canadian Open

Former Bulldogs, Kevin Kisner and Matt McQuillan, are currently tied for 2nd at the RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour. Both fired a first round 2 under par 68 and sit just one stroke behind first round leader Kris Blanks.
The RBC Canadian Open is being played at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver, B.C.

Kisner starts his second round at 4:30 eastern and McQuillan will begin at 5:00. Live scoring can be followed at PGATour.com.

English in Contention on Nationwide Tour

Harris English carded a first round 66 on the Nationwide Tour

Harris English is ted for 3rd after the first round of play at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational. English fired a first round 5 under par 66, two shots behind John Peterson. Peterson is a recent LSU graduate who won the NCAA individual title this year. Both English and Peterson earned their way into the field by being named Division 1 All-Americans.

English is joined in the field by former Bulldogs Justin Bolli, Paul Claxton, Brendon Todd and Brian Harman. Currently Claxton sits in a tie for 14th at 3 under par, Harman is in a tie for 50th at even par, and Bolli and Todd are currently tied for 99th at 2 over par.

There will be live television coverage today on The Golf Channel starting at 12:30. Live scoring can also be followed at :
http://www.pgatour.com/h/leaderboard/

Reach Leads Palmetto Amateur

Incoming Freshman Nick Reach currently leads the Palmetto Amateur

Incoming freshman, Nick Reach, currently leads the Palmetto Amateur at Palmetto Golf Club in Aiken, SC. Reach currently holds a three shot lead after the first two rounds of play at 9 under par. Reach jumped out to the first round lead after a first round 62 and followed that with a second round 69.

Reach is joined in the field by fellow Bulldogs Keith Mitchell and Brian Carter. Mitchell currently site in 16th at 2 over par and Carter is in 42nd place at 6 over par after starting the second round in 5th place after a first round 68.

Scoring can be followed at Palmettoamateur.com

Mitchell in Top 10 at Scratch Golf Championship

Former Bulldog Adam Mitchell

Adam Mitchell is continuing his stellar play of late on the eGolf Tour. Currently Mitchell sits in 7th place at 7 under par at the Scratch Golf Championship in Aiken, SC. Mitchell carded a first round 66 and followed that with a 71 in round 2.

Mitchell was joined in the field by former Bulldog Hudson Swafford, who missed his first cut as a professional at 4 over par.

Scoring can be followed at:
http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel11/event/tarheel1113/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

English in Field in Columbus Nationwide Tour Event

2011-07-21T14:39:00.000-04:00

Harris English is in the field this week at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational in Columbus, OH. English is competing as an amateur and is joined in the field by former Bulldogs Justin Bolli, Brendon Todd, and Brian Harman.
English has already completed his first round and carded a 5 under 66 to currently sit in second place.

Live scoring can be followed at:
http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboards/current/h094/

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 18

2011-07-18T12:50:00.000-04:00

Kirk Victorious on PGA Tour at Viking Classic

Chris Kirk earned his first career PGA Tour win Sunday

Chris Kirk tied the tournament scoring record by shooting 22 under par and picked up his first career PGA Tour win along the way at the Viking Classic in Madison, MS on Sunday. Kirk, the third round leader, became the fifth rookie to win on the PGA Tour this season. With a final round 68, Kirk defeated Tom Pernice Jr. and George McNeill by a single stroke. The victory earns Kirk $648,000 of the $3.6 million Viking Classic purse and 250 points in the FedExCup race.
Kirk's first PGA Tour win comes in the same tournament where he played in his first PGA Tour event in 2007. With the win, Kirk moves to 27th on the PGA Tour's money list and currently stands at 27th in the Fed Ex Cup points standings.
Fellow former Bulldog Kevin Kisner recorded his best finish of his rookie season on tour by finishing tied for 27th while former Bulldog Matt MaQuillan tied for 34th.

English Wins 105th Southern Amateur

Harris English wins the 105th Southern Amateur

Harris English broke out of a five-way jam at the top of the leaderboard to win the 105^th Southern Amateur Saturday at Innisbrook Resort Copperhead Course. With five players knotted at 6-under-par heading into the final nine, English birdied four of his next six holes to open a decisive 3-stroke lead over the elite international field.

After a brief lightning delay, English completed his closing round at a tournament low 65 for a 275 total. “I didn’t want to stop while I was on a roll,” said English. He had bunkered his approach to the 17^th before play was halted, but resumed with an excellent blast to within a foot of the hole.
With the win, English helps build his case for a spot on the U.S. Walker Cup team this September.
Harris' plans are to turn professional this fall after the amateur season and, therefore, will forgo the exemption that comes with winning the Southern Amateur into the PGA Tour's Bay Hill Invitational.

Macpherson Misses Cut at British Open
Macpherson at the British Open

Georgia golfer, Bryden Macpherson, missed the cut a the British Open by a single shot.

The rising junior, who won the British Amateur last month to earn a berth in the British Open, tallied bogeys on the 17th and 18th holes to finish just outside of the cut.

Macpherson will now return to the U.S. for the remainder of his summer amateur schedule while preparing for the 2011-2012 collegiate season.

Mitchell FInishes Fourth at Southern Open on eGolf Tour

Adam Mitchell finished fourth at the Southern Open

Former Bulldog, Adam Mitchell, finished fourth in the eGolf Tour's Southern Open. Mitchell carded a final round 70 after holding a share of the 54 hole lead. With the fourth place finish, Mitchell moved to 14th on the eGolf Tour money list.
Hudson Swafford, playing in his third event as a professional, finished tied for 42nd and currently sits at 35 on the money list.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 15

2011-07-15T15:47:00.000-04:00

Adam Mitchell Leads eGolf Tour's Southern Open

Adam Mitchell leads the eGolf Tour's Southern Open

Former Bulldog, Adam Mitchell, holds the 36 hole lead in the eGolf Tour's Southern Open. Mitchell currently stands at 12 under par with 36 holes to play thanks to a first round 66 and a second round 65. The tournament is being played at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, NC and River Run Country Club in Davidson, NC.

Live scoring can be followed on the eGolf Tour's website along with a feature article on Adam Mitchell

www.egolfprofessionaltour.com

Bulldogs Near Top of Leaderboard on PGA Tour

Former Bulldogs, Kevin Kisner and Chris Kirk, are near the top of the leaderboard this week on the PGA Tour at the Viking Classic in Madison, MS. Both players are inside the top 5 late into their second rounds.

Other Bulldogs in the field include Ryuji Imada and Matt McQuillan. Live scoring can be followed at PGATour.com.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 13

2011-07-13T12:30:00.002-04:00

Macpherson Set to Begin Play at British Open

Current Georgia Bulldog, Bryden Macpherson, will tee off in his first appearance at a major championship on Thursday in the British Open Championship. Macpherson earned a spot in the British Open by winning the British Amateur in June.
Macpherson will tee off at 1:21 local time (8:21 am eastern). His playing partners for the first two rounds will be Padraig Harrington and Matt Kuchar.
Former Bulldog Bubba Watson will also be competing in the British Open. Watson will be playing two groups behind Macpherson in the 1:43 local time pairing. Bubba's playing partners will be Graeme McDowell and Jason Day.

Live scoring can be viewed at:
www.opengolf.com

105th Southern Amateur

The 105th Southern Amateur will get underway today at Innisbrook Golf Resort in Palm Harbor, Fl. Former Bulldog, Harris English, along with current Bulldog Michael Cromie and incoming Freshman Nick Reach will be competing in the championship.
UGA golfers have experienced success over the year at the Southern Amateur with a Bulldog winning the championship a total of 8 times.
Bulldog winners include, Arnold Blum (twice), Vinny Giles (twice), Danny Yates, Tim Simpson, Bill Brown, and Ryan Hybl.
The winner of the Southern Amateur Championship will receive an exemption into the Bay Hill Invitational PGA Tour event.

Live scoring of the Southern Amateur can be followed at:
www.sgagolf.com

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update, July 5th

2011-07-05T10:07:00.000-04:00

English Reaches Semifinals of U.S. Amateur Public Links

Harris English's run at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links came to an end with a 5&3 loss to stroke play medalist Corbin Mills. English had dispatched J.J. Spaun in the quarterfinals 2&1 to make it to the final four. English, who was also a quarterfinalist at the 2010 U.S. Amateur Public Links, helped build his case for a spot on this year's Walker Cup Team with another strong showing in a USGA event.
Corbin Mills, a current Clemson golfer, would go on to win the title with a 1 up win in 37 holes over Derek Ernst.

Chris Kirk Has Good Weekend at AT&T National

Thanks to a third round 63 and a final round 69, former Bulldog Chris Kirk finished tied for 8th at The AT&T National on the PGA Tour. With his third top ten of the season, Kirk moved over the $1 million mark in earnings for the season and moved him to 50th in the FED-Ex Cup standings.
Ryuji Imada made the cut and tied for 34th, while Erik Compton did not make the cut for the first time this season on the PGA Tour.

Dogwood Invitational Results

Bryden Macpherson has the honor of being low Bulldog at the 2011 Dogwood Invitational. Macpherson, the 2011 British Amateur Champion, finished the four round tournament tied for 17th at 9 under par. Russell Henley, finished a stroke behind Macpherson, at 20th with an 8 under par total.
Two Bulldog signees, who will be freshmen this fall, made the cut and had strong finishes. Sepp Straka finished the tournament tied for 25th at 7 under par and Nicholas Reach finished in 37 place with a 3 under par total.
Fellow Bulldogs, T.J. Mitchell and Keith Mitchell, played in Dogwood and both players failed to make the cut.
The Dogwood was won by Nate McCoy at 22 under par.

English Advances to Quarterfinals at U.S. Amateur Public Links

2011-07-01T10:18:00.000-04:00

Former Bulldog, Harris English, booked a trip to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links for the second consecutive year.

English survived 37 holes on Thursday, outlasting 38-year-old Scott Kammann in 19 holes in the morning and 21-year-old James Erkenbeck, 1-up, in the afternoon.

Going forward, English said it is important for the players to pay attention to hole locations.

“If you’re not careful, you can have 50-yard-putts out here,” said English, who just completed his eligibility for the Bulldogs. “You need to break the greens down in sections and make sure you trust your yardage, especially if the wind is up. I’ve definitely learned how to lag putt this week.”

Harris will now play J.J. Spaun of Las Angeles, California. Spaun is a rising Senior at San Diego State University and is a standout for their golf team. The match is schedules to start at 11:20 eastern and the scoring can be followed live on the USGA website:

http://www.usga.org/ChampEventScore.aspx?id=17179869204&year=2011&type=match4

English Advances to Round of 32 at U.S. Amateur Public Links

2011-06-30T10:44:00.001-04:00

Harris English defeated Bryan Bergna in the first round of match play of the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links by a score of 4&2. English will now play former University of Tennessee standout, Scott Kammann. Kammann, who played professionally for many years before regaining his amateur status, made the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur Public Links in 1994 and also made it to the quarterfinals of the 1995 U.S. Amateur before losing to eventual champion, Tiger Woods.
The winner of the U.S. Amateur Public Links receives an invitation to the Masters as well as a spot in the U.S. Amateur.

Harris is schedules to play Kammann at 11:10 am eastern time. The tournament is being held in Oregon at Bandan Dunes Golf Resort. You can follow the match live on the USGA website at:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventSite.aspx?id=17179869204

English Advances to Match Play at U.S. Amateur Public Links

2011-06-29T15:14:00.000-04:00

Harris English easily advances to match play at U.S. Am Pub Links

Former Bulldog, Harris English, finished the stroke play portion of the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links tied for third place. By finishing in the top 64, Harris advanced on to the match play portion of the tournament. In the first round, Harris will face Brian Bergna of Riverside, California.
This years U.S. Public Links is being played at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Oregon on the Old Macdonald and Bandon Trails golf courses. Last year at the Public Links, Harris English advanced to the quarter finals of match play at Bryan Park in Greensboro, NC.
The U.S. Amateur Public Links is conducted by the USGA and is open to all amateurs who are not members of a private course or club. The winner of the championship receives an invitation to the Masters the following spring.
You can follow Harris live as he competes in match play by visiting the U.S. Am Pub Links website here:
http://www.usga.org/ChampEventSite.aspx?id=17179869204

Compton Wins Mexico Open

2011-06-27T14:07:00.001-04:00

Former Bulldog Erik Compton

Erik Compton, three years after undergoing a second heart transplant, scored his biggest on-course triumph by winning the Nationwide Tour's Mexico Open. A final-round 65 overcame a two-stroke deficit entering the final round.

"To win this is everything to me," said Compton, who endured a 25-hole Sunday during the storm-plagued tournament. "I never thought I'd play golf again - at least not at this level - and I prove to myself I'm more than just a guy with two heart transplants."

Compton, who received his first transplanted heart at age 12, won for the first time since the 2005 Hassan II Trophy in Morocco. Two years later, a heart attack forced him off the Nationwide Tour and onto the waiting list for a second transplant. Surgery took place in May 2008, and he began a comeback five months later.

The former Bulldog, posted a 7-under 65 on the final day to reach 17-under-par 271 and collect his first Nationwide Tour title. More importantly, he collected a check for $126,000 which pushed him to No. 2 in the season money standings. Compton now has $215,709 in 2011 earnings and all but assured he will earn his PGA TOUR card by finishing in THE 25.

Compton is scheduled to make an appearance on the Golf Channel show, The Morning Drive, on Tuesday morning. The Morning Drive airs on the Golf Channel from 7:00-9:00 am.

Erik will return to the course this week as he plays the AT&T National on the PGA Tour.

Swafford finishes Runner-Up at Cowans Ford Open

In just his second tournament as a professional, Hudson Swafford has recorded a runner-up finish. The recent graduate, who has yet to fire a professional round in the 70's, posted his eighth straight rounds in the 60's. Swafford carded a four round total of 18 under par to finish a shot behind Brendan Geilow at the Egolf Professional Tour's Cowans Ford Open. By finishing runner-up, Swafford collected $14,591 and now stands 38th on the money list after just two events.

Bunker to Bunker-Georgia Golf Update

2011-06-24T15:14:00.000-04:00

English, Henley, Swafford Earn All-America Honors
Hudson Swafford, Harris English, and Russell Henley

Georgia golfers Harris English, Russell Henley and Hudson Swafford — who capped their collegiate careers earlier this month — have earned All-America honors.

PING and the Golf Coaches Association of America picked English for their Second Team, with Henley and Swafford earning Honorable Mention status. Golfweek tabbed English for its Third Team and Henley was named Honorable Mention.

English led the Bulldogs with a 72.39 scoring average, while Henley was next at 72.73 and Swafford was third at 73.20. The seniors helped Georgia finish second at the NCAA Championships June 5 in Stillwater, Okla.

English and Henley ended their Georgia careers as four-time All-Americans, and Swafford was picked as an All-American three times. Collectively, they rolled up the following career numbers: 11 All-America honors, 10 All-SEC certificates, 12 medalist titles, 17 team tournament victories, two SEC Freshman of the Year awards, two SEC team titles and one National Player of the Year honor.

“Those guys were tremendous ambassadors for the golf team and for the University of Georgia on and off the course,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “They also were great leaders. They led by example with hard work and dedication. Everything they did was for the betterment of the team. We’re going to miss them. They have left an indelible mark on our program.”

Macpherson Wins British Amateur

Bryden Macpherson becomes the second Bulldog to win the British Amateur

Georgia golfer Bryden Macpherson won the 116th British Amateur Championship on Saturday, earning spots in this year's British Open and next year's Masters in the process.

Macpherson defeated Scotland's Michael Stewart 3&2 in the final match, joining Doug Bachli (1954) as the only Australians to win the British Amateur.

The 2011 Open Championship will take place July 14-17 at Royal St. George's. The 2012 Masters will be held April 5-8 at Augusta National.

“I can’t believe it just yet," Macpherson said. "It feels pretty good to bridge the gap of 57 years. I hope there are a few proud Aussies having a barbecue. My judgment of speed was awesome today, so that was real important, but the real key to this week was patience. As hard as it was to believe, I had complete confidence that it was going to happen for me this week. I did a really good job of staying out of my own way, and celebrating everything I did well. Staying in the moment was a major key. I love the whole atmosphere of the Amateur Championship. One of the main things is the crowds: it’s amazing how much people love their golf around here. It’s a credit to them."

Macpherson, a rising junior for the Bulldogs shot 75-70 in stroke play, then posted six straight wins in match play to win the British Amateur title. Macpherson went 3-0 in match play as the Bulldogs finished second at the NCAA Championships earlier this month.

Macpherson joins Vinny Giles (1975) as the only Bulldogs to win the British Amateur.

US Open Recap

Russell Henley during the 111th U.S. Open

Russell Henley finished his second U.S. Open with a final round 75 to finish at 4 over for the day and for the tournament. His four over total was four shots better than his score from last year, but this time he finished in a tie for 42nd place. Henley made plenty of noise along the way, thanks in large part to a 4 under front nine on Saturday that had him in third place individually when he made the turn on his third round.
Henley now will finish the remainder of his amateur summer as he prepares to represent the U.S. during the Walker Cup in September. His next tournament will be the Dogwood Invitational in Atlanta starting on June 27th.

Former Bulldogs Bubba Watson and Christo Greyling also made the cut in the 111th U.S. Open. Christo Greyling, playing in his first major championship, finished in a tie for 68th. Greyling had to finish his second round Saturday morning and needed a couple of birdies to make the cut. Christo birdied 3 of his last four holes to play the weekend. Bubba Watson, the 13th ranked golfer in the world, finished in a tie for 63rd place. Watson will now work on defending his title at the Travels Championship this week.

Swafford Makes Professional Debut

Hudson Swafford

Hudson Swaffford made his professional golf debut this past week on the Egolf Professional Tour. Swafford competed in the Bolle Classic in Lexington, NC and finished in a tie for 14th place while carding a four round total of 15 under par.
Swafford is playing again this week on the Egolf Professional Tour in the Cowans Ford Open. After two rounds at the Cowans Ford Open, Hudson currently sits in third place individually. results can be found at:
http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel11/event/tarheel115/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

The Southeastern Amateur

Incoming Freshman Sepp Straka

Current Bulldog Keith Mitchell and incoming Freshman Sepp Straka posted good finishes during the Southeastern Amateur played June 15-18th at Columbus Country Club in Columbus, GA. Rising Sophomore Mitchell finished 3rd individually at 2 under for the tournament. Straka, who will begin his first season of college golf this fall, finished 2nd individually at 3 under par.

The Northeast Amateur

Northeast Amateur, June 22-25

Both Bryden Macpherson and Harris English are playing this week in the Northeast Amateur. The Northeast Amateur is one of the best field in amateur golf each summer and is being played for the 50th year this year. You can follow the scoring live at:
http://www.northeastamateur.com/Default.aspx

Greystone Invitational

Greystone Invitational, June 23-26

Bulldogs Keith Mitchell and Brian Carter are currently competing in the tenth annual Greystone Invitational in Birmingham, Alabama. All the scoring and results can be found on the tournament website at www.greystoneinvitational.com. The Greystone Invitational is a four round stroke play tournament played on the Greystone Golf and Country Club's Founders Course.

U.S. Open Day 3

2011-06-19T12:39:00.001-04:00

Russell Henley during round 3 of the 2011 U.S. Open

Russell Henley made it an exciting day for Bulldog fans at Congressional Saturday. When Henley made the turn during his third round of the U.S. Open, he found himself tied for third place thanks to four birdies on his first nine. The back nine saw Henley make four bogeys and fall back to the field in a tie for 21st place. the former Bulldog is looking to repeat as low amateur in the Open and he trails fellow amateur, Patrick Cantlay, by a single stroke for those honors.

Bubba Watson fired a third round 74 and sits in 57th place while Christo Greyling carded a third round 75 and sits in 64th place. Final round coverage begins at 1:30 on NBC.

Macpherson Wins British Amateur

2011-06-19T12:24:00.001-04:00

2011 British Amateur Champion, Bryden Macpherson

Georgia golfer Bryden Macpherson won the 116th British Amateur Championship on Saturday, earning spots in this year's British Open and next year's Masters in the process.

Macpherson defeated Scotland's Michael Stewart 3&2 in the final match, joining Doug Bachli (1954) as the only Australians to win the British Amateur.

The 2011 Open Championship will take place July 14-17 at Royal St. George's. The 2012 Masters will be held April 5-8 at Augusta National.

“I can’t believe it just yet," Macpherson said. "It feels pretty good to bridge the gap of 57 years. I hope there are a few proud Aussies having a barbecue. My judgment of speed was awesome today, so that was real important, but the real key to this week was patience. As hard as it was to believe, I had complete confidence that it was going to happen for me this week. I did a really good job of staying out of my own way, and celebrating everything I did well. Staying in the moment was a major key. I love the whole atmosphere of the Amateur Championship. One of the main things is the crowds: it’s amazing how much people love their golf around here. It’s a credit to them."

Macpherson, a rising junior for the Bulldogs shot 75-70 in stroke play, then posted six straight wins in match play to win the British Amateur title. Macpherson went 3-0 in match play as the Bulldogs finished second at the NCAA Championships earlier this month.

Macpherson joins Vinny Giles (1975) as the only Bulldogs to win the British Amateur.

Day 2 of U.S. Open-Bulldogs Make Cut

2011-06-18T08:50:00.000-04:00

Russell Henley continues his great play of late and has found his way on the first page of the leader-board at the halfway point of the 2011 U.S. Open. Henley put together his best round of his U.S. Open career, a 2 under 69, that vaulted him to a tie for 15th. The Macon native is trying to become the first repeat low amateur in 20 years at the U.S. Open. Currently Henley is tied with fellow amateur Patrick Cantlay, who fired a second round 67, to also move into 15th place.

Henley currently sits tied for 15th at the U.S. Open

Fellow Bulldogs, Christo Greyling and Bubba Watson are tied with a group in 56th place. Greyling fired a second round 74 and Watson carded a second round 75.

All three Bulldogs will make the cut and play the weekend at Congressional. Follow the action live at usopen.com.

Macpherson In British Amateur Finals

2011-06-18T08:29:00.000-04:00

Georgia Golfer, Bryden Macpherson, has played his way through two rounds of stroke play qualifying and dispatched 5 competitors along the way in the match play portion of the British Amateur Championship to make it to the final match today.

Bryden Macphers is 1 match play win away from The British Am title.

Macpherson qualified 15th in the stroke play portion of the championship and has been unstoppable in match play. With a win, Macpherson would accomplish the dream of winning the British Amateur title and earning a spot in this year's British Open Champsionship. “The Open is my dream tournament. As the title suggests it’s The Open, and if I could choose to win just one event in my life, I’d choose that one. But I won’t be thinking about that tomorrow.”

Along with an invitation to this year's Open Championship, the winner of the British Amateur also receives an invitation to the 2012 Masters.

The final match can be followed live at:
http://www.randa.org/en/Championship-Golf/Amateur-Championships/Amateur-Championship.aspx

U.S. Open, Day 1

2011-06-17T09:13:00.000-04:00

Day 1 at the 2011 U.S. Open saw all three Bulldogs post solid rounds in the second major championship of the year. Bubba Watson was the low Bulldog after firing an even par 71 and sits tied for 20th, Christo Greyling finished with a 1 over par 72 and sits tied for 31st, and Russell Henley carded a 2 over par 73 and is tied for 44th.

The round of the day went to Rory McIlroy who jumped out to the first round lead with a 6 under par 65.

All three Bulldogs will play in the afternoon wave today and all currently sit inside the cut line. Henley is looking to repeat as low amateur and he currently trails fellow amateur, Peter Uihlein, by a single shot.

Golf.com featured Russell Henley in an article about his first round. Click here to read the article.

Christo Greyling is playing in his first major championship this week. To read more about his journey as a professional golfer, click on the links to CBSsports.com and The Detroit Free Press as they featured Greyling in articles this week.

Dawgs Tee It Up at U.S. Open

2011-06-15T16:26:00.000-04:00

Three former Georgia Bulldogs will be playing in the 2011 U.S. Open starting on Thursday at Congressional Country Club. Bubba Watson, Christo Greyling, and recent graduate, Russell Henley, will all be paired in the morning wave for round 1.

Russell Henley will start at 7:33, Bubba Watson at 8:28 and Christo Greyling will begin at 9:01.

This will be the first U.S. Open for Greyling and the second for Henley. Henley is playing in his second consecutive U.S. Open after tying for 16th last year at Pebble Beach and finishing as low amateur for the championship.

Watson will be playing in his 5th U.S. Open with his best career finish coming in 2007 at Oakmont with a tie for 5th.

All of the action can be followed live at USGA.org

Henley Headed Back to U.S. Open

2011-06-07T10:43:00.000-04:00

Russell Henley will play in the U.S. Open next week at Congressional Country Club

Russell Henley birdied two of his final holes during a grueling 36-hole day to earn a tie atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Open sectional qualifier Monday at Hawk’s Ridge Golf Club. After players in the final two groups passed him, the 22-year-old found out he had a little work left to do and landed in a sudden-death playoff with PGA Tour professional Jason Dufner for the third and final qualifying spot in the U.S. Open.

Henley survived the challenge, however, with a birdie on the fourth playoff hole after Dufner hit his second shot on the par-5 hole into the water, and Henley earned a return trip to the U.S. Open, which begins June 16 at Congressional Country Club outside of Washington, D.C.

“I’m really excited to get back to another U.S. Open,” Henley said with just a few minutes of daylight left. “It was an emotional day, but it feels good to get back.”

Henley played 40 holes in nearly 12 hours when Dufner hit his approach into the par-5 fourth hole into the water right of the green. Henley played his second shot safe, but the ball ended up in deep rough left of the green. He hit what he called “one of the best chips of my life” to about 3 feet of the hole. Dufner missed his par putt, but Henley knocked in his birdie anyway. He shared a long embrace with Adam Henley, his caddie, after he clinched the spot in the U.S. Open.

“We just went through a lot of emotions (Monday),” Adam Henley said. “It feels pretty sweet right now.”

Many of the officials felt Russell Henley and Dufner wouldn’t need a playoff to qualify.

The two were tied atop the leaderboard when they finished 36 holes. Henley birdied two of his final three holes to finish at 11 under. Most thought Ryan Nelson, who was at 10 under through 27 holes, was the only player on the course with a shot to qualify.

Nelson indeed qualified at 12 under.

Henley received congratulatory hugs, handshakes and high-fives after he finished his round and after Nelson finished.

Playing in the final group, amateur Brett Patterson shot a course-record 62 to finish the day at 12 under and nab a spot. Patterson’s score bumped Dufner and Henley into a playoff.

“Everyone, the head pro, tournament officials are telling me I’m fine,” Henley said. “You start to rest, and then you find out it’s not over. You have to refocus fast. It’s tough to do.”

Both Henley and Dufner made a par on the first three holes of sudden death. Henley had a long birdie putt on No. 2 to win, and Dufner had about a 12-foot birdie attempt on No. 3 that would have earned him the spot.

“Russell thinks he’s one of the best amateurs and players in the world, so I don’t think he struggled to get back ready,” Adam Henley said. “I was a little nervous.”

Russell Henley finished the day with rounds of 68 and 65.

Henley shot a 4-under-par 68 through his first 18. His putter got hot on the second 18. He was 3 under through nine holes and birdied three in a row early in his second nine. He left an eagle putt on No. 4 a few inches short and then made a bogey on No. 6 when he hit it in the water trying to drive the green.

“I probably would have thought back to those if I wouldn’t have made it,” he said. “The bogey shook me up a little.”

Henley bounced back with a 15-foot birdie on No. 7, and he then made a birdie from about 3 feet on his 36th hole of the day.

“Those turned out to be huge putts,” he said.

The top three finishers out of 41 players qualified for the U.S. Open.

Henley won his qualifier a year ago and went on to finish tied for 16th at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. The finish earned him low amateur honors.

Dawgs Finish Season With Runner-Up Finish at NCAA's

2011-06-06T08:47:00.001-04:00

Russell Henley during his last match as a Georgia Bulldog

Stillwater, OK --- The Georgia men's golf team's quest for a national title came up short on Sunday as Augusta State defeated the Bulldogs 3-2 in the finals of the NCAA Championships at Karsten Creek Golf Course.

The Bulldogs got victories from senior Russell Henley and sophomore Bryden Macpherson, each of whom went 3-0 in match play at the NCAAs, but were unable to garner a third decision.

"The guys fought hard and they never gave up," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "It was a pretty tight match all the way around. I'm proud of these guys. They represented us well. The represented the `G' and everybody should be really proud of them."

Macpherson got Georgia's first point as he defeated Olle Bengtsson 6&4. After sophomore T.J. Mitchell fell to Carter Newman 7&5, Henley put Georgia back ahead with a 3&2 decision over Henrik Norlander. Senior Hudson Swafford dropped a 2&1 match to Mitchell Krywulycz, then senior Harris English fell to Patrick Reed 2&1, giving the Jaguars back-to-back NCAA titles.

"We hung in as best we could," Henley said. "Augusta State is playing really good golf right now, and we knew we'd have to play really good golf against them. We gave it a run. I'm proud of what everybody did to get us here."

Said Macpherson, "To come into the week without having really contended all year and to give it a run to the final is an effort to be proud of no matter what."

Sunday's round marked the final one for Georgia's seniors, all of whom participated in graduation ceremonies last month in Athens.

"The last four years with these guys, you can't replace it," Swafford said. "It's been a dream come true. A win today would have topped it off for sure, but being in position to win it was still awesome."

"Our seniors were very important to the team," Macpherson said. "They mean a lot to the team and the team means a lot to them. I know they're disappointed and sad, but they can be proud of this week for sure."

Click here to watch G-TV's coverage of reaction to the final match results.

Golfweek has a recap of the final match that can be viewed here.

Georgia Golfers To Play For National Championship

2011-06-04T23:22:00.000-04:00

Harris English at No. 2 during Semifinals of Saturday's Match Play at the 2011 NCAA Division I Men's Golf Championship at Karsten Creek photo by Tracy Wilcox

STILLWATER, Okla. --- Russell Henley and Chris Haack were walking down the 10th fairway at the NCAA Championships on Saturday, and the Georgia senior had a request of his coach.

"Russell looked at me and said, `You need to smile. This might be our last time together,'" Haack recalled. "I said, "No it's not. We're going to have another day together.'"

The Bulldogs were all smiles and Haack's words seemed prophetic following Saturday's semifinal match with Duke at Karsten Creek Golf Club. Georgia dispatched the Blue Devils 3-2 with wins from Henley, senior Harris English and sophomore Bryden Macpherson.

With the win, the Bulldogs advanced to Sunday's final against Augusta State. The Jaguars, the 2010 national champs, knocked off Oklahoma State 3-2 on Saturday.

"Getting here is great, but since we're here, we might as well go ahead and try to win it all," Haack said with a laugh. "That's the neat thing about match play and the reason I like this format so much. Now we can go to bed knowing we've got a chance. It's us against them. Nobody's coming out of the pack. That's the fun part of it.

"This is pretty special, having two teams from the state of Georgia in the finals. It's a big deal. Hopefully the folks back home are getting excited about this."

Sunday's final match will be played at 1 p.m. Live scoring and video will be available at NCAA.com.

"It feels really good," English said. "It's what we've been gearing up for all year. We've got three seniors (English, Henley and Hudson Swafford), and this is our final tournament. Having this opportunity really means a lot to us."

"This is the closest we've been to winning a national title," Henley said. "You're gunning for it every year, but this is the closest we've been. We're going to try to enjoy it. A lot of people may get tight, but tomorrow is my last day ever playing college golf, so I'm going to enjoy it."

Macpherson got the Bulldogs' first win as he knocked off Austin Cody 2&1. English followed with a 5&4 decision over Brinson Paolini. Henley closed the match with a 3&2 victory over Tim Gornick.

In the other matches, Duke's Julian Suri topped sophomore T.J. Mitchell 3&2, while Duke's Wes Roach defeated Swafford 2&1.

"There's a lot of excitement on our team," Macpherson said. "We're very happy to be in the position we are. We came in with no pressure. We're just playing golf and things are going the way we planned so far. We're going to keep doing what we're doing, have fun, play the best we can and give it everything we've got."

Haack said Sunday's key could be the leadership provided by the seniors, who are 4-1-1 in the NCAAs thus far.

"Tomorrow is going to be pretty sentimental with those guys," Haack said. "It's been great having them in the lineup. They've been a force for us the last four years. This is what your horses are meant to do - get out there and run for us."

Golfweek has full coverage of all the highlights from the NCAA Championship. Click here to watch a preview of the final match between the Dawgs and Augusta State.

Dawgs in Final Four at NCAA's

2011-06-03T16:39:00.002-04:00

The men's golf team will be one of four teams left with a chance to play for the national championship, thanks to a quarterfinal win vs Illinois.

The Dawgs were victorious in 3 matches while losing 1 match and halving 1 match.

Bryden Macpherson defeated Mason Jacobs      2&1
Russell Henley defeated Scott Langley                4&2
Harris English defeated Luke Guthrie                  3&2
Hudson Swafford halved with Chris DeForest     A/S
T.J. Mitchell was defeated by Thomas Pieters     1 down

The Dawgs will now square off against Duke in the semifinals on Saturday. This will mark the second time the Bulldogs have made an appearance in the final four since the national championship was moved to match play, doing so in 2009.

All the action can be followed live on NCAA.com.

Bulldogs Advance To Match Play At NCAA Championships

2011-06-03T06:48:00.001-04:00

The Georgia men's golf team accomplished its first goal on Thursday in the stroke play portion of the NCAA Championships. The quest for the second goal begins on Friday.

Needing a top-8 effort to advance to match play, the 12th-seeded Bulldogs finished fifth with a total of 20-over-par 884. Georgia capped stroke play with a final-round 17-over 305, its highest figure of the three-day event at Karsten Creek Golf Club.

"It was a struggle today," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "It's just a tough golf course, and it was one of those days where you try to hold on and survive. I was proud of the guys for staying with it. Nobody got down and they fought through it, so it turned out OK."

With the fifth-place finish, Georgia advanced to match play where it will play fourth-place Illinois. The Bulldogs and the Illini will tee off on Friday at 11:45 a.m. The other pairings for match play are No. 1 UCLA vs. No. 8 Duke, No. 2 Georgia Tech vs. No. 7 Augusta State and No. 3 Oklahoma State vs. No. 6 Ohio State. The winners will advance to Saturday, and the team champion will be crowned on Sunday.

Illinois and Oklahoma State finished tied for third in stroke play, and the Cowboys wound up No. 3 and the Illini No. 4 in the bracket based on the cumulative drop score (plus-16 for Oklahoma State, plus-26 for Illinois).

"Now, anything goes," Haack said. "It doesn't matter who you play; you just have to get ready and go hit them. Every team that made it to match play is good. Any team we play from here on out is going to be a formidable opponent. I just hope we can bring our best stuff."

Sophomore T.J. Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Thursday with a 3-over 75. Senior Harris English and sophomore Bryden Macpherson each added a 4-over 76, while senior Hudson Swafford signed for a 6-over 78 and senior Russell Henley had a 7-over 79.

English finished 10th in the individual standings with a total of 1-over 217. Medalist honors went to LSU's John Peterson at 5-under 211. Swafford wound up at 7-over 223, followed by Henley at 11-over 227, Macpherson at 13-over 229 and Mitchell at 14-over 230.

Georgia has logged just two match play rounds at the NCAAs, both coming in 2009 at Inverness Club in Ohio. The Bulldogs dispatched Oklahoma State in a memorable first-round pairing, then lost to Arkansas in the second round. English, Henley and Swafford all were in the lineup for Georgia that season.

Asked if he likes his team in the match play format: "I like my team in anything, so yeah. Why not us?"

Live coverage can be found at www.ncaa.com

Dawgs Move Up To Fourth, English Sits In Third

2011-06-02T06:49:00.000-04:00

Senior Harris English is the low Buldog at the NCAA Championship, currently tied for 3rd

On the strength of the second-lowest round of the day, the Georgia men's golf team improved to fourth place at the NCAA Championships on Wednesday at Karsten Creek Golf Club.

The Bulldogs shot an even-par 288, bettered only by Illinois' 1-under 287, and stand at 3-over 579 through 36 holes. Georgia is six shots behind tournament leader Georgia Tech, and, perhaps more importantly, 11 shots better than eighth-place teams Texas A&M and Ohio State. After Thursday's round, the top eight teams will move onto match play to determine the national champion.

"We knew coming out here, it would take three good rounds," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "You just can't make any mistakes. We've got two in the books and one more to go. We've got to go out and play solid and keep the same mindset. We've got to play the golf course as it comes. I want us to do what we've been doing: hit the fairways and the greens and stay out of trouble as much as you can. It feels good to be in the hunt. We're in a position to kind of control our own destiny, and that's where we want to be."

Senior Harris English and sophomore Bryden Macpherson paced the Bulldogs with 1-under 71s on Wednesday. Senior Russell Henley added an even-par 72, while senior Hudson Swafford signed for a 2-over 74. Sophomore T.J. Mitchell had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 9-over 81.

English improved to 3-under 141, two shots behind John Peterson of LSU. English is vying to join George Hamer (1946) as the only Bulldogs to capture medalist honors at the NCAAs. Ex-Bulldogs Ryuji Imada and Chris Kirk had NCAA runner-up efforts. The 2011 champion will be crowned following Thursday's round.

Also Wednesday, Swafford moved to 1-over 145, followed by Henley at 4-over 148, Macpherson at 9-over 153 and Mitchell at 11-over 155.

"We're definitely moving in the right direction," Macpherson said. "We've gotten off to a good start this week, and we can build on that. It's feeling really good here. If we just have some fun, I think it all will fall into place."

Swafford's round included a rarity as he and his playing partners -- LSU's Ken Looper and Texas' Toni Hakula -- all made eagles on the par-5, 570-yard 14th hole. Said Swafford, "That's pretty crazy. I don't think I've ever heard of that or seen that. I'm just glad I could be a part of it because it helped me."

The Bulldogs will tee off in the final round in 10-minute increments between 1:20 and 2 p.m. with their counterparts from Alabama and Oklahoma State. The weather forecast for Stillwater on Thursday calls for a high of 94 degrees with wind gusts reaching 20 miles per hour. Live scoring can be found at ncaa.com.

In other news, English, Henley and Swafford have been named to the All-Southeast Region by the Golf Coaches Association of America. Also, the Southern Golf Association announced Wednesday that Henley, on the heels of his victory in the Nationwide Tour's Stadion Classic at UGA, has been chosen as the National Amateur of the Month for May. Henley became just the second amateur to win a Nationwide Tour event.

English-Led Bulldogs In Fifth At NCAA Championships

2011-06-01T08:11:00.000-04:00

Hudson Swafford after holing a putt on hole 9 in round one.

The Georgia men's golf team opened the NCAA Championships in fifth place on Tuesday at Karsten Creek Golf Club.

The Bulldogs, who are seeded 12th, fired a 3-over-par 291 in the first round and are tied for fifth with Ohio State. Georgia Tech snared the first-round lead with a 5-under 283.

After three rounds of stroke play, the top eight teams will advance to match play to determine the national champion. To a man, the Bulldogs said being in the top eight after the first round is mentally satisfying.

"We came out of the gate stronger, which was our goal," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We stumbled a little at the end. But overall, it was a good day. We put ourselves in a good position. But this golf course can jump up and bite you, so we've got to play well the next two days too."

"It feels good to be in the mix after the first day," said senior Harris English, who paced the Bulldogs with a 2-under 70. "The past couple of tournaments, we haven't gotten off to a good start. Our goal is to win stroke play, and we've got to keep that in mind and go after it tomorrow."

With English leading the way, the Bulldogs got off to a blistering start and spent much of the early part of the round atop the leaderboard. The Bulldogs played the front nine 4-under, including English's 5-under 31. He eagled the first hole and added three birdies on the front nine. He tacked on another birdie on No. 10 to start off at 6-under.

"What we did on the front nine shows that can we make birdies out here," English said. "We hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens. It was definitely promising."

English is fifth in the individual race, three shots behind Georgia Tech's James White. Senior Hudson Swafford is ninth at 1-under 71, including an eagle on the par-5, 551-yard 18th. Sophomore T.J. Mitchell signed for 2-over 74, followed by senior Russell Henley at 4-over 76 and sophomore Bryden Macpherson at 10-over 82.

The Bulldogs will tee off on Wednesday at 9:10 a.m. Live results can be found at ncaa.com.

"We've got to stay patient," Haack said. "This is one of the toughest golf courses we'll play all year. We have to keep it in play and give ourselves a lot of chances. We have to avoid the big numbers."

Bulldogs Begin Quest for Third National Championship

2011-05-31T08:30:00.000-04:00

The Men's Golf Team will begin play in the 2011 NCAA Championship today in Stillwater Oklahoma.

The Bulldogs will join 29 of the nation’s top teams at Oklahoma State’s Karsten Creek Golf Club (par 72, 7,416 yards). Georgia is guaranteed of playing Tuesday through Thursday in the stroke play portion of the tournament. After Thursday’s round, the tournament medalist will be recognized and the top eight teams will advance to the match play bracket, with four matches on Friday, two on Saturday and one on Sunday to determine the national champion.

“Our mindset is that we have a chance to win this golf tournament,” said Coach Chris Haack, who led the Bulldogs to NCAA titles in 1999 and 2005. “That’s the only way to go into the nationals.”

Haack will use a lineup of seniors Harris English, Russell Henley and Hudson Swafford, and sophomores Bryden Macpherson and T.J. Mitchell. Swafford and English have appeared in two NCAAs each, while Henley has played twice with his teammates and last year as an individual when the Bulldogs’ 12-year run of consecutive berths was snapped. Macpherson and Mitchell will be making their NCAAs debuts.

Georgia’s players will tee off in 10-minute increments between 2:30 and 3:10 p.m. on Tuesday and between 9:10 and 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday. The Bulldogs are the tournament’s No. 12 seed and will be paired with 10th-seeded LSU and 11th-seeded Texas in the first two rounds. Oklahoma State, UCLA and Alabama are the tournament’s Nos. 1-3 seeds.

Prior to their arrival in Stillwater, the Bulldogs held a players-and-coaches-only retreat to get prepared.

Asked what his message was, Haack recounted it almost in Rockne-esque terms: “When we’re playing at the nationals, it’s not just for you, it’s for all of us. If you’re on the golf course and things go bad, don’t panic. You’ve got teammates you can depend on. Remember that we’re doing this as a team. It’s not an individual thing. If we bond together and pull for one another, great things can happen. This is our chance, our time, our moment.”

Georgia got a look at Karsten Creek last September in the PING/Golfweek Preview. The Bulldogs came in third, just five shots behind home-standing Oklahoma State. Swafford finished second, while Henley came in 10th and English placed 16th.

“Every course is different, and a team feels most comfortable when a course sets up well for it. That’s how we feel about Karsten Creek,” Haack said. “Having played well there in the fall makes a huge difference. When guys love a golf course, that’s a good thing. It beats the alternative of having negative vibes about a place.”

Live scoring can be found at golfstat.com and on the NCAA Championship homepage.

Imada Finishes 3rd at Byron Nelson

2011-05-31T08:20:00.000-04:00

Former Bulldog All-American, Ryuji Imada, recorded his best finish of the 2011 season on the PGA Tour this past weekend at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Irving Texas. Imada began the final round in third place and held the lead by himself late on the back nine Sunday, but fell to third with bogeys on his last two holes. Ryuji finished a shot back of a playoff between eventual winner and PGA Tour rookie Keegan Bradley and Ryan Palmer. For the week, Imada collected $377,000 and moved to 75th on the PGA Tour money list.