The PGA Tour returns to the mainland for the first of five consecutive events in California and Arizona. The first two stops are both significant.
The Career Builder Challenge, long known as the Bob Hope Classic, is the first stop. It has been adopted by Phil Mickelson, who serves as tournament ambassador. Auburn’s Jason Dufner is the defending champion.
The second event is the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines, which is expected to mark the return of Tiger Woods to full-field competition. Woods participated in the small-field Hero World Challenge in November, and this will make his first return to the PGA Tour since the 2015 Wyndham Championship. Woods has won the Farmers seven times.
Cink, Johnson endorse Furyk selection: Multi-time Ryder Cup participants Stewart Cink of Duluth and Zach Johnson of St. Simons both gave a thumbs-up to the choice of Jim Furyk as 2018 Ryder Cup captain.
Furyk was Cink’s first partner in a Ryder Cup match. Cink recalled being so nervous that day that he changed their pre-match strategy and asked Furyk to hit the opening tee shot in their alternate-shot match. Without flinching, Furyk stepped up and split the fairway. It gave Cink a chance to calm down. The duo won that match.
Johnson said, “They didn’t need to overthink this one. He’s already been a captain inside the locker room as a player with his experience, knowledge, wisdom … all the stuff you want in a leader. He will do very well.”
Furyk has competed in nine Ryder Cups and barely missed making the 2016 team, which he served as an assistant captain.
LPGA opens in Bahamas: Valdosta's Dori Carter and Riverdale's Mariah Stackhouse have earned their LPGA cards. Carter, an Ole Miss grad, is fully exempt and will play a full schedule. Stackhouse, who graduated last spring from Stanford, earned a partial exemption through LPGA qualifying, but should play almost as much as she likes. The season opens Jan. 23-29 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic at Paradise Island in the Bahamas.
New boss at GSGA: The Georgia State Golf Association has hired Matt Vanderpool at its executive director. He had served as executive director of the Tennessee Golf Association since 2008. He succeeds Matt Williams, who served two years and left for a position with Augusta National.
Ortel new director at Mitsubishi Electric Classic: Monte Ortel, formerly the tournament director at the PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic, has joined the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, the annual PGA Tour Senior event at TPC Sugarloaf in Duluth.
Weinhart makes history: Tim Weinhart, owner of the Tim Weinhart Golf Academy at Heritage Golf Clinks, won the Georgia PGA Professional Championship for the fifth time and became the first nine-time winner of the Georgia PGA Player of the Year award.
Etc.: Software company BDNA will be the title sponsor of the Georgia PGA Senior Tour for 2017. … Davis Love III broke his collarbone in a snowboarding accident and will be out at least 12 weeks. The elder Love, 52, was following son Dru down the slopes when the incident occurred.
