Rough start for Rory at Open Championship

A change in the PGA TOUR’s Player Appearance guidelines will allow players to wear golf shorts during practice and pro-am rounds, effective immediately. The change applies only to tournaments operated on the six tours under the PGA TOUR umbrella. This week’s two TOUR events, the World Golf Championships-Mexico Championship and the Puerto Rico Open, will be the first tournaments to offer players the apparel option. Newly elected PGA TOUR Player Advisory Council (PAC) Co-Chairman James Hahn informed his fellow pros in a message delivered on Monday. Per the guideline, shorts must be knee-length, tailored and neat in appearance. Compression leggings worn underneath shorts must be solid in color. Long pants remain required for all official competition rounds. The PGA of America has allowed players to wear shorts during practice rounds at the PGA Championship the last two years. The European Tour initiated their shorts-wearing policy for practice rounds in 2016. In 1999, caddies on the PGA TOUR were first allowed to wear shorts during competition days. Monday’s announcement follows many years of discussion. Players, fans, sponsors and tournaments provided positive feedback to allow the wearing of shorts during non-competition days. Tiger Woods was asked last year during a Facebook Live interview for his view on the topic. “I would love it,� Woods responded. “We play in some of the hottest climates on the planet. We usually travel with the sun, and a lot of our events are played in the summer.� Others have previously addressed the issue. “It makes the guys a lot more comfortable,� Rory McIlroy said. “… I don’t think there’s anything wrong with professional golfers showing the lower half of their leg.�

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Two NCAA Division II Players of the Year, a former Pepperdine standout and a four-time TOUR winner will compete this week on TOUR as open qualifiers. The Butterfield Bermuda Championship open qualifier was conducted Oct. 17, with 65 players competing for four spots in this week’s field at Port Royal GC in Bermuda. Qualifying were Chandler Blanchet (64), Clay Feagler (65), John VanDerLaan and Aaron Baddeley. VanDerLaan and Baddeley survived a 6-for-2 playoff at 5-under 66; the odd men out were Garett Reband, Alex Weiss, Ben Kohles and Justin Doeden. Here’s a capsule look at the four Monday qualifiers for the Butterfield Bermuda Championship: Chandler Blanchet (7-under 64) Age: 27 Hometown: Gainesville, Florida Alma mater: University of West Florida PGA TOUR starts: 0 Notes: Made five birdies and an eagle in qualifier to secure his first PGA TOUR start … Has made 53 career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a T4 at the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic, into which he Monday qualified as a conditional member. Fell short at First Stage of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School last month … Won 2019 Sao Paulo Golf Club Championship on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, including a second-round 61 … Taco enthusiast who aspires to own a coffee/taco shop one day … Won 2017 Jack Nicklaus Award as top player in NCAA Division II men’s golf. Clay Feagler (6-under 65) Age: 24 Hometown: Newport Beach, California Alma mater: Pepperdine PGA TOUR starts: 0 Notes: Overcame a double bogey on third hole of qualifier with eight birdies, earning his first TOUR start … Competed full-time on 2022 Korn Ferry Tour, recording five top-25s in 22 starts and finishing No. 82 on the Points List. He’ll compete at Final Stage of Q-School next week with the aim of earning guaranteed starts in 2023; he holds conditional status at minimum … Competed at Pepperdine alongside second-year TOUR member Sahith Theegala … Mom Caryn has memorably caddied for him on Korn Ferry Tour. Aaron Baddeley (5-under 66; advanced via playoff) Age: 41 Hometown: Lebanon, New Hampshire (raised in Australia) Alma mater: N/A PGA TOUR starts: 477 Cuts made: 283 Best PGA TOUR finish: Win (2006 RBC Heritage; 2007 WM Phoenix Open; 2011 Genesis Invitational; 2016 Barbasol Championship) Notes: Budding Monday qualifying specialist also four-spotted into Fortinet Championship last month … Made three birdies and an eagle against no bogeys to earn spot in Bermuda qualifier playoff … Holds TOUR Past Champion status after failing to improve status via Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Earned fully exempt 2023 Korn Ferry Tour status via “floor of five” category in Finals … Long renowned as one of the game’s premier putters … Recently began working with putting coach John Graham, who also works with Justin Thomas … Split time between the PGA TOUR (13 starts) and Korn Ferry Tour (11 starts) last season. John VanDerLaan (5-under 66; advanced via playoff) Age: 26 Hometown: Southbury, Connecticut Alma mater: Florida Southern PGA TOUR starts: 1 Cuts made: 1 Best PGA TOUR finish: T31, 2018 Barbasol Championship Notes: A veteran presence on the Korn Ferry Tour, having kept his card in both the 2020-21 and 2022 seasons. Finished No. 47 on 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List with 18 made cuts in 24 starts, including seven top-25 finishes … Made five birdies against no bogeys to earn a spot in qualifier playoff … Was named 2018 Jack Nicklaus Award winner as top player in NCAA Division II men’s golf … Won 2018 Connecticut Open at same course, New Haven CC, that got him started in golf … Earliest golf memory is eating animal crackers with Billy Andrade at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut; VanDerLaan was 5 years old at the time.

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