Harman Wins Wells Fargo Championship

Brian Harman

WILMINGTON, N.C. (AP) — Dustin Johnson was in the clubhouse, tied for the lead and poised for a chance to join an elite class with a fourth straight PGA Tour victory. Brian Harman was on the last tee, knowing a birdie on the par-5 18th would be enough to win the Wells Fargo Championship.

Harman could have drawn it up differently, but not any better.

Switching from a 5-wood to a 3-wood for his 271-yard shot in the 18th, he went so long that he needed relief from a corporate chalet. His chip became harder because of tree limbs that made him go low, and his chip came out soft and barely got onto the green.

And then he rolled in a 30-foot birdie putt for a 4-under 68 and a one-shot victory Sunday over Johnson and Pat Perez.

"I didn't hit a great chip. It didn't turn out very good," Harman said. "But I guess it went where it was supposed to."

The greens at Eagle Point were so pure that Harman knew it was good when the ball was 5 feet from the cup. He turned and pumped his arms in a wild celebration that ended in a hug with his caddie, Scott Tway, for a victory that was a long time coming.

Harman won for the first time in nearly three years.

For Johnson, playing for the first time since a freak accident knocked him out of the Masters, it was the first time in nearly three months that he left a PGA Tour event without the trophy. It wasn't from a lack of trying. Johnson made the cut on the number, and then went 67-67 on the weekend, including a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole, to nearly pull out another victory.

"I didn't have a lot of time off, so I didn't really know what to expect this week because I didn't really get to practice leading into this tournament, either," Johnson said. "Not much has changed. The first couple days I didn't play that great, but really played nicely on Saturday and Sunday and so I'm happy with where the game is going into next week."

Perez did his part, bouncing back from a double bogey on the 14th hole that took him out of the lead by making birdies on the 16th and 18th holes for a 68 that he thought might be good enough for a playoff with Johnson, the world's No. 1 player, and Harman.

"Hell of an up-and-down from back there," Perez said. "He deserves it. He played great."

Perez moves to No. 42 in the world ranking, which makes him a lock to be exempt from U.S. Open qualifying. Harman gets back to the Masters, and he doesn't mind having to wait 11 months for a return to Augusta National.

Jon Rahm of Spain was in the mix, too. Rahm, one of five players who had at least a share of the lead on the back nine, watched from the 18th fairway as the crowd that surrounded the hole and filled all three levels of a hospitality chalet erupted in cheers. He knew he needed an eagle — just like the one he made at Torrey Pines for his first PGA Tour victory — to force a playoff. He was posing. And it sailed over the green, leading to par and a 71 to finish alone in fourth.

Lost in Harman's long birdie putt for the victory were two shots that led to that moment — an 8-iron from 176 yards to 3 feet on the 14th for a tap-in birdie, and the pitching wedge from 137 yards on the 17th hole to 4 feet that put him in position for the victory.

In between was a three-putt from the par-3 15th that he thought would cost him.

"Knew it was going to be tough to birdie those last couple," Harman said. "But I stuck to my game plan and just did it. Did the best I could."

And it was just enough.

Johnson was playing for the first time in six weeks because of his slip down the stairs the day before the Masters that led to him pulling out. A quick start allowed him to lurk behind the leaders all day, and he holed a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th that gave him a share of the lead.

Then, he was alone in the lead when others started to stumble — Perez with a double bogey on No. 14, Harman with the three-putt bogey on the 15th and Patrick Reed, the 54-hole leader who made four bogeys in a six-hole stretch on the back nine.

Reed shot 40 on the back nine for a 75 and fell out of the top 10. He played in the final group with Alex Noren of Sweden, who closed with a 77.

Johnson was trying to join Byron Nelson, Tiger Woods, Ben Hogan and Jack Burke Jr. as the only players with at least four straight PGA Tour victories. He was hurt slightly by his mishap at the Masters, when he suffered a deep bruise on his lower back from the tumble down the stairs while still wearing only socks. This was his first time playing in six weeks, and while there were signs of rust, he looked like the same old Johnson over the weekend as he tried to make up ground and almost did. 

Bulldogs Assigned To College Grove Regional

The 23rd-ranked Georgia men’s golf team will begin its quest for another national championship May 15-17 at the NCAA Regional hosted by Middle Tennessee State, according to an announcement Thursday by the NCAA Division I Men's Golf Committee.

The Bulldogs are seeded fourth in the College Grove Regional, which will be played at The Grove Club. Georgia placed fifth in the Franklin American Mortgage Intercollegiate at The Grove in September. Thirteen teams will compete in the College Grove Regional, with the top five teams advancing to the NCAA Championships May 26-31 at Rich Harvest Farms in Sugar Grove, Ill.

Joining the Bulldogs and host Middle Tennessee State in the College Grove Regional will be Vanderbilt, Texas Tech, Clemson, Missouri, Lipscomb, Kennesaw State, UCF, TCU, Troy, ETSU and Harvard.

“We’re excited to be back in a Regional and for the chance to play again at The Grove,” Georgia coach Chris Haack said. “Our Regional is a talented one, top to bottom. We know it’s going to be extremely competitive, but that’s what you expect this time of year. We’ll have to be at our best to be one of the teams to advance. As always, there’s no margin for error at this time of the season.”

Haack is expected to use a lineup of seniors Jaime Lopez Rivarola and Greyson Sigg, sophomore Tye Waller, and freshmen Trevor Phillips and Spencer Ralston in the Regional. Lopez Rivarola, Sigg, Waller and Ralston were in the lineup when the Bulldogs placed fifth in the FAMC at The Grove. Ralston led the Bulldogs as he came in seventh, followed by Sigg in ninth and Waller in 13th. Said Haack, “Four of our five guys got in four rounds at The Grove in the fall. That should be extremely helpful to us.”

The Bulldogs were invited to an NCAA Regional for the 22nd straight year and for the 28th time in 29 seasons since the format was introduced in 1988-89. The Bulldogs have advanced from the Regional to the NCAAs 21 times. The Bulldogs have been invited to an NCAA Regional in all 21 of Haack’s seasons and have moved onto the NCAAs in 18 of the previous 20 campaigns. Haack led the Bulldogs to the 1999 and 2005 national titles, to runner-up finishes in 2007 and 2011, and to the “Final Fore” in 2015.

The five other Regional sites are Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Wash.; the University of Texas Club in Austin, Texas; Stanford Golf Course in Stanford, Calif.; the Kampen Course in West Lafayette, Ind.; and the University Club in Baton Rouge, La.

• Wright Waddell has been chosen for induction into the Georgia Golf Hall of Fame, according to an announcement Monday by the Georgia State Golf Association.

Wright Waddell

The Georgia Golf Hall of Fame Induction Banquet and Ceremony will take place on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2018, at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek.

A native of Columbus, Waddell was a member of Southeastern Conference Championship teams in 1982 and 1983 and competed in four NCAA Championships. Waddell was an All-American in 1983 and a three-time All-SEC selection. He served as the Bulldogs' team captain in 1984.

Waddell is a four-time winner of the Southeastern Amateur Championship and earned runner-up honors four additional times. Waddell won the Georgia Mid-Amateur Championship twice and was a two-time runner-up in the Georgia Amateur Championship. Four times, he won the Georgia Four-Ball Championship with partner Carter Mize.

Waddell has qualified for and competed in 15 USGA championships — seven U.S. Amateurs, seven U.S. Mid-Amateurs and one U.S. Junior Amateur. He has won the club championship eight times at Green Island Country Club in Columbus and once at the Country Club of Columbus.

Waddell has given back to the game by serving on the Board of Directors of the First Tee of Columbus, American Cancer Society and the Columbus YMCA.

• Please join Coach Chris Haack in support of courses nationwide by bidding on rounds of golf at Rounds4Research.com. Watch Coach Haack's video here.

• The Wells Fargo Championship field this week includes Brendon Todd, Harris English, Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk, Hudson Swafford and Brian Harman.

• Erik Compton and Sepp Straka are teeing it up in the Web.com Tour's Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship.

• Scott Parel is playing in the Champions Tour's Insperity Inspirational.

News & Notes About The Bulldogs

• Eight Bulldogs will be in action this week in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans: Kevin Kisner, Hudson Swafford, Harris English, Brian Harman, Russell Henley, Bubba Watson, Chris Kirk and Brendon Todd.

Eighty two-man teams will play two rounds of alternate shot (first round and third round) and two rounds of best ball (second round and fourth round) to determine a winner.

The 80 teams will be cut to 35 after Friday. Winners will split FedEx Cup points, get a two-year exemption and into the Players Championship, PGA Championship and Tournament of Champions next January in Hawaii.

Swafford-English and Kirk-Todd are two of the teams.

• Sepp Straka, Keith Mitchell and Erik Compton will be playing in the Web.com Tour's El Bosque Mexico Championship by Innova in Leon, Guanajuato.

Bulldogs Set For SEC Championship

ST. SIMONS ISLAND, Ga. --- The Georgia men's golf team will join its fellow league members this weekend in the new-look Southeastern Conference Championship at the Sea Island Golf Club.

The SEC Championship will run Friday through Monday on the par-70, 6,898-yard layout on the Seaside Course. The defending champion, Georgia is ranked No. 25 by Golfstat in this week's polls.

Georgia will use a lineup of senior Greyson Sigg, sophomores Jack Larkin Jr. and Tye Waller, and freshmen Trevor Phillips and Spencer Ralston. Sigg leads the Bulldogs with a scoring average of 70.42, followed by Ralston at 71.23, Waller at 72.13, Phillips at 73.36 and Larkin at 73.91. Sigg and Waller are the only Bulldogs in the quintet with postseason experience.

Under the tournament’s new format, the Bulldogs and their conference counterparts will log 36 holes of stroke play on Friday. After an additional 18 holes of stroke play starting at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday, the teams will be seeded based on standings for match play. The medalist also will be crowned after Saturday's competition. Two rounds of match play are slated for Sunday at 7:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. The advancing two teams will square off on Monday at 7:30 a.m.

"If you can't get excited this time of the year, there's something wrong," Georgia head coach Chris Haack said. "There's a great deal of pride attached to this one. The expectation, as always, is to win. And with this format, we're all in uncharted territory. Match play gives everybody a chance to be the champion. It's anybody's ballgame, anything can happen. Anybody can win it, so why not us?"

Georgia is slated to play Friday with Ole Miss and Missouri, with the first and second rounds beginning at 8:40 a.m. and 1:55 p.m., respectively.

Live results and tee times can be found at Golfstat.com.

Georgia has been a dominant force at the SECs, winning a league-best 29 conference titles. Under Haack, the Bulldogs have secured eight SEC titles, including six of the tournaments held at Sea Island. Georgia also boasts 16 SEC medalists, including Haack protégés Bryant Odom (2001), Brendon Todd (2004),  Russell Henley (2010) and Lee McCoy (2016).

This marks the 17th year for the SECs to be contested on the Sea Island Golf Club's Seaside Course. The SEC has conducted its annual championship on St. Simons Island since 2001 (Seaside Course 2001-2007, 2010-present; Frederica Golf Club 2008-2009).

The SEC is as strong as ever with three schools ranked in the top 10 and four others in the top 25.​

• Chris Kirk is the lone Bulldog in the Valero Texas Open this week,

Sigg, McCoy Perform Well In Q School

Georgia senior Greyson Sigg came in third and former Bulldog Lee McCoy took 14th in the Mackenzie Tour - Canada’s qualifying school at Sun ‘N Lake Golf Club on Friday.

Every player inside the top 40 and ties earned Mackenzie Tour status for 2017. Sigg will be exempt for the first eight events once his Georgia career ends in May. McCoy, who completed his eligibility in 2016, will be exempt for the first four events.

The first tournament is the Freedom 55 Financial Open scheduled for June 1-4 in Vancouver.

“My confidence is up, I’m playing well, and I’ve just got to go there and play good golf and see what happens,” Sigg said. “It’s a stress reliever to know I’ve got a set schedule. I’m glad I have a place to play and I’m looking forward to heading up there.”

Sigg wound up at 14-under 274, including rounds of 71, 67, 67 and 69. He finished just one shot behind Robby Shelton and Jhared Hack at 15-under 273. McCoy landed at 8-under 280, featuring a third-round 68. Former Bulldog Mookie DeMoss finished 57th at 1-over 289.

Sigg and his Georgia teammates will be back in action next Friday in the SEC Championship at Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island.​

• Russell Henley, Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner, Chris Kirk and Harris English will be in action this week in the RBC Heritage.

• Scott Parel is playing in the Champions Tour's Mitsubishi Electric Classic at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth.

• Slots are still available for the Coach Chris Haack Golf Camp, which will be held June 4-7 and June 8-11 for both boys and girls ages 10-18.

Bulldog Golf Mourns The Loss Of William Charles Adams Jr.

Bulldog Golf mourns the loss of William Charles Adams Jr., who passed away on Sunday in Thomasville. Mr. Adams, who lettered for Georgia in 1960, was 78.

Memorial services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Thomasville First United Methodist Church. Mr. Adams passed away April 2 at Camellia Gardens.

Mr. Adams was an Honor graduate of Valdosta High School and the University Of Georgia School Of Pharmacy. He served in the U.S. Air Force as a Medical Service Officer. He had a long and rewarding career as a Pharmacist and maintained a close relationship with many of his customers after retirement. As a member of the Church he loved singing in the choir and the fellowship with Sunday school class and church members. He enjoyed working at The Thomas County Food Bank and served on the board of the Thomas County Med Bank.

Mr. Adams was an avid golfer and fisherman. He especially enjoyed introducing young people to golf, a game he loved.

He is survived by his wife Bettye Day Adams; brother Larry Phillips Adams (Judy); children William Charles III (Candace); Piper (Brian); William Greer (Jennifer); Lane Clark (Richard); Sara Catherine Vaughn (David); Molly Wilson; stepsons Jeff Rawlings and Steve Rawlings (Lori); and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Thomasville First United Church, PO Box 975, Thomasville Ga 31799 or the Lawson-Neel MedBank, PO Box 5756, Thomasville, Ga 31758.

Henley Earns Masters Berth

Russell Henley holds the trophy after winning the Houston Open golf tournament, Sunday, April 2, 2017, in Humble, Texas. Henley won the tournament by three shots over Sung Kang. (AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)

HUMBLE, Texas (AP) — Russell Henley no longer gets to take a week off, and he couldn't be happier. He's going to the Masters.

Henley overcame a four-shot deficit Sunday in the Houston by closing with a 7-under 65 for a three-shot victory, one of the most important final rounds of his career. Only later did he realize it might have his best.

He made 10 birdies. He never went more than two holes without a birdie.

"I made 10 birdies today?" he asked. "Oh, wow. Wow. Yeah, then I guess it's definitely the best."

Henley ran off five of them in the opening eight holes to briefly catch up to Sung Kang, only to make a double bogey from the bunker on the par-3 ninth at the Golf Club of Houston. Only the 27-year-old from Georgia was just getting warmed up.

The decisive stretch came on the par-5 13th, where Henley and Kang were tied for the lead. Henley pitched to 3 feet for birdie, while Kang missed from 15 feet. On the par-3 14th, Henley rolled in a 35-foot birdie putt on the fast greens, cut to try to mimic what players will face at Augusta National. Kang did well to save par from 6 feet. And then Henley raced out to a three-shot advantage with another up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 15th.

He finished with a bogey for 20-under 268, three shots ahead of Kang.

Henley won for the third time in his PGA Tour career, and his first since a playoff victory over Rory McIlroy in the 2014 Honda Classic. He was in danger of missing the Masters for the second straight year until winning the Houston Open, the only way into Augusta National at this point.

"I wasn't expecting to go back to Augusta," he said. "I was planning on not going, but I was going to try my best to win. So, the fact I get to go back is pretty cool and I'm excited. It hasn't really sunk in yet."

Henley became the third player in the last four years to win the Houston Open and earn a trip to the Masters. He will join Kevin Kisner, Bubba Watson and Hudson Swafford as the Bulldogs in Augusta.