Compton Retains PGA Tour Card at Q School

Former Bulldog, Erik Compton, will return to the PGA Tour in 2013 thanks to a 7th place finish in the final stage of The PGA Tour's Q-School.  Compton, who spent the 2012 season as a rookie on the PGA Tour, finished the six round final stage at 22 under par.

Kevin Kisner finished one shot back of returning to the PGA Tour after finishing tied for 27th.  Kisner played full time on the PGA Tour in 2011 and 2012. 

Brendon Todd, who as medalist at last year's Q School, finished in a tie for 43rd at 14 under par.  Bryden Macpherson and Hudson Swafford tied for 95th.  Richard Scott tied for 114th while Paul Claxton tied for 130th and Scott Parel tied for 156th.

Kevin Kisner and Bendon Todd will have conditional status on the PGA Tour due to their finish on the 2012 PGA Tour money list.  Both Kisner and Todd will have status on the Web.com Tout for 2013.

Hudson Swafford, Richard Scott, Paul Claxton, and Scott Parel will all have full status on the Web.com Tour for 2013 while Bryden Macpherson will have conditional status on the Web.com Tour.

Dawgs at Final Stage of Q-School

The six round marathon that is the final stage of the PGA Tour's Q School has begun at PGA West in La Quinta, CA.  There are eight former Bulldogs in the field of 172 trying to secure one of the 25 PGA Tour cards up for grabs.

The tournament is being played for the second consecutive year on the Nicklaus Tournament and Stadium courses at PGA West.

After the first round of play, Erik Compton was the low Bulldog after round one.  Compton sits in a tie for 9th at 5 under, thanks to a first round 67 on the Stadium Course.  Bryden Macpherson is tied for 20th at 4 under, Brendon Todd and Hudson Swafford are both tied for 50th at 2 under, Kevin Kisner is tied for 82nd at 1 under, Richard Scott and Scott Parel are tied for 136th at 1 over and Paul Claxton is tied for 169th at 6 over par.

Erik Compton                    T9      -5   Stadium Course
Bryden Macpherson          T20    -4  Nicklaus Course
Brendon Todd                   T50    -2  Stadium Course
Hudson Swafford              T50    -2  Nicklaus Course
Kevin Kisner                     T82    -1  Nicklaus Course
Richard Scott                    T136  +1 Stadium Course
Scott Parel                        T136  +1  Nicklaus Course
Paul Claxton                     T169  +6  Stadium Course

The second of six rounds of play takes place today and the scoring can be followed live at www.pgatour.com

Golfers Davis, Derby, Sigg Sign With Bulldogs

Three of the country's top prospects have signed national letters of intent with the Georgia men's golf team, according to an announcement by Bulldogs coach Chris Haack.

Georgians Parker Derby and Greyson Sigg and Texan Branson Davis will enroll and compete for the Bulldogs in 2013-14.

"We've added three fine prospects to our program, and we're excited about what they will add both academically and athletically," Haack said. "Parker, Greyson and Branson are excellent golfers and hard workers, and they should come in and compete for playing time right away. We're thrilled that they're going to be Bulldogs."

Davis is a native of McKinney, Texas, and attends McKinney Boyd High School. He is 13th in the American Junior Golf Association's Polo Golf Rankings. Davis earned Honorable Mention Rolex All-America honors in 2011 and he was a Second-Team All-American in 2012. He won the AJGA's Hunter Mahan Championship in 2011 and the Goodman Networks Junior Championship at Traditions in 2012. Davis was a United States Junior quarterfinalist and went 3-1 for the West Wyndham Cup Team earlier this year.

Derby, a native of Columbus, was named First-Team Rolex All-American in 2011 and earned Honorable Mention status in 2012. He won the 2011 Bobby Chapman Invitational and was the runner-up in the Polo Invitational, the Frederica Open and the Bubba Conlee National. Derby has participated in eight AJGA invitationals and competed in the 2012 Junior Open Championship in England. He attends Brookstone in Columbus and he helped the Cougars win Class A state titles in 2010, 2011 and 2012. Derby earned medalist honors at the 2012 state tournament and was named the State Player of the Year. He also was All-State in 2011 and 2012 and was All-District and All-Bi-City in 2010, 2011 and 2012. 

Sigg is a native of Augusta and he competes for Richmond Academy. He was chosen as the 2011 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Player of the Year after winning the Georgia Junior State Championship. Sigg was the runner-up in the Georgia Junior State Championship earlier this year. He was selected to compete for the East Team in the 2012 AJGA Wyndham Cup. Sigg has competed in such prestigious tournaments as the United States Junior Amateur, the Sage Valley Invitational, the Junior Jones Cup, the Rolex Tournament of Champions, the Footjoy Invitational, the Junior Players Championship, the Palmetto Amateur and the Georgia Amateur.

Bulldogs at Q-school

The final stage of The PGA Tour's Q-School will begin on November 28th in LaQuinta, CA at PGA West.  Four Bulldogs just secured their place in the field by advancing out of the second stage of qualifying of Q School.

Kevin Kisner and Richard Scott both advanced out of Redstone Golf CLub in Humble, TX.  Kisner finished third at 13 under while Scott finished on the number to advance tying for 18th at 7 under.

Erik Compton advanced from Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, FL by tying for 8th at 8 under.

Bryden Macpherson tied for 13th at 6 under par to advance from Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrieta, CA to secure his first appearance in final stage of Q-School.

Kisner, Scott, Compton, and Macpherson will be joined at the final stage by Hudson Swafford, Paul Claxton, Scott Parel, and Brendon Todd.

Complete coverage of Q School can be found at www.pgatour.com

Erik Compton and Freshman Lee McCoay

Former Bulldog Erik Compton Receives Zaharias Award

Compton, a two-time heart transplant recipient, was selected for the Mildred "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias Courage Award by the United States Sports Academy. The award is given to a person who shows courage in overcoming adversity to excel in sport.

Zaharias, among the greatest ever in LPGA Tour history, won her 10th and final major one month after surgery for colon cancer in 1953.

"She did something that I've never dream of doing — winning a major," Compton said. "I guess I have dreamed, but it just hasn't come true yet."

Compton received his first heart transplant at age 12. After his playing days at Georgia, Compton was selected to compete on the Walker Cup team in 2001. He had a major heart attack in 2008, drove himself to the hospital and was fortunate to survive before getting a second heart transplant.

Along with playing a full schedule of 25 tournaments on The PGA Tour this season, Compton has been on a campaign to raise awareness for organ donations through "Donate Life" and a program called "Play Through with Erik Compton."

"Being able to do the hospital, being able to educate the local communities, even being able to speak to some of the doctors and the patients, it's just been a great year," Compton said. "I feel that my calling off the golf course will continue to grow even after my playing days are done. So you know, it started with the two lives that I have. On and off the golf course it's very comforting and I feel very confident of what I've done and what I'm able to do as a person."

Spotlight on Freshman Lee McCoy

 

http://www.georgiadogs.com/sports/m-golf/spec-rel/111512aab.html

Haack To Be Inducted Into Golf Coaches Hall Of Fame



On December 10th, Coach Chris Haack will become the third Bulldog Golf Coach inducted into the Golf Coaches Hall of Fame

 Georgia's Chris Haack will be inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America's Hall of Fame later this year, according to an announcement Wednesday by the GCAA.

Haack, who is in his 17th year with the Bulldogs, has guided Georgia to two NCAA and seven SEC championships. He has a school-record 48 team titles, including at least one tournament victory in 15 of his 17 seasons.

Haack is the third Georgia coach chosen for the Hall of Fame. Howell Hollis (1946-70) was inducted in 1981 and Dick Copas (1971-96) was inducted in 1993.

"I cannot put into words how humbled I am by this selection," Haack said. "To be in the company of so many giants of our game is such an honor. Coach Hollis and Coach Copas laid the foundation for this program, and I've just tried to be a good steward. We as coaches are only as successful as our athletes, and I've had the distinct pleasure of coaching some pretty special guys. I've also had tremendous assistant coaches in Jim Douglas, Ryan Hybl and Jason Payne. This is an honor that I share with all of them. I just appreciate them taking me along for the ride."

Haack was chosen as the National Coach of the Year in 1999 and 2005 after guiding the Bulldogs to the program's only NCAA titles. He has been picked as the SEC Coach of the Year five times, most recently in 2010. Haack has produced 51 All-Americans, including at least one in 15 straight seasons, and 53 All-SEC performers. He has coached one National Player of the Year, four SEC Players of the Year and seven SEC Freshmen of the Year. Haack added the title of Director of Golf earlier this season.

Haack's fingerprints also can be seen in the professional golf ranks. Bubba Watson won the 2012 Masters and is one of the PGA Tour's most recognizable figures. Ryuji Imada and Chris Kirk also have PGA wins since 2008. On the Web.com Tour, Haack proteges Erik Compton, Harris English, Russell Henley, Imada, Kirk, Kevin Kisner, Hudson Swafford and Brendon Todd have posted wins in recent years.

Haack’s contributions to the GCAA include serving as chair of the All-America, International Selection, Hogan Award and Coaches Poll committees. He also was picked by the GCAA as the captain of the Palmer Cup Teams in 2001 and 2006.

Joining Haack in the Class of 2012 will be LSU's J. Perry Cole, Texas' John Fields Cameron's Jerry Hrnciar, Western Illinois' Harry Mussatto and Odessa College's and SMU's Barry Rodenhaver. Additionally, longtime NCAA rules official Clyde Luther will be honored for his contributions. The GCAA Hall of Fame Reception and Awards Banquet will take place Dec. 10 in Las Vegas.

Bulldogs Edged By Southern Cal In Stanford Classic

The Georgia men's golf team dropped a 12.5-11.5 decision to Southern Cal in the final round of the Stanford Classic on Tuesday at Cypress Point.

The fourth-seeded Bulldogs got four points each from junior Joey Garber and freshman Lee McCoy against the No. 7 seed Trojans. Senior T.J. Mitchell picked up the other 3.5 points for the Bulldogs.

Georgia went 1-2 in its three matches in the Stanford Classic. The Bulldogs dropped an 8.5-3.5 decision to fourth-seeded UCLA in a four-ball best ball, then knocked off No. 8 seed Michigan 8-4 in foursomes.

The Stanford Classic wrapped up the fall portion of the schedule for the Dawgs.  They will return to action February 17th at the Puerto Rico Classic.

Bulldogs Open 1-1 in Stanford Classic

The Georgia men's golf team will be squaring off with Southern Cal today in the consolation bracket of the Stanford Classic at Cypress Point Club.

The fifth-seeded Bulldogs opened the event on Monday by dropping a 8.5-3.5 decision to fourth-seeded UCLA in a four-ball best ball format. Sam Straka-Joey Garber earned two points to pace the Bulldogs. Georgia then knocked off No. 8 seed Michigan 8-4 in foursomes. T.J. Mitchell-Sepp Straka earned four points for the Bulldogs, while Straka-Garber got three.

Today the Bulldogs will also play the seventh-seeded Cardinal in singles. Mitchell and Sepp Straka will play with Sam Smith and Stewart Hagestad at 11:30 a.m., followed by McCoy and Cromie with Yi Kuen Chang at 11:40, and Sam Straka and Garber with Jeffrey Kang and Anthony Paolucci at 11:50.

Georgia Golfers To Wrap Up Fall In Stanford Classic

The Bulldog will finish their fall schedule at the Stanford Classic on Cypress Point

The Georgia men's golf team will wrap up the fall portion of its schedule this week in California in the Stanford Classic.

The 11th-ranked Bulldogs will be competing today and Tuesday at Cypress Point Club, which has played host to the Crosby/AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the Walker Cup.

The Stanford Classic will feature eight teams. Joining the Bulldogs and host Stanford will be Washington, Southern Cal, UCLA, Duke, Michigan and Texas.

The tournament will use a rare match play format as opposed to stroke play normally employed in collegiate golf. The first and second rounds today will be four-ball play, followed by foursomes. On Tuesday, the teams will compete in singles matches. The NCAA Championship will be using both stroke play and match play for the fourth straight year next spring.

The Bulldogs are seeded fifth and will take on No. 4 seed UCLA in the first round. The other first-round match-ups have No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 Michigan, No. 2 Washington vs. No. 7 Stanford, and No. 3 Southern Cal vs. No. 6 Duke. Winners and losers brackets will be used to ensure that teams play all three rounds.

Each squad will be represented by six players, and Coach Chris Haack will use a lineup of senior T.J. Mitchell, juniors Joey Garber and Michael Cromie, sophomores (and twin brothers) Sam and Sepp Straka, and freshman Lee McCoy.

"We're excited about the chance to participate in this tournament," Haack said. "Playing on a world-class track like Cypress Point and seeing some of the nation's top teams is a great opportunity for us. Our guys have had a solid fall and this is a great way to wrap things up."

Henley Wins Jacksonville Open

Henley celebrates his birdie putt on the 72nd hole

Russell Henley won the Jacksonville Open on Sunday for his second Web.com Tour victory of the year, beating B.J. Staten with a par on the first hole of a playoff.Henley birdied the final hole of regulation for a 5-under-par 65 to match Staten at 10-under 270 on Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass. Staten finished with a 68, then had a double-bogey on the playoff hole.

Henley earned $108,000 to jump from ninth to third on the money list with $365,366. The tournament was the final full-field event of the year. The top 60 on the money list qualified for the season-ending Web.com Tour Championship this week in McKinney, Texas. The final top 25 will earn 2013 PGA Tour cards.

This was the third career Web.com Tour Victory for Henley, who first won on the Web.com Tour while still a student at UGA.

Henley joins his former teammate, Hudson Swafford, as Dawgs who have won on the Web.com Tour this season.

Former Bulldogs Back in Georgia

Seven former Bulldogs will be back in Georgia this week as they tee it up in St. Simons for the McGladrey Classic at Sea Island. 
As the PGA Tour season comes to an end, Harris English, Brian Harman, Erik Compton, Ryuji Imada, Brendon Todd, Chris Kirk, and Kevin Kisner return to the course where the SEC Golf Championship has been played for 10 of the last 12 years.  The Dawgs should have good memories of the Seaside Course since English, Harman, Todd, Kirk and Kisner were all on teams that won an SEC title on the Seaside Course in their careers.  Brendon Todd also was the medalist at the SEC Championship in 2004.

The first round gets under way today and live scoring can be followed on www.pgatour.com and television coverage will be on The Golf Channel from 2-5.

Harris English tees off #10 at 7:35
Brian Harman tees off #10 at 7:55
Chris Kirk tees off #1 at 8:15
Ryuji Imada tees off #10 at 8:55
Erik Compton tees off #1 at 9:05
Kevin Kisner tees off #10 at 1:25
Brendon Todd tees off #10 at 1:35

Bulldogs Take Sixth In AutoTrader.Com Classic

The No. 7-ranked Georgia men's golf team came in sixth in the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic on Tuesday.

The Bulldogs closed with a 10-over-par 294 on Tuesday at Berkeley Hills Country Club to wind up at 36-over 888. The team title went to Georgia Southern at 7-over 859.

Sophomore Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs in the final round as he shot an even-par 71. Sophomore Sam Straka added a 1-over 72, followed by junior Keith Mitchell at 4-over 75 and freshman Lee McCoy at 5-over 76. Senior T.J. Mitchell had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 6-over 77.

T.J. Mitchell and Keith Mitchell wound up at 9-over 222, while McCoy was at 12-over 225, and Reach and Straka were at 13-over 226. Playing as an individual, junior Joey Garber shot a 4-over 75 on Tuesday and finished at 9-over 222. Medalist honors went to South Carolina's Dykes Harbin at 3-under 210.

"Every tournament we play is a learning experience, and we'll take both the good and the bad from this one and use them as we move forward," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We've got to keep working hard and we've got to stay focused. The fall gives us the chance to work on some things so that we can hit the ground running once the spring rolls around."

The Bulldogs will conclude the fall portion of their schedule Oct. 29-30 in the Stanford Classic at Cypress Point.

Bulldogs Stand Seventh In AutoTrader.com Classic

T.J. Mitchell stands 10th individually after 36 holes

The No. 7-ranked Georgia men's golf team stands seventh after two rounds of the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic.

On Monday at Berkeley Hills Country Club, the Bulldogs posted loops of 291 and 303 for a total of 26-over 594. Georgia Southern has the team lead at 1-over 569.

Senior T.J. Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Monday as he recorded rounds of 73 and 72 for a total of 3-over 145. Junior Keith Mitchell was next at 5-over 147 (72-75), followed by freshman Lee McCoy at 7-over 149 (70-79), sophomore Sam Straka at 12-over 154 (77-77) and sophomore Nicholas Reach at 13-over 155 (76-79). Playing as an individual, junior Joey Garber had rounds of 71 and 76 for a total of 5-over 147.

T.J. Mitchell is 10th individually, trailing South Carolina's Dykes Hardin by seven shots. Garber and Mitchell are among the players tied for 16th individually.

"Our second round really stung us," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We played pretty well in the first round, but we could not get anything going for us in the second round. That's golf. You have to respond to the course, the weather, whatever. I expect us to come out swinging on Tuesday and we'll see how it winds up."

The Bulldogs will conclude the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Classic today, teeing off at 8 a.m. Live scoring can be found at GolfStat.com.

Bulldogs To Tee It Up In AutoTrader.Com Classic

Fresh off its first win of the season, the Georgia men's golf team will continue the fall portion of its schedule this week in the Second Annual AutoTrader.Com Collegiate Classic.

The No. 5 Bulldogs will compete today and Tuesday at Berkeley Hills Country Club in Duluth. The teams will play 36 holes on Monday and 18 holes on Tuesday. Monday's competition will begin with an 8 a.m. shotgun start.

The Bulldogs are coming off an 18-shot victory in the Brickyard Collegiate Championship in Macon. Georgia also has a second- and an eighth-place finish this fall.

"Our guys have been playing with a lot of confidence," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "That's a byproduct of how well they have prepared. They have put in the hard work and they've gone head-to-head with their teammates in some intense qualifying rounds. All of this is making us stronger and deeper. I really like the way this team is coming together."

Haack will use a lineup of senior T.J. Mitchell, junior Keith Mitchell, sophomores Nicholas Reach and Sam Straka, and freshman Lee McCoy. Straka made his season debut in the Brickyard, claiming co-medalist honors as an individual. Reach (third), McCoy (fourth), T.J. Mitchell (sixth) and Keith Mitchell (eighth) also had top-10 showings in the Brickyard.

Joining the Bulldogs and host Georgia State in theAutoTrader.Com Collegiate Classic will be Chattanooga, Furman, Georgia Southern, Jacksonville, Kennesaw State, Mercer, UNC-Greensboro, Old Dominion, South Carolina, USC-Aiken, Towson, Virginia Commonwealth, Winthrop and Wisconsin.

Live scoring and tee times can be found at golfstat.com.

Bulldogs, Straka Sweep Titles At Brickyard

Sam Straka claimed his first career tournament victory at The Brickyard Collegiate

The fourth-ranked Georgia men's golf team picked up its first title of the season on Sunday, winning the Sixth Annual Brickyard Collegiate Championship, and they did so without counting the scores of the tournament medalist.

Bulldogs sophomore Sam Straka, playing as an individual, finished at 8-under 208, including a course-record 8-under 64 on Sunday for his first collegiate title. Because he was an individual, his figures could not count toward the Bulldogs' team score. As it turned out, they didn't need them.

The Bulldogs shot an 8-under 280 in the final round to wind up at 16-under 848. Georgia posted a 14-shot victory over second-place Georgia Tech.

Freshman Lee McCoy paced the Bulldogs' five-man lineup on Sunday as he carded a 4-under 68. Sophomore Nicholas Reach added a 3-under 69, followed by sophomore Sepp Straka at 1-under 70 and senior T.J. Mitchell at 1-over 73. Junior Brian Carter had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 3-over 75.

Reach placed third in the individual race at 7-under 209, trailing only co-medalists Sam Straka and Georgia State's Jonathan Grey. McCoy wound up fourth at 6-under 210, while Mitchell came in sixth at 4-under 212. Sepp Straka and Carter finished at 7-over 223.

Junior Keith Mitchell, who also played as an individual, shot a 5-under 67 Sunday to come in eighth at 3-under 213.

"This is a feeling that never gets old," said Georgia coach Chris Haack, who extended his school record with his 48th victory in his 16 seasons. "It's always sweet. I could not be prouder of our guys. To win the tournament, to have the medalist and to have five guys in the top 10 says a lot about our potential. The guys were focused and determined all weekend, and if we can continue to play with this kind of confidence, it could be a fun season."

Sam Straka recorded an eagle and nine birdies on Sunday, along with one double bogey and one bogey. He made birdie on his final hole to set the course record on The Brickyard at Riverside's par-72, 7,175-yard layout.

The Bulldogs enjoyed the same results at the inaugural Brickyard Championship in 2008 when the team claimed the trophy and medalist Harris English played as an individual.

"I'm so happy for Sam," Haack said. "He's been working so hard and he hasn't had a lot of chances this fall. It takes a special mental approach to play as an individual instead of as part of the five-man lineup, so I was pleased that he was able to do that and come out with the win. This is a real shot in the arm for him."

The Bulldogs will continue the fall portion of their schedule at the AutoTrader.com Collegiate Championship Oct. 15-16 in Atlanta.

Reach, Bulldogs Leading Brickyard Championship

Nick Reach and the Dawgs lead after round one of the Brickyard Collegiate

 Paced by individual leader Nicholas Reach, the fourth-ranked Georgia men's golf team ascended to the top of the leaderboard on Friday at the Sixth Annual Brickyard Collegiate Championship.

The Bulldogs posted an 8-under 280 in the first round on Friday at The Brickyard at Riverside, which is a par-72 layout covering 7,175 yards. Georgia will head into Saturday's second round with a 3-shot advantage over North Florida.

Reach, a sophomore, signed for a 4-under 68 for a 1-shot edge over seven players. Reach recorded five birdies, including a stretch of three straight on the front nine, and only one bogey.

Senior T.J. Mitchell notched a 2-under 70 for ninth place, while junior Brian Carter and freshman Lee McCoy each added a 1-under 71 for 12th place. Sophomore Sepp Straka had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 5-over 77. Playing as individuals, junior Keith Mitchell fired a 2-over 74 and sophomore Sam Straka shot a 3-over 75.

"I could not be happier with the way we played today," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "The guys were really focused and played with a lot of confidence. That's the way we need to keep playing the rest of the weekend."

The Brickyard Collegiate Championship will continue on Saturday and will conclude on Sunday. Live scoring and additional information can be found at golfstat.com and brickyardcollegiate.org.

Bulldogs Tee Off in Macon for Brickyard Collegiate

The ninth-ranked Georgia men's golf team will continue the fall portion of its schedule this weekend in the Sixth Annual Brickyard Collegiate Championship.

The Brickyard Championship will take place today through Sunday at the Brickyard at Riverside. The Bulldogs will tee off for the first round today at 8:30.

Joining the Bulldogs and host Mercer in the tournament will be Georgia Tech, Augusta State, Princeton, North Florida, Chattanooga, Colorado State, South Florida, Oklahoma, Georgia State, Air Force, Kansas, Virginia Tech and College of Charleston.

Georgia coach Chris Haack will use a lineup of senior T.J. Mitchell, junior Brian Carter, sophomores Nicholas Reach and Sepp Straka, and freshman Lee McCoy. The Bulldogs also have entered junior Keith Mitchell and sophomore Sam Strakaas individuals, meaning their scores cannot count toward the team score.

"We have enjoyed coming to this tournament the last several years," said Haack, who has led the Bulldogs to three Brickyard team titles. "They do an excellent job with every part of the tournament. We're looking forward to it again this year. Our guys have been practicing and playing well, and it's exciting for us to get to take seven guys down there. It should be an enjoyable weekend."

T.J. Mitchell leads the Bulldogs with a 70.17 scoring average after the first two tournaments. McCoy is second at 72.50 and Reach is third at 72.67. Carter and the Straka brothers will be making their season debuts.

Live scoring and tee times can be found at golfstat.com and brickyardcollegiate.org.

Henley Wins Chiquita Classic

Russell Henley moves to 12th on teh Web.com money list

Former Bulldog, Russell Henley, won a three way playoff at The Chiquita Classic on the Web.com Tour Sunday.  The victory was the second of his career on the tour, but his first as a professional.  Henley previously won the 2011 Stadion Classic at UGA while he was still a student athlete at UGA, but this time around he gets to cash the $99,000 winners check.  Bigger than the winners check, is his move from 35 up to 12th on the Web.com money list as Henley becomes the top money winner on the season thus far among the Bulldogs on the Web.com Tour.

Henley lead or shared the lead after each round of the tournament and he had a one shot lead with just the 72nd hole to play.  Henley's tee shot found the fairway bunker on the 72nd hole. From the bunker he hit his approach shot to the green in the water surrounding the 18th green.  Henley then hit a wedge to 20 feet and rolled in his putt for bogey (his first bogey in 42 holes)  to force a three way playoff with Patrick Cantlay and Morgan Hoffman. 

In the playoff, Henley calmly made a par as the other two players made bogey.  Henley joins his former teammate, Hudson Swafford, as Bulldogs who have won on the Web.com Tour this season.  Currently there are three Bulldogs in the top 25 of the money list.  Henley sits at 12th, Swafford holds the 20th spot, while Paul Claxton is at 22nd.

Scott Parel is just outside the top 25 at 32nd, Justin Bolli is at 36th, and Richard Scott is 45th. 

The Web.com Tour moves to Maryland this week for the Neediest Kids Championship at the TPC Potomac.

Bulldogs 11th at Preview Invitational After 36 Holes

The 17th-ranked Georgia men's golf team slipped to 11th place on Monday in the PING/Golfweek Preview Invitational on the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course.

The Bulldogs fired an 11-over-par 291 in the second round on Monday, giving them a two-day figure of 19-over 579. UCLA has the team lead at 6-over 566.

Junior Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Monday with a 2-over 72. Senior T.J. Mitchell, sophomore Nicholas Reach and freshman Lee McCoy all signed for a 3-over 73, while junior Joey Garber had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 5-over 75.

Reach stands 20th individually at 3-over 143, seven strokes behind San Diego State's Tom Berry (136). Keith Mitchell and McCoy are at 4-over 144, followed by T.J. Mitchell at 8-over 148 and Garber is at 10-over 150.
Crabapple will be the site of the 2013 NCAA Championships next spring.

The final round of the Preview Invitational will be held Tuesday. Live scoring and tee times can be found at golfstatresults.com.

Bulldogs Stand Sixth At Preview Invitational

The 17th-ranked Georgia men's golf team stands sixth after one round of the PING/Golfweek Preview Invitational.

On Sunday at the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course, the Bulldogs fired an 8-over 288. The Bulldogs are seven shots behind UNLV, which opened with a 1-over 281.

Sophomore Nicholas Reach paced the Bulldogs on Sunday with an even-par 70, landing him seventh individually. San Diego State's Tom Berry carded a 3-under 67 for the first-round lead. Freshman Lee McCoy followed Reach with a 1-over 71 for 11th place, while junior Keith Mitchell signed for a 2-over 72, and senior T.J. Mitchell and junior Joey Garber each posted a 5-over 75.

"We were grinding out there today," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "This is a challenging course and our guys did a good job of battling it. We left a few shots out there, but we're still in it and we're looking forward to the next two days."

Crabapple will serve as the site of the NCAA Championships next spring.

The second round will begin at 9:50 a.m. for the Bulldogs. Live scoring and tee times can be found at golfstatresults.com.

Bubba and Dawgs to Play in Atlanta

With the Tour Championship starting today at East Lake Golf Club and The Ping/GolfWeek Preview starting on Sunday at the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course, UGA Golf fans will have a great opportunity to see some great golf over the next few days.

Former Bulldog, Bubba Watson, will tee off in the final event of the Fed-Ex Cup Playoffs today at 1:05.  Bubba is currently in 11th place in the Fed-Ex Cup standings.  Live scoring for the Tour Championship can be followed at www.pgatour.com

The UGA Golf Team will play in their second event of the season Sunday-Tuesday against 14 other teams on the same course where the 2013 NCAA Championship will be contested.
The lineup will consist of the same 5 players who lead the team to a runner-up finish to start the season at The Carpet Capital Collegiate.  Making the trip to Alpharetta for the Preview will be T.J. Mitchell, Joey Garber, Keith Mitchell, Nick Reach, and Lee McCoy.

All Bulldog fans are encouraged to come out to watch the golf team compete while they get a look at the 2013 NCAA Championship site.  The Dawgs will play 18 holes each day Sunday-Tuesday.  Directions to the Capital City Club's Crabapple Course can he found here:
http://www.capitalcityclub.org/Default.aspx?p=DynamicModule&pageid=314669&ssid=204909&vnf=1

Bulldogs, Mitchell Place Second In Carpet Capital

 The 19th-ranked Georgia men's golf team finished second in the season-opening Carpet Capital Collegiate Championship on Sunday at The Farm Golf Club.

The Bulldogs posted a final-round 6-over 294 to wind up at 8-under 856. Texas, the defending national champion, came in first at 13-under 851 and Alabama, the 2012 NCAA runner-up, was third at 1-over 865.

"This was a big tournament for us," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We had a lot of good things happen for us, and we can build on those moving forward. We're also a little hungry because we didn't win the tournament, which was our main goal. So we'll get back to work and keep getting better as the fall goes on. I am really proud of all the guys for the way they played."

Senior T.J. Mitchell, freshman Lee McCoy and junior Joey Garber all shot 1-over 73s on Sunday. Junior Keith Mitchell added a 3-over 75 and sophomore Nicholas Reach had the non-counting score of 4-over 76.

T.J. Mitchell placed second in the individual race at 8-under 206, two shots behind Texas' Brandon Stone. McCoy placed eighth at 4-under 212 in his collegiate debut and Garber had a top-20 finish as he came in 19th at 3-over 219. Keith Mitchell was 26th at 5-over 221 and Reach was 56th at 10-over 226.

The Bulldogs will return to action Sept. 23-25 at the PING/Golfweek Preview in Alpharetta, Ga.

Bulldogs, Mitchell Have Early Lead At Carpet Capital

Led by senior captain T.J. Mitchell, the 19th-ranked Georgia men's golf team grabbed the first-round lead at the Carpet Capital Collegiate Championship on Friday at The Farm Golf Club.

Playing in their season-opening tournament, the Bulldogs fired a 10-under-par 278 on Friday, paced by Mitchell's 7-under 65. Georgia will enter the second round on Saturday holding a 6-shot lead over Alabama (284).

Mitchell's 65 put him atop the leaderboard, and he has a 2-shot edge over Alabama's Bobby Wyatt. Mitchell is the lone senior on the Bulldogs' roster.

Freshman Lee McCoy made his Georgia debut on Friday by firing a 4-under 68 and is in third individually. Junior Joey Garber signed for a 1-under 71 to stand 15th. Junior Keith Mitchell followed at 2-over 74, while sophomore Nicholas Reach had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 5-over 77.

"It was so nice to see us get off to a good start," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "Our guys have really been dialed in during the summer, and they've been playing with a lot of confidence. We've got a long way to go this weekend and we need to keep the focus that we had today these next two rounds. T.J. was a great leader for us today. That's the perfect role for him. He was striking the ball really well today."

The Bulldogs will return to The Farm on Saturday at 10:30 a.m.. Live scoring can be found at golfstat.com.

Bulldogs to Begin Season at Carpet Capital Collegiate

The Georgia Men's Golf Team will begin the fall portion of their season today in Rocky Face, GA at The Carpet Capital Collegiate. 

The Bulldogs will be competing against 14 other teams on the Tom Fazio designed Farm Golf Club.  The five Bulldogs making the trip are Senior T.J. Mitchell, Juniors Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell, Sophomore Nick Reach, and Freshman Lee McCoy.

Teams in the field include, defending National Champion Texas, Alabama, Auburn, Chattanooga, South Carolina, Middle Tennessee State, Kennesaw State, Tennessee, North Carolina, Wake Forest, North Florida, Clemson, LSU, and host Georgia Tech.

Live scoring can be followed at www.golfstat.com

Watson, Kirk, and Harman Advance in Fed-Ex Cup Playoffs

Three Bulldogs will be in the field this week in The BMW Championship at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Indiana.  The top 70 in the Fed-Ex Cup standings comprise the field this week at Crooked Stick.  Since the field is only 70 players, there will not be a cut after the first two rounds.

The BMW Championship is the final event before the PGA Tour Championship played at East Lake in Atlanta.  The top 30 in the Fed-Ex Cup standing will be in the field for the Tour Championship.

Currently Bubba Watson sits in 10th place in the Fed-Ex standings.  Brian Harman has the 51st position and Chris Kirk occupies the 66th spot going into the BMW.

Play begins on Thursday and Chris Kirk will be teeing off at 12:10, Bubba Watson at 12:43, and Brian Harman at 1:05.

Live scoring can be followed at www.pgatour.com

Four Bulldogs in Fed Ex Cup Playoffs

Four former Bulldogs will join the top 121 players on the PGA Tour in the field this week at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY for The Barclays, the first event of the Fed-Ex Cup Playoffs.

Harris English and Brian Harman will be the first Dawgs to tee off in the first round.  Both players will start at 8:27 with English going off tee #1 and Harman going off #10.

Chris Kirk will tee off #1 at noon and Bubba Watson will start at 1:06 off #1.

Live television coverage can be viewed on The Golf Channel from 3:00-6:00 and live coverage can be followed at www.pgatour.com.

Reach and T.J. Mitchell Advance to Match Play at U.S. Amateur

Two Bulldogs have advanced to match play at The U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club.  Sophomore Nick Reach tied for 13th and Senior T.J. Mitchell tied for 51st after the two rounds of stroke play qualifying. 

T.J. Mitchell had to survive a morning playoff to gab a spot in the match play field of 64.  There were 17 players tied for 51st and Mitchell made it through the playoff thanks to a birdie on the first hole to grab the first of the 14 available spots.

Nick Reach, who shot a 36 hole total of 2 under par, will be seeded 13th for match play and face Patrick Duncan or Rancho Santa Fe, CA in the round of 64.

T.J. Mitchell, who had a 36 hole total of 2 over par, will be seeded 51st and face Taylor Gooch of Midwest City, OK in the first round.

Reach is on the top half of the match play bracket and Mitchell is on the bottom half, so they would not face each other until the final match should they advance that far.

Three current Bulldogs and one former Bulldog did not advance on to the field of 64.  Junior Joey Garber tied for 120th at 6 over par, junior Keith Mitchell tied for 162nd at 8 over par,  former Bulldog, Jack Larkin, tied for 222 at 11 over, and Sophomore Sepp Straka tied for 239th at 12 over par.

Live scoring of the matches involving Reach and Mitchell can be followed live at www.usga.org

Five Bulldogs To Tee It Up In U.S. Amateur

Five members of the Georgia men’s golf team will be in action this week in the 2012 U.S. Amateur in Aurora, Colo.

Senior T.J. Mitchell, juniors Joey Garber and Keith Mitchell, and sophomores Nicholas Reach and Sepp Straka will be a part of the 312-player field.

The participants will go through 18 holes of stroke play Monday and Tuesday, after which the field will be cut to the low 64 scores. Six rounds of match play will follow, with the champion being crowned in a 36-hole match on Sunday.

The U.S. Amateur will be played at the par-71, 7,409-yard Cherry Hills Country Club and the par-70, 7,378-yard CommonGround Golf Course.

On Monday, Reach will tee off at 9:40 a.m., T.J. Mitchell at 9:50 a.m., Garber at 10:20 a.m., Keith Mitchell at 2:35 p.m. and Straka at 2:55 p.m. Eastern.

“This is the biggest amateur event in the world, so we’re excited,” T.J. Mitchell said. “Playing this tournament before the school tournaments will be a great warm-up. We are looking forward to seeing how our games compare to all the other great players that will be there.”

“This is a great opportunity for our guys,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We’re very proud of the five of them for making it to the U.S. Am. I know they will go out there and represent us well. To get someone to the winner’s circle would be icing on the cake.”
Live scoring can be followed at www.usga.org

Bubba at PGA Championship

The PGA Championship at The Ocean Course

Bubba began the final major of the season with a 1 over 73 that puts him in 66th place after the first round, seven shots behind leader Carl Pettersson.

Bubba is the lone Bulldog in the PGA Championship being played on The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island, SC.  Bubba and his wife Angie did receive some good news this week.  The adoption of their son Caleb is now finally official after a 4 1/2 month long process. 

Bubba will be on the course in the morning wave of round 2.  He is in the feature pairing with the winners of the other two major championships this season, Ernie Els and Webb Simpson.

Live scoring can be followed at www.pgatour.com

Five Bulldogs Qualify for U.S. Amateur

Current members of the Men's Golf Team have had success in the qualifying rounds for the U.S. Amateur.  So far five Bulldogs have played their way into the USGA championship to be played August 13-19 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado.

Four of the five Bulldogs were medalists at their respective sites.

Nick Reach was medalist at Blue Ridge Country Club in Harrisburg, PA with a 36 hole score of 135.

Sepp Straka was runner-up at Piedmont Driving Club with a 36 hole score of 133.

Keith Mitchell was medalist at Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville, TN with a 36 hole score of 136.

T.J. Mitchell was medalist at Saugahatchee Country Club in Opelika, AL with a 36 hole score of 133.

Joey Garber was medalist at Kirtland Country Club in Willoughby, OH with a 36 hole score of 139.

Three Dawgs Qualify for U.S. Amateur

So far there have been three current members of the Men's Golf Team qualify for the U.S. Amateur.  Not only did all three qualify, but all three were also the low medalist at their qualifying sites.

T.J. Mitchell was the medalist at Saugahatchee Country Club in Opelika, Al with a 36 hole score of 136.

Keith Mitchell was medalist at Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville, TN with a 36 hole score of 136.

Joey Grarber was medalist at Kirtland Country Club in Willoughby, OH with a 36 hole score of 139.

The 2012 U.S. Amateur will be played August 13-19 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado.

Dawgs on Tour Resutls

Harman Finishes 11th at the AT&T National
Brian Harman recorded his best finish of his rookie season on Sunday at the AT&T National.  Harman finished the tournament at 1 under par to tie for 11th and collect $143,000. 
Fellow Bulldogs who made the cut at the AT&T were Harris English who tied for 58th, Ryuji Imada who tied for 61st, Erik Compton who tied for 68th, and Brendon Todd who finished 72nd.

Richard Scott Finishes 3rd
On the newly renamed Web.com Tour, Richard Scott finished 3rd at The United Leasing Championship at Victoria National Golf Club.  The 3rd place finish is the best finish so far during Scott's rookie season.  With the top 5 finish, Richard moves up to number 27th on the Web.com Tour's Money List with $85,843.
Fellow Bulldogs who made the cut include Scott Parel who tied for 11th, Justin Bolli who tied for 31st, and Paul Claxton who tied for 49th. 

Dogwood Invitational
Joey Garber was the low Bulldog among the current and former Bulldogs who competed in The Dogwood Invitational last week at Druid Hills Golf Club.  Garber tied for 6th at 11 under par for the 72 hole tournament.  He was followed by T.J. Mitchell who finished alone in 10th at 7 under par.  A trio of Bulldogs finished tied for 15th at 4 under as Brian Carter and Sepp Straka tied with former Bulldog Michael Morrison.

Strong Finishes By Bulldogs on PGA and Nationwide Tour



Bubba Watson tied for second at The Travelers Championship

 Bubba Watson came close to capturing his second win of the season at The Travelers Championship on Sunday.  Watson fired a pair of 65's on the weekend to finish tied for 2nd at 13 under par, just a shot behind winner Marc Leishman.  Watson has had success at The Travelers in the past, he won his first career tour event at The Travelers in 2010.  Fellow Bulldogs Brian Harman finished tied for 24th at 7 under and Harris English tied for 64th at 1 under.

On the Nationwide Tour at the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open, Hudson Swafford carded a four round total of 13 under to finish 4th.  Richard Scott finished tied for 9th at 11 under, Scott parel was tied for 48th at 5 under and Paul Claxton finished tied for 59th at 2 under.

The next event on the PGA Tour schedule is the AT&T National and the next event on The Nationwide Tour is The United Leasing Championship. 

Bulldogs Playing Well In Connecticut and Kansas

A group of Bulldogs found their names near the top of the leaderboard after the first day of play on both the PGA and Nationwide Tours.  The PGA Tour stops in Cromwell, Connecticut this week for the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands while the Nationwide Tour is in Wichita, Kansas for the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open.

After round one of play at the Travelers, Bubba Watson and Kevin Kisner are tied for 5th place after a 4 under par round of 66.  Harris English and Brendon Todd are both tied for 43rd at 1 under par.  Brian Harman fired an even par 70 and sits in a tie for 58th, while Ryuji Imada is in 121st after a 4 over 74.

Round 2 of the Travelers Championship can be viewed live on The Golf Channel from 3-6 and scoring can be followed live at http://www.pgatour.com/

At the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open, six Bulldogs are competing in the field this week.  After round one, Hudson Swafford and Paul Claxton are currently tied for 15th, thanks to a first round 4 under par 67.  Justin Bolli and Richard Scott are both tied for 31st at 3 under par while Russell Henley is tied for 56th at 2 under and Scott Parel is tied for 80th at 1 under par.

Live scoring of the Preferred Health Systems Wichita Open can be followed live at http://www.pgatour.com/

Bulldogs' Mitchell Earns All-America Honors

Sophomore Keith Mitchell was named All-American for the 2011-2012 season

Keith Mitchell of the Georgia men's golf team has been chosen as a Division I PING Honorable Mention All-American by the Golf Coaches Association of America, according to an announcement on Wednesday.
Mitchell, a sophomore from Chattanooga, Tenn., paced the Bulldogs at the NCAA Championships in Pacific Palisades, Calif., earlier this month with a ninth-place individual finish. Mitchell had rounds of 73-72-69 to wind up at 1-over 214.
 
Mitchell finished the year with a team-best scoring average of 71.83. He recorded five top-20 efforts in eight events and was in the top 10 three times.
 
This marks the first time in Mitchell's career that he has garnered All-America honors.

Round One of U.S. Open

The first round of the 2012 U.S. Open gets started today at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.  There will be three former Bulldogs competing in the field, Brian Harman, Paul Claxton, and Bubba Watson.

Bubba Watson will be the first Bulldog on the course when he tees off at 10:33 eastern time on hole #9 with playing partners Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods.

Paul Claxton tees off at 12:16 eastern time on hole #1

Brian Harman tees of at 5:35 eastern time on hole #1.  Harman has played two other additional USGA Championships at The Olympic Club, the 2004 U.S. Junior and the 2007 U.S. Amateur.  Harman was medalist at the 2004 U.S. Junior before loosing in the semi finals of match play.

Live scoring can be followed at http://www.usopen.com/ and television coverage will be on ESPN starting at noon.

Former Bulldogs Qualify for U.S. Open

Two former Bulldogs, Brian Harman and Paul Claxton, qualified for the 2012 U.S. Open to be played next week at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Brian Harman advanced out of the sectional qualifier in Columbus, Ohio by shooting 4 under par on the Scarlet Course at Ohio State.  Harman will play in the Open at the site of the 2004 U.S. Junior where Harman was the medalist of the stroke play portion with a score of 133.

Paul Claxton advanced out of the sectional qualifier in Rockville, Md by shooting 1 under par at Woodmont Country Club.

The 2012 U.S. Open begins in June 14.  Harman and Claxton will be joined in the field by fellow Bulldog, Bubba Watson.

Complete U.S. Open qualifying results can be found by visiting the U.S. Open site here:
http://www.usga.org/news/2012/June/48-Advance-To-Open-From-Sectionals/

Georgia Golfers Finish 17th At NCAA Championships

Sophomore, Keith Mitchell, was the low Bulldog at the NCAA Championship tying for 9th individually

The Georgia men's golf team saved its best for last on Thursday at the NCAA Championships.

The Bulldogs carded a 4-over-par 288 at The Riviera Club, seven shots better than their first round and 10 strokes better than their second round. Thursday's loop gave Georgia a three-day total of 29-over 881.

The Bulldogs, however, fell short of their goal of a top-8 finish to advance to match play. Georgia wound up in 17th place, six shots behind eighth. The teams advancing to match play starting on Friday were Alabama (859), UCLA (861), Texas (869), California (871), San Diego State (871), Washington (872) and Oregon (873). Kent State and Florida State shared the eighth spot at 875 and will have a playoff on Thursday to determine which team moves on.

"We're disappointed about not being able to advance, but we definitely closed on a high note," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "We avoided some of the big pitfalls today. We played a little looser today and down the stretch we finished better, which is something we wanted them to do."

Sophomore Keith Mitchell paced the Bulldogs on Thursday, firing a 2-under 69. Sophomore Brian Carter added a 1-over 72, junior T.J. Mitchell had a 2-over 73, freshman Nicholas Reach signed for a 3-over 74 and sophomore Joey Garber posted a 4-over 75.

Keith Mitchell wound up as the top Bulldog in the field, coming in ninth at 1-over 214. T.J. Mitchell finished at 5-over 218, followed by Reach at 12-over 225, Carter at 13-over 226 and Garber at 14-over 227. Illinois' Thomas Pieters claimed NCAA medalist honors as he finished at 5-under 208.

And while the 2012 season may be over, the Bulldogs quickly turned their attention to the 2013 campaign.

"Being here was a great accomplishment for our team," Carter said. "It's a tremendous help not losing anybody. Next year, the NCAAs are in Atlanta, and if we keep growing up, we might have a really good shot at it."

"Before the round, we told the guys we wanted them to learn for the future," Haack said. "We wanted to stress what it takes to have a complete round and how valuable every shot is for all three rounds. As they look back, they'll find a couple of shots they'll wish they had saved. If they learn that, it will be helpful down the road."

Added Keith Mitchell, "If we stick to our game plan next year and play strong through the fall and spring, I think we'll be fine."