9 Bulldogs in Field at Q-School Finals

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

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

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

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

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/