Chris Kirk began his week by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange. Now the Woodstock native and Georgia grad has some serious work to do on the golf course.
Kirk is trying to nail down a spot on the U.S. Presidents Cup team with a strong showing at this week’s Deutsche-Bank Championship, which he won a year ago. Kirk currently holds the 10th and final spot on the points list, one place ahead of Bill Haas, whose father, Jay, is the captain of the U.S. team.
Kirk has been out with a broken hand since the U.S. Open. He missed the British Open and the PGA and missed the cut last week at the Barclays in his return to the Tour. Kirk is currently No. 39 on the FedEx Cup points list.
Cink eliminated by a shot: Duluth's Stewart Cink is out of the playoffs, missing a chance to advance to the second round by one shot. It came down to a 14-footer he missed for par on the 18th hole at the Barclays. That left him at No. 102 on the points list, with the top 100 moving on to the Deutsche-Bank.
Also eliminated were ex-UGA star Erik Compton, former Masters champion Adam Scott and three-time major champion Padraig Harrington.
This week the focus is to finish in the top 70 and earn a place at the BMW Championship. The top 30 from there earn a spot at the big-money Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club.
Local players who need a big week to advance in the playoffs include Augusta’s Charles Howell III (No. 74), Augusta’s Scott Brown (No. 84), Clayton State grad Will Wilcox (No. 89), Sea Island’s Davis Love III (No. 90), Georgia grad Hudson Swafford (No. 93), Georgia Tech grad Chesson Hadley (No. 97) and Atlanta’s Kyle Reifers (No. 98).
Harman's aces: Brian Harman made the guys in the press tent happy last weekend when he sent 300 iced-down beverages to celebrate the two hole-in-ones he scored Sunday at the Barclays.
“It’s pretty crazy to play a 100-some-odd tournaments and never have one, but to have two in the same tournament is pretty awesome,” said Harman, a native of Savannah and UGA graduate.
Only two players have scored two aces in the same round: Yusaku Miyazato at the 2006 Barracuda Championship and amateur Bill Whedon at the 1955 Insurance City Open.
Tour Championship music: Fans who attend the Tour Championship can expect first-class entertainment when they attend the event. A highlight will be a post-round tailgate party with the popular band Yacht Rock Revue, who will perform a free concert on Saturday after the competition ends in the mid-afternoon. Spectators will also be able to watch the afternoon's college football games on the big video screen.
Etc.: Atlanta's Jorge Cora won the U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier at Berkeley Hills in Duluth. Also earning a spot in the national event, to be played Sept. 26-Oct. 1 in New Jersey, were Mark Burden of Atlanta, Bill Leonard of Dallas and Jeff Belk of Marietta. … Doug Hanzel of Savannah won the Georgia State Golf Association's Senior Championship by 13 shots at the Brickyard in Macon. Hanzel has won the event three of the last four years. … Covington-based Bridgestone Golf has surpassed the 300,000 number for live golf ball fittings, which it began in 2007. The company has 20 teams throughout the country that conduct almost 2,000 free fittings each week during golf season.
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