Mitchell Earns Web.com Tour Status

Congratulations to Adam Mitchell, who came in 21st in the Web.com Tour Q-School Sunday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. By virtue of the top-45 finish, Mitchell earned fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour for 2016. Mitchell wound up at 4-under 282, paced by a first-round 68.

Mitchell quit competitive golf earlier this year to take a full-time job with his uncle’s company, Mitchell Metals. A few months after entering the office life, though, Mitchell’s competitive spark returned and he advanced through first and second stages with confidence.

"It’s just amazing,” Mitchell said told PGATour.com. “That golf ball, it doesn’t know who’s hitting it … it didn’t know that I was working and stopped playing. That’s just the way it is. If you keep battling and battling and believing in yourself, it shows you what you can do. I just got a fresh start and a fresh outlook and a fresh perspective. I know what the other side’s like, and it’s motivation not to do it. Because I know I have a gift. I know I’m a great golfer. It’s going to be a fun couple of months. A fun rest of my career.”

Also competing in the Web.com Tour Q-School were Keith Mitchell (108th, 6-over), Matt McQuillan (123rd, 8-over), and T.J. Mitchell (147th, 18-over). Scott Parel withdrew after three rounds.

• Harris English and Matt Kuchar came in second in the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Fla. They combined to finish at 28-under, just two behind Jason Dufner and Brandt Snedeker.

Watson Wins Hero World Challenge

Bubba Watson poses with his trophy Sunday.

NASSAU, Bahamas (AP) — A few years after Bubba Watson made it onto the PGA Tour, he started waking up early to play practice rounds with Tiger Woods. He didn't ask a lot of questions of the world's No. 1 player who already had 14 majors when he was 32.

"I learn by watching and listening," Watson said. "So I just watched. How would you not want to learn from the best player of our generation?"

Woods, the tournament host, was watching Sunday as Watson delivered a performance that looked familiar in its efficiency.

Staked to a two-shot lead going into the final round, Watson made four birdies in seven holes and was never seriously challenged. He sailed home to a 6-under 66 and a three-shot victory over Patrick Reed at Albany Golf Club in the Hero World Challenge.

Watson wasn't even planning to play this week. He turned down his invitation a few months ago because he didn't have a passport for his newly adopted daughter, Dakota. But when PGA champion Jason Day backed out to stay home with his newborn daughter, Watson's wife was able to expedite all the right documents for the family to come over to the Bahamas.

He left with a $1 million payoff and a firm grasp on No. 4 in the world the rest of the year.

"I guess I've got to thank Jason Day for backing out. I have to thank the U.S. government and passport office for getting Dakota a passport so we could be here," Watson said. "For us, it's a good ride, a fun ride."

Even if it didn't feel easy to him, it sure looked that way.

Watson didn't make a bogey all weekend until the final hole, when he jokingly asked NBC field reporter Notah Begay how many shots he needed to win. He played it safe and made bogey, and all that cost him was the tournament record.Watson finished at 25-under 263, one shot from Jordan Spieth's record last year at Isleworth.

Watson's year is not finished. He was headed to New York on Sunday night to catch a flight to Asia for the Thailand Open.

The two-time Masters champion already had a two-week trip away from his family, and he didn't want to do that again. So when there was uncertainty about getting his daughter a passport for the Bahamas, he decided he would stay home this week and asked the tournament to let him know if anyone pulled out.

Day withdrew, Watson's wife spent eight hours in an Arizona office trying to get all the paperwork and they were on their way.

Watson seized control with seven birdies and an eagle on Saturday in ideal weather for a two-shot lead over Paul Casey, and he started fast with birdies on the second and third holes to keep his distance. No one got closer than two shots all day, and as Fowler made a move with a 30 on the front nine, Watson answered with two straight birdies to start the back nine, and then it was a matter of finishing.

For Watson, the next step is to be a more consistent winner. This was the ninth victory worldwide in his career, and the second straight year he has won multiple times.

"I want my name to be close to that leaderboard every tournament, every year, so people are always talking about Bubba Watson, about how consistent he is and good he is," Watson said. "That's my whole focus right now, every year getting better and better."

Chandler, Phillips, Ralston Sign With Bulldogs

The Georgia men's golf team recently received national letters of intent from three talented prospects, according to announcement by Bulldogs head coach Chris Haack.

The Bulldogs signed Georgians Will Chandler of Atlanta and Spencer Ralston of Gainesville as well as Trevor Phillips of Inman, S.C. They will join the squad for the 2016-17 season.

Chandler, who attends The Marist School, earned state medalist honors as a freshman and has helped the War Eagles win three consecutive state championships. He was chosen as the 2014 Georgia State Golf Association Junior Player of the Year after winning the AJGA Davis Love III Open, placing second in the Georgia Amateur Championship and coming in ninth in the Georgia Junior Championship.

A senior at Gainesville High School, Ralston holds the Red Elephants' school and state scoring records. Ralston has helped Gainesville win three region titles, three Hall County titles and 24 tournaments overall. He won the SJGT Orchard Hills Junior Classic in 2014 and 2015 and the Joe Cheves Junior Invitational and the U.S. Open local qualifier in 2015. Ralston is a three-time Hall County champion and he is a three-time U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier.

Phillips has led Boiling Springs High School to back-to-back state championships and he has earned All-State, All-Region and All-County honors for the Bulldogs. He also helped Easley High School claim a state championship. Phillips has posted three top-7 efforts in 2015, including a runner-up effort in the AJGA Wells Fargo Junior Classic and a third-place finish in the Scott Robertson Memorial, and he won the 2012 SCJGA Jimmy Self Junior.

"We are so excited to have these three guys join our program," Haack said. "We've been watching them play and improve for the past several years and we know we've signed three talented players. We expect Will, Spencer and Trevor to come in and compete right away for playing time. They are excellent prospects."

Kisner Secures First PGA Tour Win

Kevin Kisner was all smiles after his win on Sunday.

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. (AP) — Kevin Kisner ended a year marked by second-place finishes with his first PGA Tour victory Sunday at Sea Island.

Staked to a three-shot lead going into the final round of the final tournament of the year, Kisner ran with it. He doubled the size of his lead at the turn by going out in 30, and he breezed home with a 6-under 64 to win by six shots over Kevin Chappell.

Kisner became the sixth first-time winner in the fall start to the new season, though this was hardly a surprise.

The 31-year-old played so well this year that he rose to No. 25 in the world. He just didn't win. He lost in playoffs at Hilton Head, Sawgrass and the Greenbrier, and he was a runner-up for the fourth time in a World Golf Championship two weeks ago in Shanghai.

This one wasn't even close.

Kisner rolled in a 6-foot birdie putt on the second hole, and no one got closer than four shots the rest of the way. He tapped in for par on the 18th hole to shatter the tournament record with a 22-under 60.

Better yet was seeing year-old daughter Kate running toward him.

Kisner scooped her up and said, "We did it!"

Did he ever.

"I've just been playing so well all year," Kisner said. "I knew one day it was going to happen when I was going to make all the putts. I did it on the front nine."

If there was a turning point, it would have been on the par-5 seventh hole when Kisner's second shot landed in a native bush in the dunes short of the green. He chose to hammer it out of there and moved it about 5 feet, then chipped 8 feet by the hole. Graeme McDowell missed his 10-foot birdie putt and Kisner holed his for par. His lead stayed at four shots, and Kisner followed with a wedge to 8 feet for birdie on the next hole, and a 30-foot birdie putt on No. 9 to go six clear.

Kisner goes into the six-week break atop the FedEx Cup standings and eager for his next chance. The victory allows him to start 2016 one week earlier in the Hyundai Tournament of Champions at Kapalua.

"I hope the floodgates are open," Kisner said. "You've got to believe you can win on Thursday. I hope that catapults me into believing that every week."

Healy Wins In Hawaii, Secures National Award

Zach Healy shows off his Ka'anapali Collegiate Classic plaque Sunday.

     LAHAINA, Hawaii --- Zach Healy earned medalist honors for the first time in his career as he led the Bulldogs to a second-place finish in the Ka'anapali Collegiate Classic.
     Healy, a sophomore, finished at 8-under 205, including an even-par 71 on Sunday on Royal Ka'anapali Golf Course. He claimed a 1-shot victory over Clemson's Brad Dalke.
     "I stayed really patient and tried to play stress-free golf knowing that, in the wind, tap-in pars were really good," Healy said. "I really putted well this week and kept the ball in front of me. I made some key putts and struck the ball real well."
     Afterward, Healy was chosen as the Golfweek Player of the Week.
     The 12th-ranked Bulldogs placed second at 3-under 849 after closing with a 2-over 286. Oklahoma -- coached by former Bulldog Ryan Hybl -- completed a wire-to-wire victory at 15-under 837.
     Healy was supported by senior Lee McCoy, who added a fifth-place finish at 2-over 215.
     The Ka'anapali Collegiate Classic was the Bulldogs' fifth and final fall event. Georgia was second in three events, fourth in one and sixth in one.
     The Bulldogs will return to action in February in the Puerto Rico Classic.
     • Harris English, Hudson Swafford, Brian Harman, Brendon Todd and Erik Compton will be in action this week in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in Mexico.
     • Kevin Kisner finished as the runner-up in the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China, while English was 23rd, Bubba Watson was 35th and Chris Kirk was 76th.
     • Todd missed the cut in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi.

Bulldogs To Conclude Fall In Hawaii Tournament

The Georgia men’s golf team will conclude the fall portion of its 2015-16 schedule this weekend in the Ka'anapali Classic Collegiate Invitational in Hawaii.

The Bulldogs and 17 other schools will play Friday through Sunday at Ka'anapali Golf Club’s Royal Ka'anapali Course (par 71, 6,700 yards) on Maui. The tournament will begin daily with a 1:30 p.m. EST shotgun start.

The Bulldogs will use a lineup of senior Lee McCoy, juniors Jaime Lopez Rivarola and Greyson Sigg, sophomore Zach Healy, and redshirt freshman Jack Larkin Jr. Redshirt freshman Matthew Beringer will make his collegiate debut playing as an individual.

McCoy leads the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 70.00, followed by Sigg – who The Carmel Cup title in September – at 70.67.

This will be the Bulldogs’ fifth and final fall event. Georgia was second in The Carmel Cup and the East Lake Cup, fourth in the DSG College Challenge Cup and sixth in the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational.

“We’ve had a solid fall,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “We’ve been in the hunt in every tournament. Last fall, we played a pretty similar schedule and we had some finishes in the top 5 but also some in the bottom half. We’ve been more consistent this fall. We’re all excited about playing again in Hawaii. It’s a pretty nice way to wrap up things up.”

• As we mentioned, the Bulldogs went 1-1 to finish as the runner-up at the inaugural East Lake Cup on Tuesday at East Lake Golf Club. The Bulldogs dispatched 2015 SEC and NCAA champion LSU in the semifinals 3-1-1 in a contest that began on Monday and ended on Tuesday. Georgia then went toe-to-toe with Illinois, the nation's top-ranked team, before dropping a 3-1-1 decision. The championship match was decided on extra holes in the competition between Sigg and Illinois' Alex Burge. If Sigg had prevailed, McCoy was all square through 18 with Nick Hardy and also would have played extra holes.

"I am extremely proud of the way our guys played this week," Haack said. "We may not have won the trophy, but we learned a lot about ourselves. We were in situations where the blood was pumping and the nerves were there and we responded positively more often than not. We know we were right there with a chance to win. As a coach, that's all you ever ask of your team."

• The East Lake Cup was a made-for-TV event for the Golf Channel. At least one national radio personality was watching. Start listening at about the 30:50 mark.

• Defending champion Bubba Watson, Harris English, Kevin Kisner and Chris Kirk are in action this week in the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions in China, while Brendon Todd is playing in the Sanderson Farms Championship in Mississippi.

• In case you missed it, Kirk joined our friends at 960 The Ref in Athens recently. Listen to the interview here.

Bulldogs To Play In Inaugural East Lake Cup

The Georgia men's golf team will kick off a busy week Monday in the inaugural East Lake Cup at historic East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.

The semifinalists (the Final Fore, if you will) from the 2015 NCAA Championships -- Georgia, LSU, Southern Cal and Illinois -- will compete in the match play event Monday and Tuesday. The women's tournament will feature Stanford, Baylor, Duke and Southern Cal.

Georgia will face LSU on Monday in a rematch of the 2015 national semifinals. Tee times are set from 11:55 a.m. though 1:15 p.m. The championship and consolation finals will be Tuesday. General admission to the East Lake Cup is free.

The Golf Channel will have live coverage from 2-5 p.m. each day and replays from 7-9 p.m. Monday and 6-9 p.m. Tuesday.

Four-fifths of the lineup for the Bulldogs at the 2015 NCAAs will be playing in the East Lake Cup -- seniors Lee McCoy and Sepp Straka, junior Greyson Sigg and sophomore Zach Healy. Junior Jaime Lopez Rivarola earned the fifth spot for the event.

On Monday, Lopez Rivarola will take on Brandon Pierce, Straka will meet Sam Burns, Healy will face Zach Wright, Sigg will play Nathan Jeansonne, and McCoy will go up again Eric Ricard. Wright, Pierce and Ricard were in the lineup for the Tigers at the NCAAs last year.

The winners of the two semifinal matches will meet in Tuesday’s championship match at 11:45 a.m., while there will be a consolation match at 10:05 a.m.

"We are really pleased to be part of the East Lake Cup," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "As members of East Lake, it means a great deal to us to be a part of the inaugural event. Making it to the national semifinals last season was a point of pride for our program, so it's nice that we get to relive that feeling and be recognized for it. I think this event is a great idea and we could not be happier about being involved in the first one."

East Lake is the home of several elite events, including the Tour Championship. The East Lake Cup will benefit the East Lake Foundation, a charitable organization dedicated to helping families build better lives and children reach their highest potential through its holistic approach to community revitalization incorporating mixed-income housing, cradle-to-college education and community wellness.

Following the East Lake Cup, the Bulldogs will depart for Hawaii to participate in the Ka'anapali Collegiate Classic Friday through Sunday.

• Keith Mitchell demonstrated the type of man he is recently with a heartfelt email to PGA Tour Latinoamérica President Jack Warfield. Read it here.

• Adam Mitchell has decided to give pro golf another shot. Read about his journey here.

• Brian Harman, Hudson Swafford, Harris English and Kevin Kisner will be competing in the CIMB Classic in Malaysia this week.

• Henley was the top Bulldog in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open last week as he came in 10th at 13-under. Kisner placed 25th at 9-under and Harman was 56th at 3-under. Swafford and Erik Compton missed the cut.

Macpherson Notches 2nd Win In 4 Weeks

Bryden Macpherson

JIUJIANG, China —Bryden Macpherson won the Lushan Open on the PGA TOUR China Series on Sunday for his second Series title in four weeks. Macpherson shot 2-under 68 in all four rounds.

Since returning to China, Macpherson's game has come together, with his two victories and a tie for third in his four starts.

“I think I played this well on the Web.com Tour in pieces,” Macpherson said. “I played really well on Thursday and Friday on the Web.com Tour, and sometimes Saturday morning. But by the ninth hole on Saturday, I would start to drop off. I didn’t feel comf
ortable. I played (in China) last year, and I felt comfortable because I knew how I could play for 72 holes. On the Web.com Tour, I would sometimes get in my own way and stop myself because I didn’t feel that comfortable. Now, I feel very comfortable about going back and playing the Web.com Tour next year.”

The win Sunday was his eighth top-10 in his last nine Series starts and his ninth in 14 career events.

• In case you missed it, Bubba Watson made a big family announcement last week. The two-time Masters champion announced in 2014 that he and Angie were in the process of adopting a second child. On Christmas Eve later that year, Watson announced that the couple had adopted Dakota as their second child. The 36-year-old cautioned at the time, though, that the adoption was not final. A near 10 months later, Watson can now officially say: Welcome to the family, Dakota!

• Hudson Swafford was the top Bulldog at the Frys.com Open in California in 17th place at 10-under. Erik Compton and Brendon Todd were 26th at 9-under, while Russell Henley was 41st at 6-under. Chris Kirk fell into the MDF (made the cut, but did not finish) category and Brian Harman missed the cut.

• Compton, Harman, Henley, Kirk, Swafford and Todd all will be in action this week in the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas.

• Keith Mitchell finished fourth in the Mundo Maya Open in Mexico on the LatinoAmerica Tour.

Kirk, Watson Help U.S. Retain Presidents Cup

United States' Chris Kirk, right, celebrates after sinking a putt on 18 to defeat Anirban Lahiri of India

INCHEON, South Korea — Chris Kirk and Bubba Watson helped the United States retain the Presidents Cup for the sixth straight time, 15.5-14.5.

United States' Bubba Watson
exchanges a kiss with his wife Angie. 

Kirk gave the U.S. a huge win on the final day as he knocked off Anirban Lahiri. Kirk never trailed, but Lahiri rolled in a birdie on the 14th to square the match and they halved the next three holes with pars. And on the par-5 18th, they matched tee shots and second shots short of the green. Lahiri hit a great pitch to four feet and Kirk's landed 15 feet away. Kirk made his birdie putt, and Lahiri's putt caught the right lip and spun out.

"I have to give credit to Chris for making that putt," Lahiri said. "These things are scripted, I guess. And I wasn't in the script."

Watch Kirk's putt here (scroll down on the page).

That was Kirk's only point of the week for the United States, but it probably made the difference in the U.S. victory.

Watson rolled up three points as he won four-ball and a foursome matches with J.B. Holmes and he halved his singles match and a foursome match.

To view the post-match press conference, including Kirk, please click here.

• Believe it or not, the 2015-16 PGA Tour season gets under way Thursday at the Frys.com Open. Kirk, Hudson Swafford, Brendon Todd, Russell Henley, Erik Compton and Brian Harman are in the field.

• Our friends from GeorgiaDogs.com stopped by the Lettermen's Tournament recently and posted this video.

McCoy, Sigg Shine In Nike Invitational

Buoyed by top-5 efforts from senior Lee McCoy and junior Greyson Sigg, the eighth-ranked Georgia men's golf team came in sixth on Tuesday in the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club.

McCoy finished third at 11-under 204, while Sigg was one shot back in fourth at 10-under 205. Texas' Beau Hossler claimed the top spot at 18-under 197.

The Bulldogs closed Tuesday with a 2-under 286 to wind up at 14-under 846. Wake Forest took team honors at 823, followed by Duke and Southern Cal both at 826 and Texas and Stanford each at 834.

McCoy paced the Bulldogs in the final round with a 4-under 68. Sigg added a 3-under 69, while sophomore Zach Healy posted a 2-over 74 and junior Jaime Lopez Rivarola signed for a 3-over 75. Senior Sepp Straka had Georgia's non-counting score of 6-over 78.

Healy landed at 2-over 217 for the tournament, followed by Lopez Rivarola at 6-over 221 and Straka at 9-over 224.

"Lee and Greyson were solid players for us all week," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "They've been playing well this fall, so it's no surprise they did what they did. Our team had a few chances we didn't take advantage of, but we had plenty of good things happen that we can build on moving forward."

The Bulldogs will return to action Nov. 2-3 in the East Lake Cup in Atlanta.

• Chris Kirk and Bubba Watson will be competing for the United States in the Presidents Cup in South Korea this week. Watson and J.B. Holmes will be paired in Thursday's foursomes matches and they will take on Adam Scott and Hideki Matsuyama.

Bulldogs Playing In Nike Invite Next Week

The Georgia men's golf team will be back in action Sunday through Tuesday in the Nike Invitational at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Oregon. The Bulldogs will be joined by Washington, Oregon, Southern Cal, Oklahoma, TCU, Duke, Ohio State, Oklahoma State and Arizona.

• The Bulldogs came in fourth in the stroke play portion of the DICK'S Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup. The Bulldogs fired a final-round 4-over 288 at the Golf Club of Tennessee to land at 8-over 860. Vanderbilt took top honors at 3-under 849, topping Virginia in a sudden-death playoff. Zach Healy finished 16th at 2-over 215, 10 shots in back of Alabama's Robby Shelton (8-under 205). Lee McCoy followed at 3-over 216, while Greyson Sigg came in at 4-over 217, Sepp Straka wound up at 5-over 218 and Jaime Lopez Rivarola had a 12-over 225.

In the match play portion, McCoy won his match and Lopez Rivarola squared his as Georgia went 1.5-3.5 against Florida State. The ACC nipped the SEC 15.5-14.5 to retain the Challenge Cup. The ACC leads the series with the SEC 2-1.

• Bubba Watson was the top Bulldog at the Tour Championship, coming in fifth at 4-under. Harris English took 22nd at 5-over and Kevin Kisner placed 28th at 18-over.

• Keith Mitchell had his largest payday as a professional, pocketing more than $15,000 in the PGA Tour's Latinoamerica Aberto do Brasil. Mitchell and Kent Bulle were topped by Alexandre Rocha in a playoff that last seven holes.

3 Bulldogs In Final 29 At Tour Championship

• The FedExCup Playoffs will conclude this week with the Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta. The top 29 players (down from 30 after Jim Furyk withdrew Tuesday) are in the field, including Bulldogs Harris English, Kevin Kisner and Bubba Watson. English will tee off at 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, followed by Kisner at 12:40 p.m. and Watson at 1:40 p.m.

Erik Compton acknowledges the Sanford Stadium crowd.

• The Bulldogs will return to action Friday through Sunday in the DICK'S Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup in Kingston Springs, Tenn. Georgia, which won the inaugural event in 2014, will use a lineup of seniors Lee McCoy and Sepp Straka, juniors Jaime Lopez Rivarola and Greyson Sigg, and sophomore Zach Healy.

• Erik Compton was recognized at last Saturday's football game between Georgia and South Carolina. The two-time heart transplant recipient has partnered with Donate Life America and Genentech on the “Play Through with Erik Compton” campaign to raise awareness of organ donations and urge fans to become organ donors. For more information, visit donatelife.net.

John Tillery, Scott Brown, David Robinson and Skip Evans.

• Thanks to everyone who participated in the 17th annual Bulldog Open last week at the UGA Golf Course. Our program has reached national elite status due to everyone who is involved with the Tee-Off Club. The overall (and afternoon) winners were Skip Evans, Scott Brown, David Robinson and John Tillery. David Guhde, Chris Maxwell, Chase Young and Willis Dobbs won the morning flight. The runner-up teams were Kevin Shields, Michael Murphree, Scott Spayed and Trent Harrell in the morning and Tom Dudley, Charlie Land, Jimmy Rigsby and Johnny McGoogan in the afternoon. The closest to the hole winners were Clem McDavid (3), Palmer Bush (8), Bonneau Ansley (13) and David Robinson (16).

• Reminder that The Golf Lettermen's Four Ball Tournament will be held Friday, Oct. 2, at the UGA Golf Course. Contact Denise at dsaliba@sports.uga.edu or 706-369-6066 for more information.

• Vinny Giles, Jack Hall and John Gibbs will be competing this week in the U.S. Senior Amateur in New Jersey.

McCoy, Team USA To Play For The Walker Cup

Georgia's Lee McCoy and his United States teammates will be playing this weekend for the Walker Cup at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England.

Play will begin Saturday at 4 a.m. EDT (9 a.m. local) with foursomes, followed by singles at 8:45 a.m. EDT (1:45 p.m. local). Sunday's singles will be at 3:30/8:30 a.m. and 8:15 a.m./1:15 p.m.

Matches will be aired on ESPN3/WatchESPN at 9 a.m. Saturday and 8:30 a.m. Sunday.

The Walker Cup is contested by male amateur golfers, one team from the United States and one team comprised of players from England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. This is the 45th Walker Cup match. The U.S. leads the overall series 35-8-1.

McCoy, a senior from Clarkesville, Ga., had one of the most celebrated campaigns in school history a year ago. He earned First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors in leading the Bulldogs to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship. McCoy set the single-season scoring average (70.08), matched the single-season record with four victories, and became the first Bulldog in school history to win three straight tournaments. He appeared in three professional events this summer – the U.S. Open, the Travelers Championship and the John Deere Classic, making the cut in the latter. McCoy also helped the U.S. win the Palmer Cup and finish second in the inaugural golf portion of the Pan Am Games.

McCoy joins George Hamer, Arnold Blum, Vinny Giles, Allen Miller, Jimmy Gabrielsen, Griff Moody, Danny Yates, Franklin Langham, Nick Cassini, Erik Compton, Brian Harman, Chris Kirk, Adam Mitchell, Harris English and Russell Henley as Bulldogs chosen for the Walker Cup. Giles, Gabrielsen and Yates also have served as U.S. captains.

Sigg First, Bulldogs Second In The Carmel Cup

Greyson Sigg shows off his award after winning The Carmel Cup on Sunday.

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Greyson Sigg made par on the first playoff hole to claim medalist honors at The Carmel Cup on Sunday at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Sigg, a junior from Augusta, posted his first collegiate victory. He ended regulation tied with Hannes Ronneblad of Texas Tech and Matthias Schwab of Vanderbilt at 2-under 214. Sigg made par on the extra hole, while Ronneblad and Schwab each made bogey.

Sigg helped the Bulldogs come in second in the team race at 1-over 1,081 — six shots in back of Oklahoma State (1,075).

Junior Sepp Straka followed Sigg in 10th place at 1-over 217, while junior Jaime Lopez Rivarola and sophomore Zach Healy took 16th at 2-over 218. Redshirt freshman Jack Larkin Jr. wound up at 7-over 223 and freshman David Mackey finished at 10-over 226.

"We could not be prouder of Greyson," Georgia head coach Chris Haack said. "He's worked very hard to get to this point. He's been a very steady player for us the last couple of years, so it's nice to see him break through and get one. Our guys were pretty solid all weekend. We had a lot of positive moments and we can build on that success moving forward."

The Bulldogs will return to action Sept. 25-27 in the DICK'S Sporting Goods Collegiate Challenge Cup in Kingston Springs, Tenn.

Watson, Kirk To Play In The Presidents Cup

• Two Bulldogs — Bubba Watson and Chris Kirk — will be playing for the United States in the Presidents Cup in South Korea Oct. 8-11. Watson played in the match in 2011, going 3-2, and Kirk will be making his debut.

The team is made up of the U.S. players who earned the most official FedExCup points, beginning with the 2013 BMW Championship through the 2015 Deutsche Bank Championship, with points earned in 2015 doubled. 

The rest of the U.S. team will be Jordan Spieth, Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson, Jim Furyk, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed and Matt Kuchar. The International Team also includes Jason Day, Louis Oosthuizen, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama, Branden Grace, Marc Leishman, Anirban Lahiri, Charl Schwartzel, Thongchai Jaidee and Danny Lee.

• The FedExCup Playoffs will continue next week at the BMW Championship in Illinois. The top 70 players are alive in the Playoffs, including No. 5 Bubba Watson, No. 15 Kevin Kisner, No. 32 Harris English, No. 37 Chris Kirk, No. 48 Brendon Todd, No. 50 Brian Harman and No. 58 Russell Henley. After the BMW Championship, the top 30 will advance to the season-ending Tour Championship.

Bulldogs To Open Season At The Carmel Cup

Front row, L to R, Greyson Sigg, Zach Healy and Jack Larkin Jr. Back row, L to R, Lee McCoy, Matthew Beringer, Sepp Straka, David Mackey and Jaime Lopez Rivarola.

The 12th-ranked Georgia men's golf team will kick off the fall portion of the 2015-16 schedule this weekend as it tries to defend its title in The Carmel Cup in Pebble Beach, Calif.

Coach Chris Haack will open his 20th season in Athens with a lineup of senior Sepp Straka, juniors Jaime Lopez Rivarola and Greyson Sigg, sophomore Zach Healy, redshirt freshman Jack Larkin Jr. and true freshman David Mackey. The tournament format consists of six players with five counting (as opposed to the typical five players with four counting).

Notably absent from the lineup is senior All-American Lee McCoy, who is en route to England to compete for the United States Walker Cup Team. Team USA will meet its amateur counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland Sept. 12-13 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club.

The Bulldogs, who reached the “Final Fore” at the 2015 NCAA Championships just three months ago, will begin the season with 54 holes on the Pebble Beach Links Friday through Sunday. Joining the Bulldogs will be Arkansas, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech and Vanderbilt. Tee times and live scoring can be found at GolfStat.com.

Straka, Sigg, Healy and McCoy are fourth-fifths of the lineup that made a memorable run at last year’s NCAAs, reaching the semifinals despite being seeded 28th out of 30 entering the tournament. The Bulldogs won three events in 2014-15, including The Carmel Cup, and finished in the top 5 in 10 of their 14 tournaments.

McCoy paced Georgia a year ago with the single-season scoring record of 70.08 and earned First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors. Sigg and Healy (an Honorable Mention All-American) followed at 72.81 and 72.82, respectively.

“We’re always excited to get the season under way and getting to do so at Pebble Beach pushes that even higher,” Haack said. “This is one of the most famous facilities in golf and our guys are honored to get to play there. I’m looking forward to seeing how we perform this week. Every team has to create its identity and chemistry and that starts here. We have a mixture of experience and inexperience, so we need our veterans to show the ropes to the new guys.”

The Bulldogs will tee off at 11:10 a.m. on Friday with their counterparts from Vanderbilt, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.

Eight Bulldogs Still Alive In Playoffs

• Eight Bulldogs remained in the FedExCup Playoffs following The Barclays. Bubba Watson came in third, followed by Kevin Kisner in 20th, Brendon Todd in 24th, Brian Harman in 30th, Hudson Swafford in 50th and Russell Henley in 72nd.

The top 100 in the FedExCup Standings now advance to the Deutsche Bank Championship. Watson is No. 3, Kisner is No. 13, Chris Kirk (who did not make the cut at The Barclays) is No. 39,  English is No. 41, Todd is No. 47, Henley is No. 49, Harman is No. 62 and Swafford is No. 93.

Erik Compton had to withdraw from The Barclays due to illness and was not high enough in the standings to advance in the Playoffs.

• In case you missed it, Harman had two aces -- two -- in the final round of The Barclays.

• The Bulldogs will open the 2015-16 season on Friday in The Carmel Cup. Check back later this week for more details. Georgia is No. 11 in the Bushnell Golfweek Preseason Coaches Poll released last week.

• Bryden Macpherson came in 65th and Scott Parel missed the cut in the WinCo Foods Portland Open. Neither will advance in the Web.com Tour Finals.

Nine Bulldogs Make It To FedExCup Playoffs

The Bulldogs have nine players in The Barclays, the first of the four tournaments to determine the 2014-15 FedExCup champion.

No. 3 Bubba Watson, No. 17 Kevin Kisner, No. 29 Chris Kirk, No. 38 Russell Henley, No. 42 Harris English, No. 53 Brendon Todd, No. 69 Brian Harman, No. 100 Hudson Swafford and No. 122 Erik Compton made the 125-man field for the Playoffs.

The Barclays will be held Thursday through Sunday at Plainfield Country Club in Edison, N.J. The Playoffs field will be pared down for the Deutsche Bank Championship (100) and the BMW Championship (70), leading to the 30-man Tour Championship.

• Bryden Macpherson and Scott Parel will be in action in the Web.com Tour's WinCo Foods Portland Open in Oregon.

This is the 21st and final regular-season event on the Web.com Tour schedule. On Sunday (Aug. 30th), the first 25 of 50 available PGA Tour cards for the 2015-16 season will be handed out. The top 75 on Sunday night will be exempt into the Finals and guaranteed fully exempt status on the Web.com Tour in 2016 if they do not secure a Tour card. A second set of 25 cards will be on the line at the four-event Web.com Tour Finals, which get under way Sept. 10-13 in Fort Wayne, Ind.

Parel is No. 74, Macpherson is No. 126 in the standings.

McCoy Named To U.S. Walker Cup Team

FAR HILLS, N.J. --- Georgia's Lee McCoy has been named to the United States Walker Cup Team, according to an announcement on Monday by the United States Golf Association.

The 45th match between the Americans and their amateur counterparts from Great Britain and Ireland will be held Sept. 12-13 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes Golf Club in Lancashire, England. The U.S. leads the overall series 35-8-1.

Joining McCoy on the U.S. roster are Bryson DeChambeau, Beau Hossler, Maverick McNealy and Hunter Stewart. Team USA will be captained by John “Spider” Miller. The remaining five players will be named following the U.S. Amateur in Illinois next week.

"I don't hesitate to consider this my greatest accomplishment in the game of golf," McCoy said. "I had the opportunity to play in some incredible events this summer, but this is the one I've had on my mind for a long time. This is the big one. I could not be more excited."

“The USGA is proud to select these five young men, all with brimming golf résumés, to represent the USA at the Walker Cup Match,” said Diana M. Murphy, USGA vice president and chairman of the USGA’s Championship Committee. “They represent all of the fine qualities that make the Walker Cup such a traditional and renowned international amateur golf competition.”

McCoy, a senior from Clarkesville, Ga., had one of the most celebrated campaigns in school history a year ago. He earned First-Team All-America and All-SEC honors in leading the Bulldogs to the semifinals of the NCAA Championship. McCoy set the single-season scoring average (70.08), matched the single-season record with four victories, and became the first Bulldog in school history to win three straight tournaments. He appeared in three professional events this summer – the U.S. Open, the Travelers Championship and the John Deere Classic, making the cut in the latter. McCoy also helped the U.S. win the Palmer Cup and finish second in the inaugural golf portion of the Pan Am Games.

McCoy joins George Hamer, Arnold Blum, Vinny Giles, Allen Miller, Jimmy Gabrielsen, Griff Moody, Danny Yates, Franklin Langham, Nick Cassini, Erik Compton, Brian Harman, Chris Kirk, Adam Mitchell, Harris English and Russell Henley as Bulldogs chosen for the Walker Cup. Giles, Gabrielsen and Yates also have served as U.S. captains.

6 Bulldogs Set To Play In PGA Championship

Six Bulldogs will be in action this week in the PGA Championship: Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd and Bubba Watson.

The tournament will run Thursday through Sunday at Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisc.

• Watson was the runner-up in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday. He finished at 9-under, two shots shy of Shane Lowry. Henley placed 17th at 1-under, Kisner was 37th at 3-over and Todd was 61st at 10-over.

• Hudson Swafford missed the cut in the Barracuda Championship in Nevada.

• Scott Parel will play and Bryden Macpherson is an alternate for the Web.com Tour's Price Cutter Charity Championship this week in Missouri.

• The 17th annual Bulldog Open will be held Friday, Sept. 18, and The Golf Lettermen's Four Ball will take place Friday, Oct. 2. More information, contact Denise at dsaliba@sports.uga.edu or 706-369-6066.

• On Twitter, Chris Kirk wrote this last week: "My hand is healing nicely but still a few weeks away from hitting balls. I'm hoping to be ready for @TheBarclaysGolf." Kirk has been sidelined with a broken hand since mid-July.

• Seniors Lee McCoy and Sepp Straka and sophomore Zach Healy will be playing next week in the U.S. Amateur in Illinois.

Four Bulldogs Playing In WGC Bridgestone

Four Bulldogs will be in action this week in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio: Bubba Watson, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd and Russell Henley.

Hudson Swafford will tee it up in the Barracuda Championship, the PGA Tour's other event this week in Nevada.

• Swafford was 21st at 7-under to lead the Bulldogs in the Quicken Loans National. Harris English took 46th at 4-under and Erik Compton was 71st at 4-over.

• Bryden Macpherson and Scott Parel each finished 18th at 10-under in the Web.com Tour's Utah Championship.

• Macpherson and Parel will be back in action this week in the Digital Ally Open in Kansas.

• The 17th annual Bulldog Open will be held Friday, Sept. 18, and The Golf Lettermen's Four Ball will take place Friday, Oct. 2. More information, contact Denise at dsaliba@sports.uga.edu or 706-369-6066.

Cromie Rides Torrid Finish To First Win At Verdict Ridge

Michael Cromie

By Stewart Moore

eGolf Gateway Tour 

DENVER, N.C. --- As a freshman on the 2010-11 Georgia golf team, Michael Cromie played alongside the likes of future PGA TOUR stars Harris English and Russell Henley as a key member of the Bulldogs squad.

That early success gave way to two years of uncertainty before some tough love from coaches Chris Haack and Jim Douglas reignited Cromie’s game, in turn giving way to a standout senior year and the 2014 North & South Amateur title.

In his first full year on the eGolf Gateway Tour, the 23-year-old struggled early, but righted the ship with a runner-up finish at last month’s Mimosa Hills Open. That bit of resurgence sparked the talented Cromie’s proverbial A-game, which came full circle at this week’s Verdict Ridge Open, where birdies on three of his final four holes Friday afternoon delivered a 14-under total and the first win of his professional career.

Starting the day at host Verdict Ridge Country Club, Cromie sat one back of 18- and 36-hole leader Chas Narramore of Kingston, Tenn. following rounds of 68-64—132 (12-under).

Early in the final round, Cromie went through a bit of a rollercoaster with a bogey on the tough par-3 second giving way to back-to-back birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 before a three-putt bogey on the par-4 fifth dropped him down to even par on the day.

“I wasn’t hitting it great early today, so it took a while for me to get going,” said Cromie.

Narramore, a member of the Web.com Tour this year, bogeyed the second as well, but came roaring back with birdies on Nos. 6 and 9 to turn in 1-under 35 and 14-under total – at the time three shots clear of Cromie.

“I made a great up and down for par on No. 9 from long and left of the pin,” Cromie said. “At that point, I knew I was three back and that a solid back nine would put me right there.”

Cromie hit his second shot on the par-4 12^th to 20 feet, converting the lengthy birdie try to move back to even par on the day and within two of Narramore.

Both players bogeyed the 14^th after Narramore caught his second shot heavy and Cromie failed to convert a 5-foot par attempt.

“That putt would have put me within one. After I missed, I just told myself I could finish strong here and to just put the next drive in play and go flag hunting,” said Cromie, who birdied 16, 17 and 18 each of the first two days.

Cromie made the day’s only birdie on the par-4 15^th after hitting a wedge to six feet to pull within one.

A solid up-and-down on the par-5 16^th from an arduous greenside bunker vaulted Cromie to 1-under on the day and 13-under par – suddenly tied for the lead with Narramore and Norway’s Andreas Halvorsen.

Halvorsen, one of the top junior players in the world as recently as one year ago, was making his first career tour start at Verdict Ridge, and was making quite the statement after turning in 6-under 30 and 12-under for the week on Friday morning.

The 18-year-old, who passed up numerous Division I scholarship offers in order to turn pro, closed in 1-under 35 for a final-round 65 and a 13-under 203 tally in the clubhouse. Halvorsen spent the final hour waiting on Narramore and Cromie to come in, hoping his best for a playoff.

After the day’s final pairing traded pars on 17, with Cromie narrowly missing a birdie putt that sat on the edge of the cup, both players found the fairway at the par-5 18^th. While Narramore laid up, Cromie went for the green in two from 214 yards, with his third coming to rest in a difficult lie right of the green.

Narramore, a former Middle Tennessee State star making just his second career start on tour, hit a good wedge to 20 feet above the hole for his third, giving himself a downhill look at birdie.

Needing to hit a phenomenal flop shot for his third, Cromie delivered, pitching a wedge to a foot-and-a-half at the last for what would be a kick-in birdie.

After marking his ball, Cromie watched as Narramore’s birdie try missed, in turn leaving a mere 18 inches for the tour rookie to convert career win No. 1.

Cromie tapped in for birdie and allowed for an ear-to-ear grin, thanks to a final-round 70 and a stellar come-from-behind win at 14-under par, thanks in part to birdies on three of his last four holes.

“It feels good to be in contention. I struggled early this year, but the turning point was at Mimosa Hills where I got the juices flowing again,” said Cromie, who earned $11,000 for the victory. “I remembered why we play this game, which is to get the going nerves early and just embrace it. Last night, just thinking about today, I was loving the idea of being nervous.”

Cromie starred on the junior stage, winning the North & South Junior and earning a scholarship to NCAA powerhouse Georgia, where he moved right into the lineup alongside the likes of English, Henley and Hudson Swafford.

For two years thereafter, the struggles of golf and health set in.

“I was kind of lost after my freshman year. I injured my wrist my junior year and wasn’t able to come back in the spring the way I wanted to,” he said. “At that point, I knew I needed a plan to get ready for my senior year and eventually pro golf.”

Tough love from Haack and Douglas allowed Cromie to enjoy a stellar senior campaign, as the renowned college coaches convinced him to worry about nothing but winning while playing with a little more toughness.

“They had been beating it into me since I got there that no one cares who finishes second, people only care who wins,” he said. “Just man up and hit the shots.”

A 71.93 scoring average and a win at the Linger Longer Invitational gave way to a summer of amateur golf in 2014, where Cromie became the first player in history to win the North & South Amateur after previously claiming the junior title.

Cromie turned professional and set out for the eGolf Gateway Tour, where reality bit once again – this time in the form of four missed cuts to open his year.

“I texted Coach Douglas when I was struggling to ask him what I was doing last year that worked,” Cromie said. “He said, ‘You played to win. You played with no fear.’”

Douglas’ advice paid dividends for Cromie, helping the first-year player to five top-25s over his next eight starts – including the runner-up at Mimosa Hills and the win at Verdict Ridge.

“I think that attitude adjustment of playing to win – not to make cuts – helped me a lot,” he said. “I think that attitude and mindset change really made the last few months possible.”

Watson Comes In Second In Canadian Open

Bubba Watson paced the Bulldogs in the RBC Canadian Open as he finished second -- just one shot back of Jason Day -- at 16-under. Watson birdied the last four holes and five of his last six to make a run at the title. Erik Compton took 11th at 11-under, while Brian Harman was 34th at 8-under and Hudson Swafford was 72nd at 1-under.

• Erik Compton, Harris English and Hudson Swafford are slated to play this week in the Quicken Loans National in Virginia.

• Scott Parel is in the field and Bryden Macpherson is listed as an alternate for the Web.com Tour's Utah Championship.

Todd Paces Bulldogs In The Open

Brendon Todd was the top Bulldog at The Open as he finished at 9-under 279, mainly due to his 3-under 69 and 6-under 66 in the final two rounds. Russell Henley came in 20th at 3-under 281 and Harris English took 68th at 3-over 287. Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner and Bubba Watson missed the cut.

• Erik Compton placed 39th in the Barbasol Championship at 6-under 278. Ryuji Imada missed the cut.

• Erik Compton, Brian Harman, Hudson Swafford and Bubba Watson will be in action this week in the RBC Canadian Open.

•  Georgia golfers Lee McCoy and Manuela Carbajo Ré earned medals in the mixed team portion of the Pan Am Games at Angus Glen Golf Club. McCoy, a rising senior for the Bulldogs, led the Americans to a 4-day total of 24-under 552 to take second behind Colombia’s 27-under 549. Carbajo Ré, also a rising senior for the Georgia women’s team, helped Argentina come in third at 10-under 566. Individually, McCoy came in fourth at 10-under 278. He carded rounds of 70, 68, 69 and 71. Amira Alexander and Carbajo Ré finished 11th and 14th, respectively. Alexander closed with an even-par 72 on Sunday, while Carbajo Ré carded an 9-over 81. Alexander finished at 15-over 303. Carbajo Ré played the first 54 holes at a combined 8-over before completing the tournament at 17-over 305. This was the first time golf has been a sport at the Pan Am Games. Golf will make its Olympic debut at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

• Freshman David Mackey is playing this week in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Colleton River Plantation Club in Bluffton, S.C.

• Senior Sepp Straka and sophomore Zach Healy qualified for the U.S. Amateur, which will be held at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club, Aug. 17-23, 2015. Straka came in second and Healy was third in the qualifier at Horseshoe Bend Country Club in Roswell. Healy is having a good summer as he also came in fourth in the Georgia Am and fifth in the Dogwood Am.

Six Bulldogs Headed To The Open

Georgia will be well represented in The Open at St. Andrews this week. Scheduled to compete are Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd and Bubba Watson.

Chris Kirk had qualified as well, but he had to withdraw after breaking his hand.

• Brian Harman was the top Bulldog in the John Deere Classic as he came in 24th at 11-under. Hudson Swafford and Kevin Kisner took 35th at 9-under, Lee McCoy came in 69th at 2-over and Harris English placed 72nd at 3-over. Erik Compton missed the cut. For McCoy, a rising senior for the Bulldogs, it was his first made cut in three professional events.

• Erik Compton and Ryuji Imada will tee it up in the Barbasol Championship in Auburn, Ala. Another familiar name in the field is Todd McCorkle, the former Georgia women's golf coach.

• McCoy, meanwhile, will play in the inaugural golf event at the Pan Am Games in Toronto Thursday through Sunday.

• At the Web.com Tour's Stonebrae Classic in California on Sunday, none of the Bulldogs in the field made the cut: Paul Claxton, Joey Garber, Adam Mitchell and Scott Parel.

• Greyson Sigg was one of three players tied for the lead after regulation in the Georgia Amateur at on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Golf Club. They wound up playing five playoff holes, but the title went to Dru Love. Sigg finished second, Zach Healy took fourth, Parker Derby came in 12th and Jack Hall placed 60th.

• Incoming freshman David Mackey will be playing July 20-25 in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Colleton River Plantation Club in Bluffton, S.C.

Watson Wins Travelers Championship On Second Playoff Hole

Travelers Championship winner Bubba Watson (right) with Brian Harman.

CROMWELL, Conn. (AP) — Bubba Watson made an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole Sunday to outlast Paul Casey and win the Travelers Championship for the second time.

Casey had overcome a 3-stroke deficit with five to play, tying Watson at 16-under 264.

But Casey lost his chance at the title while playing the par-4 18th for the third time, when his third shot from a greenside bunker flew over the green and landed on the cart path.

Watson, meanwhile, hit his 160-yard approach just to the right of the hole.

Watson had a chance to win in regulation, but bogeyed the 17th, while Casey closed with three birdies on the final five holes, sandwiched around a bogey on 15.

Watson finished with a 67 at TPC River Highlands and Casey shot 65.

Watson also won a playoff in the WGC-HSBC Champions in China in November at the start of the season. He won the Travelers in 2010 for his first of eight PGA Tour titles.

"I hung on, and that's what you have to do sometimes to win," Watson said. "It's just about staying calm. That's what you have to do, you just breathe and walk slower, take some deep breaths and focus on the fact that no matter what you still come in second place. … I wish it was a lot easier, but a victory is a victory. My whole goal in my career was to get 10 wins. I need two more."

This was the sixth time since 2004 the tournament has been decided in a playoff.

Brian Harman was third at 15-under, while Brendon Todd was 15th at 9-under and Harris English was 25th at 7-under. Lee McCoy, Hudson Swafford and Erik Compton missed the cut.

The finish assured Harman of a spot in the British Open. Kevin Kisner also got into The Open based on standing 14th in the FedExCup Standings.

"I've been thinking about that tournament for a long time and really trying to look at a way to get in there," Harman said. "This one burns a little bit, but that definitely helps the sting."

That means Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Kisner, Todd and Watson will be representing UGA in The Open.

• Michael Cromie came in second in the eGolf Gateway Tour's Mimosa Hills Open in North Carolina at 18-under. Cromie missed the cut four times to open the year but has since made four of five cuts. Mookie DeMoss missed the cut in his first eGolf Gateway Tour event.

• Compton, Henley, Kisner, Swafford, Todd and Watson will be in action this week in The Greenbrier Classic in West Virginia.

• Jack Larkin, who played for the Bulldogs from 1980-83 and is the father of current Bulldog Jack Larkin Jr., missed the cut in the U.S. Senior Open in California. Another familiar name in the field (who also missed the cut) was former Georgia women's golf coach Todd McCorkle.

• Bryden Macpherson is slated to play in this week's Nova Scotia Open on the Web.com Tour.

• Scott Parel came in 48th at 2-under and Bryden Macpherson missed the cut in last week's Air Capital Classic.

• Signee David Mackey has earned a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which will be held at Colleton River Plantation Club in Bluffton, S.C., July 20-25.

Eight Bulldogs Set For U.S. Open

Georgia once again will be well represented at the United States Open as one current and seven former Bulldogs will be in action.

Rising senior Lee McCoy will play as an amateur, while pros Erik Compton, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd and Bubba Watson also are in the field.

The U.S. Open will be played Thursday through Sunday at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash.

Tee times, converted to Eastern time, for the first and second rounds are below:

Thursday-Friday
1st hole-10th hole

10:33 a.m.-4:33 p.m. — Phil Mickelson, United States; Bubba Watson, United States; Angel Cabrera, Argentina.

10:55 a.m.-4:55 p.m. — Robert Streb, United States; a-Lee McCoy, United States; Kevin Chappell, United States.

11:39 a.m.-5:39 p.m. — Brooks Koepka, United States; Russell Henley, United States; Byeong-Hun An, South Korea.

5:50 p.m.-11:50 a.m. — Ryan Moore, United States; Anirban Lahiri, India, Erik Compton, United States.

10th hole-1st hole

10:55 a.m.-4:55 p.m. — Marcel Siem, Germany; Alexander Levy, France; Brian Harman, United States.

11:39 a.m.-5:39 p.m. — Patrick Reed, United States; Chris Kirk, United States; Jamie Donaldson, Wales.

4:55 p.m.-10:55 a.m. — Kevin Kisner, United States; George Coetzee, South Africa; Alexander Noren, Sweden.

5:06 p.m.-11:06 a.m. — Brendon Todd, United States; Branden Grace, South Africa; Thongchai Jaidee, Thailand.

• Harman joined OnlineAthens.com (the website for the Athens Banner-Herald newspaper) for a podcast earlier this week. Harman's segment starts at the 21:25 mark and can be heard here.

• During a practice round at Chambers Bay, Watson made one of the most bizarre putts you'll ever see. With the hole behind his back, he sent his putt up a slope in the green, and it rolled all the way back and into the cup. Watch it here.

McCoy Helps United States Retain Palmer Cup

Georgia's Lee McCoy holds the Palmer Cup after helping Team USA defeat Europe.

SUGAR GROVE, Ill. --- Georgia’s Lee McCoy helped the United States retain the Palmer Cup – a Ryder Cup-style event featuring collegians – with an 18-12 decision over Europe on Sunday at Rich Harvest Farms.

McCoy, who recently completed his junior year with the Bulldogs, earned 1.5 points for Team USA. He and Ollie Schniederjans defeated Thomas Detry and Jon Rahm 4&3 in the foursomes competition. McCoy overcame a three-hole deficit with three to play, including birdies on Nos. 17 and 18, to halve his singles match with Rahm.

McCoy was the ninth Bulldog to play for the United States Palmer Cup squad. He joined two-time players Nick Cassini, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk and Adam Mitchell as well as Erik Compton, Ryan Hybl and Michael Morrison. Coach Chris Haack served two stints as the United States captain.

Next up for McCoy is the U.S. Open Thursday through Sunday at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Wash. McCoy and seven professional Bulldogs will be in the field as Erik Compton, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd and Bubba Watson qualified as well. Kisner was added to the field on Monday as he earned an exception by being ranked No. 55 in the Official World Golf Ranking.

McCoy, Harman Qualify For U.S. Open

UPDATED AT 9:22 P.M.:

Two men with ties to the Georgia golf team earned spots in the U.S. Open on Monday during sectional qualifying tournaments.

Lee McCoy, who just completed his junior season with the Bulldogs, finished second at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Ga. He carded a 13-under 131 to snare one of the sectional’s three spots.

At Germantown and Ridgeway Country Clubs in Memphis, Tenn, former Bulldog and current PGA Tour standout Brian Harman came in sixth at 7-under 135. The top 10 players in Memphis were awarded berths.

Georgia already had five representatives in the U.S. Open based on their PGA Tour accomplishments and the World Golf Rankings – Erik Compton, Russell Henley, Chris Kirk, Brendon Todd and Bubba Watson.

Kevin Kisner withdrew from his sectional in Ohio to rest his ailing back. After placing eighth in the Memorial on Sunday, Kisner moved to No. 57 in the WGR. If he stays in the top 60 after this week’s FedEx St. Jude Classic, he also will be invited to the U.S. Open.

Several others Bulldogs attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open on Monday but were unable to advance – former Bulldogs Ryuji Imada, Michael Parrott, Joey Garber, Harris English and Bryden Macpherson and signee David Mackey.

• Todd followed Kisner in the UGA standings in the Memorial as he came in 17th at 8-under. English came in 18th at 7-under, while Kirk and Compton were 36th at 3-under, and Hudson Swafford was 63rd at 3-over. Henley missed the cut.

• Macpherson came in 27th at 13-under in the Web.com Tour's Greater Dallas Open and Scott Parel missed the cut.

• Macpherson, Parel and Justin Bolli will play this week in the Rust-Oleum Championship in Ohio. Imada is listed among the alternates.

Bulldogs Fall To LSU In Match Play Semis

BRADENTON, Fla. --- The Georgia men’s golf team’s memorable run at the NCAA Championships came to an end on Tuesday in the match play semifinals at Concession Golf Club.

Georgia entered the NCAAs seeded 26th out of 30 teams and ranked 28th and 33rd in the two polls. But the Bulldogs led the majority of stroke play for four days and wound up third, then dispatched South Florida 4-1 in the match play quarterfinals Tuesday morning.

The Bulldogs’ quest for the national title came to a halt, however, when they dropped a 3-1-1 decision to SEC champion LSU in the semifinals (unofficially known as the “Final Fore”). The Tigers will take on Southern Cal Wednesday in the championship match.

“I think a lot of people will remember this team and the run they made. I know I will,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “They’ll always be special to all of us because of what they did this week. I am very proud of them. It’s not the way we wanted to see it end, but the guys fought hard and didn’t give anything away. They played their hearts out and that’s all I can ask for.”

Junior Lee McCoy, who was chosen as a First-Team All-American Tuesday morning, posted the Bulldogs’ win against LSU as he topped Stewart Jolly 2&1. Senior Mookie DeMoss and sophomore Greyson Sigg dropped 7&6 and 4&3 decisions, respectively, as LSU mounted a 2-1 lead. The Tigers clinched the match as Benjamin Taylor defeated freshman Zach Healy 2-up. Junior Sepp Straka’s match had been extended to extra holes and was halted.

“We had a good week and put ourselves in position to win it, but we just didn’t quite get it done,” Sigg said. “But we can hold our heads high. To make it to the national semis is big for our program. It means a lot we made it this far and we can build on that.”

“We gave it our all,” McCoy said. “Every guy on this team has a lot of heart and showed a lot of fight. I am proud of each and every one of them.”

In the quarterfinals win over South Florida, McCoy (5&3), DeMoss (1-up), Straka (3&2) and Healy (2&1) posted victories.

This was the Bulldogs’ third appearance in match play since that format was adopted for the 2009 season and they are now 4-3 all-time. Georgia went 2-1 in 2011 and 1-1 in both 2009 and 2015. The Bulldogs won national championships in 1999 and 2005, both under Haack.

Bulldogs Advance To NCAA Match Play To Face South Florida

BRADENTON, Fla. -- "Now the fun begins."

That was the sentiment of senior captain Mookie DeMoss on Monday after the Georgia men's golf team advanced to the match play portion of the NCAA Championships at Concession Golf Club.

The Bulldogs, who finished third in the stroke play portion of the event, will face tournament host South Florida on Tuesday at 7 a.m. on the 10th hole. The Georgia-South Florida winner will take on the Vanderbilt-LSU victor Tuesday at 1:30 p.m.

The other quarterfinal match-ups will be Illinois against UCLA and Texas against Southern Cal. The semifinal winners will square off on Wednesday at 2:10 p.m. for the national championship.

This will be the Bulldogs' third appearance in match play since that format was adopted for the 2009 season. Georgia went 1-1 in 2009 and 2-1 in 2011. Georgia won national championships in 1999 and 2005, both under Coach Chris Haack.

Georgia entered the NCAAs seeded 26th out of 30 teams and ranked 28th and 33rd in the two polls.

"We made it to match play and that was the goal. Now anything can happen," Haack said. "We're excited about the opportunity that is in front of us. This group has been a little schizophrenic this year. We've been pretty good at times and we've been pretty bad at times. I was hoping to see us put it all together at the right time and we did it. We picked a good week to play well."

The Bulldogs finished stroke play with a four-day total of 6-over 1,158. Illinois took the top spot at 3-over 1,155, while Vanderbilt wound up at 5-over 1,157, and Texas tied the Bulldogs at 6-over 1,158.

Junior Lee McCoy paced the Bulldogs on Monday as he fired a 2-under 70. DeMoss and sophomore Greyson Sigg each signed for a 1-over 73, followed by junior Sepp Straka at 3-over 75. Freshman Zach Healy had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 5-over 77.

DeMoss came in 11th individually at even-par 288, eight shots shy of NCAA medalist Bryson Dechambeau of SMU. Healy came in 16th at 1-over 289, followed by McCoy at 6-over 294, Straka at 9-over 297 and Sigg at 10-over 298.

"I could not be prouder of my teammates," McCoy said. "Nobody expected Georgia to challenge for a national championship, yet here we are. We have a group of guys incredibly motivated and determined and playing for each other. There's no better team chemistry out there than ours."

Bulldogs Open NCAAs In Second

Sepp Straka and Coach Chris Haack share a laugh on Friday.

BRADENTON, Fla. --- "Outstanding."

Coach Chris Haack needed just one word to sum up the performance of his Georgia men's golf team in the first round of the NCAA Championships on Friday at Concession Golf Club.

Led by freshman Zach Healy, the 26th-seeded Bulldogs had the top score of the morning wave and the second-best effort of the day with an even-par 288. Georgia is two
shots in back of No. 4 seed Illinois, while No. 19 seed Southern Cal is third at 1-over 289, No. 24 seed San Diego State is fourth at 2-over 290 and No. 7 seed LSU is fifth at 4-over 292.

Haack was overtly relieved that his Bulldogs fared better in Friday's opening loop than they did in their most recent first round. At the NCAA San Diego Regional, Georgia began with a 19-over and stood 12th out of 13 teams. Had the Bulldogs not rallied with rounds of 10- and 3-under, they would not be playing this week at Concession.

"Getting off to a good start automatically relaxes you," Haack said. "You don't have that feeling that you're already behind the eight ball, like we did in the Regional. At the same time, we've got a couple of more rounds to go and if you let up on this course it can jump up and bite you. I hope we can keep it going and that this positive momentum stays with us."

Play will continue Saturday and Sunday with stroke play for all 30 teams. The top 15 will compete in stroke play on Monday and the individual national champion will be crowned. The low eight squads will advance to match play beginning on Tuesday to determine the team champ.

Zach Healy watches his tee shot on Friday.

Healy, a freshman from Peachtree Corners, Ga., paced the Bulldogs on Friday as he fired a 2-under 70. It was his 5-under 67 in the second round of the San Diego Regional that ignited the Georgia turnaround.

"I didn't make any big mistakes today," Healy said. "I knew where I wanted to hit and where I wanted to leave it. If you can do that, you can manage the course. It's a difficult course, but if you leave yourself a chance to make putts, you can be OK. But if you're in the wrong spots, you're done."

Healy is tied for fifth in the individual standings, two shots shy of Illinois' Thomas Detry and South Florida's Claudio Correa.

Senior Mookie DeMoss followed Healy with a 1-under 71, good enough for a tie for 13th. Junior Lee McCoy, named Thursday as a finalist for the Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award, signed for a 1-over 73, and junior Sepp Straka finished at 2-over 74. Sophomore Greyson Sigg had the Bulldogs' non-counting score of 3-over 75.

Haack stressed that there is a long way to go on the course nicknamed "Concussion."

"This is one of the most difficult courses I've ever seen," Haack said. "You can't ever let up. It can really wear you out mentally. ... That being said, our guys stayed in it today. They kept their heads above water. It was nice to see all five do that today."

The Bulldogs are scheduled to play Saturday alongside UNLV and Houston with tee times running in 10-minute increments between 1:30 and 2:10 p.m. Live results can be found at GolfStat.com.

Bulldogs Set To Begin Play In NCAAs

Georgia will begin its quest for the program's third national title this week in the NCAA Championships at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla.

The national tournament is slated for Friday through Wednesday. Team and individual stroke play will take place Friday through Monday, with the top eight squads after 72 holes qualifying for match play. The match play quarterfinals and semifinals are slated for Tuesday and the championship match is scheduled for Wednesday.

"Our goal all season has been to win the national championship and now that we have this opportunity, that's our total focus," Georgia coach Chris Haack said. "This is for all the marbles and it's the most important tournament of the season. Every stroke counts and we're going to leave it all out there. We've had an up-and-down season, but if we can put it all together over the next week, it will be extremely gratifying."

The Bulldogs, who are seeded 26th and are ranked 28th by Golfweek and 33rd by Golfstat, will tee off on Friday in 10-minute increments between 8:10 and 8:50 a.m. and on Saturday between 1:30 and 2:10 p.m. Georgia will be paired with UNLV and Houston in the first two rounds. Sunday's pairings will be determined by the 36-hole results.

The Bulldogs will use a lineup of senior Mookie DeMoss, juniors Lee McCoy and Sepp Straka, sophomore Greyson Sigg, and freshman Zach Healy. McCoy leads the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 69.66 and has posted a school-record-tying four victories this season. Sigg (72.63), Healy (72.90), Straka (72.94) and DeMoss (73.31) are separated by less than a stroke.

The Golf Channel will air live coverage from Monday's stroke-play final round at 4 p.m., Tuesday's match-play quarterfinals at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday's match-play semifinals at 3:30 p.m. and Wednesday's match-play finals at 3 p.m.

• To read DeMoss' thoughts on the season and to hear DeMoss, McCoy and Haack preview the NCAAs, click here.