Golf Events from the Weekend 28th July 2013

Well it was another awesome weekend on the Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world. This week the USPGA Tour and FedEx Cup headed to Canada for the RBC Canadian Open and it was played on the Glen Abbey GC, Oakville, Ontario, Canada. And it was the golfer by the name of Brandt Snedeker (USA) who scored rounds of 70-2, 69-3, 63-9 and a final round of 70-2 for a 72 hole total of 272-16 and he won by three shots for his sixth win on the USPGA Tour of his career and his second with this year having won the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in early February. Brandt Snedeker (USA) earned US $1,008,000 for his efforts and moved to fourth position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $ 4,829,911 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) still leads that list with US $6,159,119 earned from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. Brandt Snedeker (USA) also earned 500 FedEx Cup Points for his win and moved to third position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 2,178 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He is 303 points behind the current leader of the FedEx Cup who is Tiger Woods (USA) who has earned 2,481 points from the ten events he has played to date this year so far. Tiger Woods (USA) leads the FedEx Cup points list standings by 278 points over Matt Kuchar (USA) who has earned 2,203 points from the 17 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 16 events Brandt Snedeker (USA) has played so far this year he has made 12 cuts and achieved eight top ten finishes that includes the win here.

Brandt Snedeker (USA) in action during the final round

Brandt Snedeker (USA) played a steady final round of 70-2 that included a front nine of 34-1 which included birdies on the par five, second hole and par three, seventh hole but he made a poor bogey on the par four, sixth hole and made the turn at minus 15 and was leading by three shots. William McGirt (USA) went out in 32-3 and made the turn at minus 12 and was three shots behind the leader. Dustin Johnson (USA) went out in 33-2 and made the turn at minus 13 and was two shots behind the leader. Matt Kuchar (USA) went out in 34-1 and made the turn at minus 13 and was two shots behind the leader. Jason Bohn (USA) went out in 35 even par and made the turn at minus 12 and was three shots behind the leader.

Brandt Snedeker (USA) played holes 10-14 in even par and remained at minus 15 with four holes to play and was now only leading by one shot. William McGirt (USA) played holes 10-14 in even par and remained at minus 12 and was still three shots behind the leader. Dustin Johnson (USA) played holes 10-14 in one under par and moved to minus 14 and was now only one shot out of the lead. Matt Kuchar (USA) played holes 10-14 in one over par and fell back to minus 12 and now was three shots behind the leader. Jason Bohn (USA) played holes 10-14 in one under par and moved to minus 13 and now was only two shots behind the leader.

Brandt Snedeker (USA) played holes 15-17 in one under par and moved to minus 16 and now had a three shot lead with just the 72nd hole to play. William McGirt (USA) played holes 15-17 in even par and remained minus 12 with just the 72nd hole to play. Dustin Johnson (USA) played holes 15 -17 in two over par and fell back to minus 12 and was now four shots off the leader. Matt Kuchar (USA) played holes 15 – 17 in one under par and moved to minus 13 and was three shots off the lead with the 72nd hole to play. Jason Bohn (USA) played holes 15-17 in even par and remained at minus 13 with the 72nd hole to play.

Brandt Snedeker (USA) pulled his drive into the left fairway bunker off the tee at the par five, 72nd hole. He was forced to lay up with his second shot. His third shot was from around 100 yards in the fairway and he hit a perfect shot under the circumstances that landed pin high about 35 feet to the left of the flag stick. He now knew he had won the RBC Canadian Open as walked up the fairway to the green. He struck a very good putt for birdie that rolled a couple of feet past the cup and he easily tapped in for his par five. He scored 36-1 on his back nine and finished at minus 16 after 72 holes to win by three shots. William McGirt (USA) made a birdie at the par five, 72nd hole and moved to minus 13 and finished three shots behind the winner. Dustin Johnson (USA) made a solid birdie at the par five, 72nd hole and moved to minus 13 and finished three shots behind the winner. Matt Kuchar (USA) made a par at the par five, 72nd hole and remained at minus 13 and finished three shots behind the winner. Jason Bohn (USA) made a par at the par five, 72nd hole and remained at minus 13 and finished three shots behind the winner.

Brandt Snedeker (USA) poses with the RBC Canadian Open Trophy he won!!

Brandt Snedeker (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2007 season and he has easily kept his card every year for the following season every year since and he has achieved six wins in that time and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2007 Wyndham Championship, 2011 The Heritage, 2012 Farmers Insurance Open, TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, 2013 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am and the RBC Canadian Open. He now has career earnings to date on the USPGA Tour of US $20,928,134 earned from the 182 events he has played in his career to date so far. Last year he won the 2012 FedEx Cup and the Ten Million Dollar Bonus that goes with it. I feel he is destined to win a Major Championship before his career is over, maybe it will happen in the 2013 season and perhaps it could happen at the PGA Championship next month? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Coming in tied for second position at 275-13 after 72 holes was William McGirt (USA); he won US $369,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 88th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $856,466 earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 184 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 80th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points standings list with 529 points earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. From the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far he has made 13 cuts and achieved two top ten finishes that includes the one here. It was also his career best finish on the USPGA Tour to date so far in his career. He gained his card on the USPGA Tour for the first time in his career when he finished in tied for second position at the 2010 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and gained his 2011 USPGA Tour card. He had a poor rookie season with only earning US $532,933 from the 32events he played in and that placed him in 141st position on the final 2011 USPGA Tour Money list standings. He went back to the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament and gained his card back for the 2012 season by finishing in tied for 13th position. He had a much better season in 2012 where he made over one million US dollars easily keeping his card for the 2013 season. Maybe he could achieve his maiden win on the USPGA Tour in the 2013 season? Also tied for second position was Dustin Johnson (USA); he too won US $369,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 15th position on the current 2013 USPGA Money list standings with US $2,298,594 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 184 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 14th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 1,104 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 16 events he has played to date this year so far he has made eleven cuts and achieved four top ten finishes which includes the one here and also a win at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in early January, he has also withdrawn from two events. Since he qualified for the USPGA Tour by finishing in tied for 14th position at the 2007 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament he has retained his full playing status on the USPGA Tour every season since and earned at least US $1.7million every season since. He has also won seven events on the USPGA Tour to date so far and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2008 Turning Stone Resort Championship, 2009 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, 2010 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, BMW Championship. 2011 The Barclays, 2012 FedEx St. Jude Classic and the 2013 Hyundai Tournament of Champions. The only thing that he is lacking now is his maiden Major Championship win and I wouldn’t be surprised if it happened at the PGA Championship in two weeks time. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Also tied for second position was Matt Kuchar (USA); he too earned US $369,600.00 for his efforts and moved to third position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $4,857,908 earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 184 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to second position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup points list standings with 2,203 points earned from the 17 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 17 events he has played to date this year so far he has made all 17 cuts and achieved seven top ten finishes which includes the one here and the two wins with the first coming at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in late February and the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance in early June. Matt Kuchar (USA) has now won six times on the USPGA Tour and here they are from his first to the most recent: 2002 The Honda Classic, 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship, 2010 The Barclays, 2012 THE PLAYERS Championship, 2013 World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship and the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance. Matt Kuchar (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour full time on and off since the 2002 season and has easily kept his card for the next season every season since except for the 2005 season. He spent the 2006 season on the Web.com Tour and earned his 2007 USPGA Tour card back by earning US $300,867 from the 21 events he played in and finished in tenth position on the final 2006 Web.com Tour Money list standings. Since 2007 he has had huge success on the USPGA Tour and his current all time USPGA Tour earnings are US $25,657,127 earned from 295 events he has played to date so far in his career. The next step for him would be to win a Major Championship and maybe it will happen at the 2013 PGA Championship? I wish him all the best with for the rest of the 2013 season. 

The final player to tie for second position was Jason Bohn (USA); he too earned US $369,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 98th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $739,030 earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 184 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 93rd position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 454 points earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. From those twenty one events he has played to date this year so far he has made 12 cuts and achieved two top ten finishes including the one here. He has been playing the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2004 season after finishing in ninth position on the final 2003 Web.com Tour Money list standings with US $255,191 earned from the 18 events he played in. He has easily kept his card for the next season every season since on the USPGA Tour and in that time he has won two events on the USPGA Tour with the first being the 2005 B.C. Open and the second one being the 2010 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He has current career earnings on the USPGA Tour to date of US $10,538,909 earned from the 241 events he has played to date so far in his career. Let’s hope he can have some more top ten finishes in the weeks to coming on the USPGA Tour.

Coming in tied for sixth position at 276-12 after 72 holes was Mark Wilson (USA); he earned US $187,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 81st position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $884,930 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 92 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 96th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 450 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 16 events he has played to date this year so far he has made eight cuts and achieved three top ten finishes that includes the one here. Mark Wilson (USA) has been playing the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2003 season after gaining his full USPGA Tour card by finishing in tied for 17th position at the 2002 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Since then he has kept his card every season since for the following season. He has won five events on USPGA Tour to date so far in his career that included 2007 The Honda Classic, 2009 Mayakoba Golf Classic at Riviera Maya-Cancun, 2011 Sony Open in Hawaii, Waste Management Phoenix Open, and 2012 Humana Challenge in partnership with the Clinton Foundation. He has current career earnings on the USPGA Tour of US $13,867,079 earned from the 282 events he has played so far in his career. Maybe his sixth win will happen this year?

Also tied for sixth position was John Merrick (USA); he too earned US $187,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 27th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,719,705 earned from the 18 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 92 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 28th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup points list standings with 837 points earned from the 18 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 18 events he has played to date this year so far he has made eleven cuts and achieved two top ten finishes and that includes the one here and also his maiden win at the Northern Trust Open in mid February. John Merrick (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2007 season after gaining his card by finishing tied for fourth position at the 2006 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Since then he has kept his card for the next season every season since and earlier this year in mid February he achieved his maiden win on the USPGA Tour at the Northern Trust Open. Also he has career earnings to date of US $7,568,272 earned from the 182 events he has played so far in his career. I wish him to have more top ten finishes in the weeks ahead on the USPGA Tour. The final player to tie for sixth position was Roberto Castro (USA); he too earned US $187,600.00 for his efforts and moved to 48th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,383,879 earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 92 FedEx Cup Points for his efforts and moved to 41st position on the current FedEx Cup points list standings with 761 points earned from the twenty three events he has played to date this year so far. From those twenty three events he has played to date this year so far he has made 14 cuts and achieved two top ten finishes and that includes the one here. He has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2012 season after gaining his card by finishing in tied for 13th position at the 2011 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. His rookie year on the USPGA Tour in 2012 was good with making him 19 cuts from the 27 events he entered and he also achieved his first top ten finish at the Greenbrier Classic in early July. He earned US $755,095 and finished in 118th position on the final 2012 USPGA Tour Money list standings and easily kept his card for the 2013 season. Now he has secured his card for the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season, he can now focus on winning his maiden USPGA Tour event. Maybe it will happen in the 2013 season? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Rounding out the top ten in tied for ninth position at 277-11 after 72 holes was Jim Furyk (USA); he earned US  $151,200.00 for his efforts and moved to 62nd position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $1,155,179 earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 75 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 57th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 651 points earned from the 16 events he has played to date this year so far. From the 16 events he has played to date this year so far he has made 13 cuts and achieved three top ten finishes that includes the one here. Jim Furyk (USA) has been playing on the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 1994 season and in that time he has amassed career earnings of US $53,874,638 earned from the 498 events he has played to date so far in his career. He could be a dark horse for the PGA Championship in two week’s time which he has performed well in the recent years. Last year was a year of missed chances for him with his narrow misses at the US Open Championship and couple of other tournaments. But he hasn’t won on the USPGA Tour since the 2010 THE TOUR Championship presented by Coca-Cola. But he has won 16 tournaments in his USPGA Tour career to date and that includes his maiden Major Championship which came at the 2003 US Open Championship. I feel his 17th win will come very soon. I wish him all the best for rest of the 2013 season.

Also tied for ninth position was Aaron Baddeley (Australia); he too earned US  $151,200.00 for his efforts and moved to 106th position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $696,064 earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 75 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 112th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 401 points earned from the twenty one events he has played to date this year so far. From those twenty one events he has played to date this year so far he has made nine cuts and achieved two top ten finishes that includes the one here. The amazing thing about the result here is that he had missed his previous ten cuts prior to this event. Aaron Baddeley (Australia) has been playing the USPGA Tour fulltime since the 2003 season and in that time he has career earnings of US $16,009,975 earned from the 279 events he has played to date so far in his career so far and that includes achieving three wins to date on the USPGA Tour and here they are from the first to the most recent: 2006 Verizon Heritage, 2007 FBR Open and the 2011 Northern Trust Open. I’m sure win number four isn’t too far off and maybe it could happen this season? I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

The final player to tie for ninth position was Patrick Reed (USA); he too earned US $151,200.00 for his efforts and moved to 73rd position on the current 2013 USPGA Tour Money list standings with US $973,999 earned from the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far. He also earned 75 FedEx Cup points for his efforts and moved to 75th position on the current 2013 FedEx Cup Points list standings with 562 points earned from the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far. From the twenty two events he has played to date this year so far he has made 13 cuts and achieved four top ten finishes that includes the one here. He is in his Rookie Season on the USPGA Tour after gaining his 2013 USPGA Tour card by finishing in tied for 22nd position at the 2012 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. He is still very young with only being 22 years of age and turns 23 in early August. I feel now he has earned enough money to secure his full playing status for the 2013/14 USPGA Tour season. And it is nice that he has his wife Justine who is a registered nurse is Caddying for him in his rookie season. I wish him all the best for the rest of the 2013 season.

Next week there are two tournaments on the USPGA Tour and part of the FedEx Cup. The first one is the third World Golf Championship of the year and is co – sanctioned with all the other Major Professional Golf Tours from around the world and is the World Golf Championship – Bridgestone Invitational and it is played on the Firestone CC (South), Akron, Ohio. It carries a huge prize purse of US $8,750,000 for the taking. Only the top 50 players on the Official Golf World Rankings list the week prior to the event get invited to play in it. Plus a few high achievers from the smaller tours around the world. Keegan Bradley (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen to defend his title. It starts on Thursday 1st August and I will report back who won the trophy next week. The second event on the USPGA Tour and is part of the FedEx Cup and is for the plays that aren’t in the World Golf Championship – Bridgestone Invitational. It is the Reno – Tahoe Open and it played on the Montreux G&CC, Reno, NV. It carries a smaller prize purse of US $3,000,000 for the taking. It is played under the modified Stableford format instead of the normal stroke play. You get zero points for a par, minus points one for a bogey, minus three points for a double bogey or worse, plus two points for a birdie, plus five points for a eagle and plus eight points for rear Double eagle. J. J. Henry (USA) is the defending Champion and will be keen for back to back titles. It starts on Thursday 1st August and I report back who won the trophy next week.

So to the Top 5 on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list this week and coming in at Number One Position for the 642nd week of his career in total is the Tiger Woods (USA) who is fresh off his tied for sixth position at the Open Championship a week ago with 12.46 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Two is Phil Mickelson (USA) who is fresh off his Open Championship win a week ago with 8.56 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Three is Rory McILroy (NIR) with 8.43 Official Golf World Ranking Points; coming in at Number Four is Justin Rose (England)  who is fresh off his maiden Major Championship win at the 113th US Open Championship over a month ago with 7.59 Official Golf World Ranking Points; and rounding out the top 5 on the Official Golf World Ranking Points list this week is Adam Scott (Australia) who won his maiden Major Championship at the Masters Tournament over three months ago and tying for third position at the Open Championship a week ago with 7.58 Official Golf World Ranking Points. Michael Hendry (NZL) fresh off  his tie for 6th position at the Gate Way To The Open Mizuno Open 2013 on the Japan Golf Tour a month ago is the highest ranked New Zealander Golfer in the world for the twenty fifth straight week of his career. This week he slips four places and moves to181st position on the Official World Golf Rankings Points list with 1.00 Official Golf World Ranking Points.

Remember you drive for show and putt for dough!!

Source: pgatour.com