WGA Caddie Academy awarded $125,000 from PGA TOUR to support programming that reaches underserved and underrepresented youth

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Three rookies fresh off the Korn Ferry Tour, and one former amateur star who hasn’t competed in an official event in three years, were the four Monday qualifiers for this week’s Shriners Children’s Open. Jared Wolfe was Monday’s medalist by coming within one bad break of breaking 60. He was 12 under when he hit his tee shot into the fairway on the final hole. His approach shot hit the bottom of the flagstick, however, and rolled 30 feet away. His putt for 59 stopped 3 inches short of the hole. Still, he was more than satisfied with shooting 60. “The goal is to make it in (the event) this week, and that was just a little cherry on top to try and shoot 59,” Wolfe told PGATOUR.COM. Former Stanford All-American Brandon Wu, winner of last year’s Korn Ferry Tour presented by United Leasing & Finance, earned the second qualifying spot with a bogey-free 62. The final two spots went to Alex Smalley – who was teammates with Wu on the United States’ victorious Walker Cup team in 2019 – and Jin Jeong, who both shot 63. Jeong may be the story of the week. He will play his first PGA TOUR event in seven years after qualifying Monday. Jeong was 20 years old when he won the 2010 British Amateur and finished T14 in that year’s Open Championship at St. Andrews. He won on the European Tour three years later but has endured a rocky road since. He suffered a hip injury in 2015 and went on to miss 32 consecutive cuts. Jeong, 31, has not held a card on any worldwide tour in five years and his last start in an event offering Official World Golf Ranking points was a lone event in 2018. Jin Jeong Q&A PGATOUR.COM: What have you been doing the past couple of years? Jeong: I was on the European Tour for a few years, and then I got injured and my game was in a bad place. I took a break. Now I am trying to come back and play any tour. For the last couple of years, I have been teaching. While I am teaching, I try to play in as many tournaments as I can. This year I’ve started to play better so I’m trying to play more. PGATOUR.COM: How do you feel your game is right now? Jeong: Recently my game started feeling really good. I’ve been hitting it pretty solid off the tee, and my irons and putting have been pretty good. Today everything was solid and I didn’t make many mistakes. PGATOUR.COM: What are your goals at this stage in your career? Jeong: The first goal is to get back on tour. If it is the PGA TOUR, that would be the best. PGATOUR.COM: What would getting a start on the PGA TOUR do for your confidence? Jeong: It’s huge. Especially after a few years of taking a break. Earlier this year, I didn’t know which tour or tournaments I was going to play. Today, I shot -9, and that was good for me to see some results. If that gets me a PGA TOUR start, that would give me a lot of confidence. PGATOUR.COM: Did you think about not pursuing professional golf, and if so, how long was that a thought? Jeong: I always wanted to come back. To me, it didn’t matter how long it would take. I try to work on small things, achieve small goals, and focus on the process. QUALIFIERS Jared Wolfe (60) Age: 33 College: Murray State Turned pro: 2010 PGA TOUR starts: 2 Cuts made: 0 Notes: Qualified for this season by finishing eighth on the Korn Ferry Tour’s Regular Season Points List, including two wins… Missed the cut in the first two events of this season (Fortinet Championship, Sanderson Farms Championship)… Won three times on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica between 2017-19. Member of Murray State’s 2010 Ohio Valley Conference championship team… Says he started playing golf because he couldn’t jump high enough to play basketball and was too slow for other sports… Ranked 340th in the Official World Golf Rankings. Brandon Wu (62) Age: 24 College: Stanford Turned pro: 2019 PGA TOUR starts: 13 Cuts made: 6 PGA TOUR earnings: $264,112 Notes: Finished 13th on the Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Points List, making 21 of 28 cuts and winning the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance… Has missed his first two cuts of the season at the Fortinet Championship and Sanderson Farms Championship… Made nine PGA TOUR starts between 2020-21, with his best finish at last year’s Houston Open (T17)… Played four years of college golf at Stanford, going 3-0 in match play to help the Cardinal to the 2019 NCAA team title… While still an amateur, qualified for both the 2019 U.S. Open (T35) and Open Championship (MC); he was the first amateur since Joe Carr in 1967 to qualify for both championships. Because he missed his graduation to play in the U.S. Open at nearby Pebble Beach, received his degree on the final green Sunday… Also was the U.S. Amateur’s the stroke-play medalist in 2019 and was a semifinalist at 2018 Western Amateur… Won the 2017 Porter Cup… Was ranked 60th in the high school class of 2015. Led Deerfield Academy (Mass.) to 2013 New England Championship in golf and swimming. Ranked 258th in the Official World Golf Rankings. Jin Jeong (63) Age: 31 Turned pro: 2011 PGA TOUR starts: 8 Cuts made: 4 PGA TOUR earnings: $175,250 Notes: Will make his first PGA TOUR start since the 2014 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions… Played three events during the 2014 PGA TOUR season, with his best finish coming at the WGC-HSBC Champions (T18)… Won his first event as a professional on the European Tour at the 2013 ISPS Handa Perth International in a playoff against Ross Fisher… Tied for second with Tyrrell Hatton in the 2014 Joburg Open, three shots behind George Coetzee… Won The Amateur Championship in 2010. Took advantage of his British Open exemption that year by finishing T14 as an amateur… Reached No. 1 in the world amateur ranking, holding the spot for five weeks… His last PGA TOUR start was the WGC-HSBC Champions in November 2014. He shot 85-79-75-80 to finish last by 13 shots. Alex Smalley (63) Age: 24 College: Duke Turned pro: 2019 PGA TOUR starts: 6 Cuts made: 3 PGA TOUR earnings: $135,788 Notes: Birdied the final four holes of the Wyndham Championship in August to clinch his spot in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Then made the cut in all three Finals events, including a T4 finish, to earn his TOUR card… Finished T31 at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week… Made the cut in all four PGA TOUR starts last season, including three top-30 finishes… Had two top-5 finishes in four starts on the Forme Tour this year… Was a four-year letterman at Duke and was named 2019 Duke Scholar-Athlete of the Year… Was a member of the 2019 U.S. Arnold Palmer Cup team and the Walker Cup team. Ranked 411 in the Official World Golf Rankings… Medalist in the 2016 U.S. Amateur… First player since Rickie Fowler to win the Sunnehanna Amateur in consecutive years. NOTES Notables who missed qualifying: D.J. Trahan, Beau Hossler, Austin Eckroat, John Huh, Paul Barjon, Jonathan Byrd, Justin Suh, Spencer Levin, Eric Axley, Aaron Baddeley, Robert Garrigus, Andrew Loupe, Bo Hoag, K.K. Limbhasut, David Lipsky, Braden Thornberry, Sangmoon Bae, Bob May, Ricky Barnes, Tain Lee, Scott Harrington, Patrick Rodgers, and Dylan Wu. 2021-2022 Monday Qualifiers statistics Last event’s qualifier results (Sanderson Farms Championship): Grant Hirschman (T17), Sam Saunders (MC), Quade Cummins (MC), Kyle Reifers (T35). Total money earned by Monday qualifiers on TOUR this season: $137,976 Best finish of the 2021-22 season by a Monday qualifier: Grant Hirschman (T17, Sanderson Farms Championship). Next qualifier: Butterfield Bermuda Championship at Port Royal Golf Club in Southhampton, Bermuda (Oct. 18, 2021)

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OAKVILLE, Ont. – There’s just something about Canada for Robert Garrigus. Last year at the RBC Canadian Open during the third round Garrigus fired a 10-under-par 62, to tie the course record. Thursday he kept those good vibes rolling with a 9-under-par 63 to take the first-round lead at Glen Abbey Golf Club. Play was suspended at 4:30 p.m. EST due to a dangerous weather situation in the area, the 14th event of the PGA TOUR season impacted by weather. Play resumed at 6:44 p.m. and was suspended once again at 8:04 p.m.  Garrigus, who finished his round prior to the weather delay, made five birdies in his first six holes before making the turn. He added four more on the back nine including birdies on each of the three par fives. He said he could have been on a “59 watchâ€� if he didn’t lip out birdie tries on No’s 10 and 17. He pointed to a lucky break on No. 13 that kept his round going. “Hit it right in the middle of the water, and it hit a rock and bounced over the thing and I made birdie,â€� he said with a smile. “It was a lot of fun today.â€� A year ago Garrigus was at the same position on the FedExCup standings as he is this year coming into the Canadian Open – 131st. He said he was hoping for “peace and calmâ€� this week and to try not to worry about his standing or his play up to this point in the season. “I was in the same exact place and I ended up finishing fifth and getting my card,â€� Garrigus said. “If I keep going like I am, it should be all right.â€� He had a bit of a premonition that a round like this was going to come. His season as been hit-or-miss, he said – he’s made 12 cuts but missed 11 – but had a good round last week at the Barbasol Championship (a 66 on Saturday) and had a good feeling this week. He said he was telling his wife and his agent and everyone who would listen that a “good one was coming eventually.â€� “It was a good day,â€� Garrigus said. But it’s not just Glen Abbey where Garrigus is feeling the love. He finished tied for second at the Canadian Open in 2012 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club – the site of next year’s tournament – one of four runner-up finishes that year en route to him finishing 23rd in the FedExCup race. “I love this place. I’ve always played well in Canada. There’s a lot of good vibes here,â€� he explained. “The fans are amazing here. They really, really love their Canadian golfers, and they love golf in general. They’ve always cheered for me, and I kind of feel the vibes. It’s pretty cool.â€� Garrigus has a one-shot lead over Adam Schenk, and a two-shot lead over Chris Stroud. First round play will continue Friday morning with 55 players still left to complete their rounds. OBSERVATIONS David Hearn admitted this year has been “a bit trickierâ€� not having fully exempt PGA TOUR status, but he showed no signs that was impacting his play Thursday. He shot a 4-under-par 68 to lead the 21-player Canadian contingent. Hearn grew up just 40 minutes away from Glen Abbey and played in the final group in 2015. He said he played great on Thursday and gave himself a lot of good chances to make birdie on a day when scoring conditions were ripe. “I would like to have been a couple more under on today’s round, but overall very happy with the way I hit it today,â€� he said. Nick Taylor, who is 127th on the FedExCup, tied Hearn with a 4-under 68. “I’m at a point I’ve just got to play well with a few tournaments left,â€� he said, acknowledging he knew where he was on the FedExCup standings. Michael Gligic – who was co-medalist at the Monday Qualifier – shot a 3-under-par 67. Mackenzie Hughes was last year’s Low Canadian, and he was 1-under through 12. Adam Hadwin, the highest-ranked Canadian on the FedExCup, finished at 2-under Thursday morning. Dustin Johnson was feeling a little off with his putting after nine holes Thursday, so he made a change. Johnson three-putted twice in his first nine holes, including missing a short putt for par on his first hole of the day, the par-4 10th. “I didn’t get off to the greatest of starts, but I still felt like I was playing well,â€� said Johnson, who is No. 1 on the FedExCup standings. Instead of using a more traditional overlap grip for his second nine, he separated his hands slightly. “I changed my putter grip. It worked,â€� he said, making 57 feet of putts on the front nine versus only 31 feet of putts on the back nine. Johnson also was fiddling with a different driver shaft on Wednesday before the tournament began, but went back to old faithful. “I ended up playing the same one again. I don’t like to try stuff,â€� he said with a laugh. Johnson finished at 4-under par. He’s five shots back of the lead going into Friday. Jhonattan Vegas came to Toronto about a week earlier than he needed to, but not because he wanted to, per se. During Vegas’ wild travel situation a week ago to get to The Open Championship, he had a layover in Toronto, and he actually didn’t mind all that much. “I always feel the energy here in the city,â€� he said. Vegas, who is looking to become the first three-peat winner of the RBC Canadian Open this week, is off to a solid start in his two-time title defense — he was 2-under par through 16 holes before the suspension of play. Only two other golfers have ever won three Canadian Opens, and he came into this week 123rd in the FedExCup standings in need of a good week to lock up his spot in the FedExCup Playoffs. “Obviously the past two years I’ve come into this week not having a great season and have been able to turn things around after this week,â€� he said. “I want to start turning around a little bit and giving myself a better chance to make TOUR Championship.â€� Adam Schenk couldn’t have asked for a better start to his first round at Glen Abbey – or his finish. Schenk made five-straight birdies and closed with three-straight on Thursday en route to shooting an 8-under-par 64, his lowest round of the year. He credits his artistic ability for his success in the first round. “I drew a new mark on my golf ball today, and for putting… it lined up well and seemed to make about everything,â€� he said. Schenk said a good start like the one he had Thursday is super important for him as he’s sitting 153rd on the FedExCup standings. “It’s really important. [We’re] running out of weeks,â€� acknowledged Schenk. “I think this is the first time y’all have interviewed me, so need to start playing a little better, but today is a nice start in that direction.â€� SHOT OF THE DAY CALL OF THE DAY NOTABLES Chris Stroud The winner of the 2017 Barracuda Championship shot his lowest round in relationship to par since early 2016: a 7-under-par 65. Tommy Fleetwood Fleetwood was 5-under through 16 holes after recording three eagles (on No’s 2, 13, and 16). He’s the first player this season to notch three eagles in one round, and has one par five left in his round.   Hunter Mahan Five years after leaving the RBC Canadian Open on Saturday (while he was leading) to be at home for the birth of his first child, Mahan is back in the mix. He shot a 4-under-par 68.   Ian Poulter After an 8-under-par 64 on Sunday a year ago, Poulter continued the good vibes Thursday, firing a 6-under-par 66. Joaquin Niemann The teenager earned PGA TOUR status thanks to a strong run of results this summer, including a T5 at A Military Tribute at The Greenbrier, his best result of the year. He opened with a 5-under-par 67. Zac Blair Coming into this week off his best finish of the year (a T15 at the Barbasol Championship last week), Blair, who is 168th on the FedExCup standings, shot a 5-under 67. QUOTABLES I drove it by Dustin by like 15 yards on No. 8 today, but I don’t want to mention that.They have their games, I have my game. You know, I’ve played with both of them before. I know how far they hit it. Obviously I stand back and watch in awe, as well, just like everybody else.I’m just looking for tomorrow. I’m not talking about the back end of the year.I feel like as soon as I started wearing the hats, I felt like a new vibe, and it feels good.I feel very comfortable, but you still get those first tee jitters when you get on the tee and they announce your name and you get a little bit louder cheer than you get anywhere else. SUPERLATIVES Longest Putt: 65 feet, 9 inches by Stewart Cink on the par-5 13th. Cink shot a 2-under-par 70. Longest Drive: 368 yards by Robert Garrigus, en route to a 9-under-par 63. Hardest Hole: The par-3 4th, averaging 3.149 shots. Easiest Hole: The par-5 16th, averaging 4.375 shots.

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