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/

Round One at Players Championship



Brian Harman was a last minute to the field at The Players Championship


When the day began, there were three Bulldogs in the field at the Players Championship.  When the day ended there were four Bulldogs who had completed their first round in the tournament that has the biggest purse in golf.  Ryuji Imada, Chris Kirk, and Harris English were the three Bulldogs who had tee times for the first two rounds in Ponta Vedra at the PGA Tour's home course, TPC Sawgrass.  Brian Harman was on site as the first alternate with his fingers crossed and ready to tee it up if there was a last minute withdrawal of a player in the field.

Harman did get into the field thanks to a last minute withdraw of D.A. Points.  Points actually withdrew as his name was being called for his 8:39 tee time with Carl Pettersson and Robert Garrigus.  By the time tour officials could locate Harman who was playing ping pong with his caddie, Pettersson and Garrigus were already on the second hole.   Even though Harman was in, there still wasn't a spot for him in one of the upcoming threesomes. After discussing the issue for three hours, PGA Tour VP of Rules and Competition, Mark Russell, decided to let Harman go off as a single at 12:05 p.m. ET, right before the afternoon wave.

Harman carded a 1 over 73 on his round after being 2 over through 3 holes.  His 73 has him tied for 78th.  The best round of the day for the Bulldogs belonged to Harris English who carded a 2 under 70 that puts him in a tie for 28th place.  Chris Kirk is a shot behind English at 1 under and tied for 37th.  Ryuji Imada fired a 3 over 75 that left him tied for 114th.

The second round will be televised on The Golf Channel from 1:00 - 7:00 and live scoring can be followed at www.pgatour.com

English Records First Top 10 of Season, Swafford Ties for 16th on Nationwide

English Finishes Tied for 8th at Heritage

Harris English recorded the first top 10 of his rookie season at the RBC Heritage played at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, SC by finishing in a tie for 8th place.  The top 10 finish also represented Harris' biggest pay day so far this year on tour by bringing home $153,900.  The trip to Hilton Head represented English's first trip ever to Harbour Town for the rookie who was tied for 2nd going in to the weekend. 
Fellow Rookie, Brian Harman had a good week as well but struggled on Sunday to finish in a tie for 70th at the Heritage. 
Both English and Harman will be in the field this week at the Valero Texas Open played at TPC San Antonio.  They will be joined by fellow Bulldogs Erik Compton, Kevin Kisner, Brendon Todd, Matt McQuillan, and Ryuji Imada

Swafford Ties for 16th on Nationwide Tour

Hudson Swafford finished in a tie for 16th place at the TPC Stonebrae Championship on the Nationwide Tour.  Swafford finished the event at 4 under par in the second Nationwide event played in California in as many weeks. 
Fellow Bulldog Richard Scott finished in a tie for 23rd at 3 under par, Russell Henley finished in a tie for 42nd at 2 over par, and Paul Claxton tied for 54th at 4 over.
The Nationwide Tour takes a week off this week before returning to Georgia for the South Georgia Classic followed by the Stadion Classic played here at UGA May 3-6th.

Honda Classic, Panama, and Golf Team in Tampa

Bulldogs Third After First Round Of USF Invitational

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

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

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


Honda Classic

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

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

Final Round of Honda Classic Preview

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

Strong Start for Bulldogs on PGA and Nationwide Tours

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

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

Harman Ties for 26th in Mexico

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

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

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Results

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am

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

Farmers Insurance Open Results



Bubba Watson during the Farmers Insurance Open

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

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

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

Farmers Insurance Open Round 1 Results

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

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

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

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

Three Bulldogs to Play Together at Farmers Insurance Open

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

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

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

English Records Top 20 Finish at Humana

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

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

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

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

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

Humana Challenge Begins Today With 7 Bulldogs in Field

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

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

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

English Low Among Bulldogs After Round 1 at Sony Open

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

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

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

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

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

7 Dawgs in the Field at Sony Open in Hawaii

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

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

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

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

Kirk Starts Season Strong

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

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

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

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

Bulldogs Earn PGA Tour Cards

Brendon Todd claimed medalist honors at PGA Tour Q-School

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

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

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

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