Tim Weinhart won the Georgia PGA Championship for the second time, beating a quality field at the Sea Island Golf Club’s Seaside Course.
Weinhart, who operates the Tim Weinhart Golf Academy at Heritage Golf Links in Tucker, closed with a 66 to finish at 4-under 206. Weinhart is the reigning PGA Player of the Year. His other section title came in 2005.
Sonny Skinner the PGA professional at Spring Hill Country Club in Tifton was one shot back and Georgia Golf Hall of Fame member James Mason of Dillard finished at even par. Former PGA Tour player Paul Claxton, the head professional at Hawks Pointe in Vidalia, was alone in fourth.
New tournament director for Mitsubishi Classic: Monte Ortel has been named tournament director of the Mitsubishi Electric Classic, the Champions Tour event held annually at TPC Sugarloaf. He had held a similar post at the Greenbrier Classic since 2013. He replaces Elissa Dooman, who had held the position since 2012.
Former Jackets earn PGA cards: Georgia Tech graduates Richy Werenski and Ollie Schniederjans are among the 25 players who have secured their PGA Tour privileges for 2016-17. Werenski was No. 2 and Schniederjans was No. 6 on the Web.com Tour money list.
Werenski had four top-25 finishes and won the BMW Charity Pro-Am, one of the tour’s signature events. Schniederjans has seven top-25s and won the Air Capital Classic.
Both will compete in the Web.com Tour Finals in an effort to enhance their standing and have access to the maximum number of events. An additional 25 PGA Tour cards are at stake during the four-week playoff run, which starts this week in Ohio.
Stackhouse takes first step to LPGA: Riverdale's Mariah Stackhouse finished 17th and sailed through Stage I of the LPGA and Symetra Tour Qualifying School tournament. Stackhouse tied for 17th, despite shooting a 78 in the final round. Other Georgians who advanced were Avery George of Perry, Kendall Wright of Duluth, Kaylin Yost of Kennesaw and Jessica Welch of Thomasville. Stage II will be Oct. 17-23 at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., where the top 80 and ties advance to the final stage.
Love shows off Ryder Cup: Fans at the Georgia-North Carolina football game on Saturday were to sneak a peek at the Ryder Cup. Captain Davis Love III is on a 13-city tour to build excitement in the matches, which are Sept. 27-Oct. 2 at Hazeltine National.
