Justin Thomas thrives in pursuer role at TOUR Championship

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Ryan Alford of Shreveport, Louisiana, a regular practice partner of PGA TOUR pro Sam Burns, shot a three-under 68 to capture the APGA Tour Scottsdale title Tuesday at TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course. The 24 year-old former Louisiana Tech golfer and high school teammate of Burns, fired a 65-68-133 (9 under overall) to top 2020 APGA Tour Player of the Year Tim O’Neal by three strokes with Tommy Schaff of Ridgeland, South Carolina, in third place, another stroke behind. Willie Mack of Flint, Michigan, and Aaron Beverly of Fairfield, California, tied for fifth at 3 under. Mack, who has teed off in two PGA TOUR events this year, has another sponsor exemption into the Korn Ferry Tour’s Huntsville Championship April 29-May 2 in Huntsville, Alabama. Phoenix resident Doug Smith led a group of five players tied for seventh place at even par. “Told myself just try to keep it simple,” offered Alford, who is the fourth consecutive first-time winner in the APGA Tour 2021 season. “We had a good week.” Alford was on the leaderboard last week at APGA Tour Las Vegas before playing the final nine holes at 6 over. “I changed my mindset,” he continued. “Told myself to erase the bad and keep going with the good. Talent is not the issue. It’s just a matter of getting it done.” Alford was three-under on the back nine, including an eagle at the par-5 10th. A tap-in birdie on the par-5 17th provided some breathing room and Alford pocketed the first place check of $7,500 from the $25,000 purse. The other first-time winners on the APGA Tour this year are Jarred Garcia, who took the Black History Month Classic at PGA Golf Club in Port St. Lucie, Florida, Rovonta Young, the victor at APGA Tour at World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida, and Kamaiu Johnson, who won APGA Tour Las Vegas last week. The competition at the TPC Scottsdale Champions Course (7,115-yards, par 71) was the sixth tournament of the year for the 13-event circuit whose mission is to bring greater diversity to the sport of golf. A total of 62 players, including seven amateurs, competed in the tournament and all activities were conducted under social-distancing and health/safety guidelines in conjunction with regional authorities. Scores and additional detail are available at www.bluegolf.com. The APGA Tour 2021 season reaches its midpoint May 23-25 when APGA Tour Louisville is contested at famed Valhalla Golf Club, which is owned and operated by PGA of America.

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The Zurich Classic of New Orleans can often throw up a player or two some PGA TOUR fans are unfamiliar with and while former World No.1 Jason Day has long been a favorite in the U.S. his partner this week, fellow Australian Jason Scrivener, may present as a mystery to some. Scrivener, 33, is a regular on the DP World Tour (formerly European Tour) and grew up following Jason Day’s junior path in Australia before the two became friendly via a management team connection. Here are five things to know about Scrivener, who with Day sits just three shots off the lead at the halfway point of the tournament. 1. Scrivener has been a DP World Tour member since 2015, playing in 177 tournaments thus far. While he is yet to win on the circuit formerly known as the European Tour, he has six top-3 finishes, and 24 top-10s. His career earnings in Europe are €3,811,844.77 with his best finish in the Race To Dubai coming last year at 21st. His lone win as a professional is the 2017 NSW Open where he held off current PGA TOUR player Lucas Herbert. The Zurich Classic is Scrivener’s seventh PGA TOUR start. He missed the cut in the 2018 U.S. Open, was T54 at the 2018 World Golf Championships–HSBC Champions, missed the cut at the 2020 Memorial Tournament before playing three times last season. Scrivener was T41 at the World Golf Championships–Workday Championship, T23 at the PGA Championship and missed the cut at The Open. 2. Scrivener was born in Cape Town, South Africa but moved to Zimbabwe when he was five years old. It was there, as a kid of seven or eight, he began taking an interest in golf as his father played the game at around a 4 handicap. The family, which consists of Jason’s parents and his three sisters moved to Perth, Australia when Scrivener was 10 and by 12, he was breaking par and beat his father for the first time. As a teenager he won the coveted Australian Boys Amateur (2007), joining the likes of Day, Adam Scott, Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, and Cameron Smith with that honor. 3. Scrivener recently moved to Orlando, Florida with wife Simone (also from Perth) and their eight-month-old baby son Felix. After trying to play several seasons in Europe as a commuter from Australia the young family decided to find a base in the U.S. to make a push towards the PGA TOUR. The decision was helped along after Scrivener witnessed the birth of his son, but then spent 10 weeks away, the majority of which came via enforced quarantines. Scrivener has joined Isleworth where he will practice with fellow Aussies Herbert, Ryan Ruffels, Gabi Ruffels and Curtis Luck regularly. While he will continue playing on the DP World Tour from his U.S. base Scrivener is already set to play in the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at St. Andrews on TOUR later this season and hopes to garner further invites in an attempt to gain Special Temporary Membership, or a place in the KFT Finals. 4. He has royal connections and has met the majority of the UK Royal family. Scrivener’s cousin is Sara Parker Bowles – the daughter in law of Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Sara (nee Buys) is Scrivener’s aunt’s daughter who married Camilla’s son Tom (whom she had with Andrew Parker Bowles before marrying Prince Charles). Scrivener attended the wedding and broke bread with Prince William and former Prince Harry among other high-profile guests. 5. He lists his hobbies as hanging on the beach, surfing, and watching professional cricket and cycling. Loves nothing more than cheering on the Australian cricket team against the English while amongst English golfers and would love to spend more time watching the Tour de France in future if time allowed.

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