The RSM Classic:
Two days shy of his 26th birthday, 54-hole leader and PGA TOUR rookie Mackenzie Hughes won The RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia, emerging from a 5-man playoff for his first PGA TOUR title in his ninth career start (eighth as a pro).
The World No. 287 wins in his tournament debut and as a pre-tourney 200/1 outright. This was his fifth start as a member with a previous best of T13 at the Safeway Open five weeks ago, and arrived off a missed cut (by two) last week at the OHL Classic (even-par 71-71=142).
The Canadian opened on the Seaside Course at Sea Island Resort with a career-low bogey-free 9-under 61 to lead by one – his first career lead/co-lead on TOUR after ANY round – and extended the margin to two at the midpoint after a bogey-free 5-under 67 (Plantation Course).
In round 3, he camouflaged a triple bogey-7 with five birdies for 2-under 68 to begin the finale with a one-shot lead over three players, including 4-time TOUR winner Camilo Villegas and 3-time TOUR winner and 2014 FedExCup (FEC) champion Billy Horschel – the latter two completing the final threesome on Sunday.
In the finale, the Charlotte, North Carolina, resident squared bogey-5s on holes 2 and 11 (failed scrambles) and a 3-putt bogey (from 38’8”) at the par-3 sixth. He outpaced those with four birdies, kicking off with a 17-yard pitch-in birdie-3 at the fourth and adding conventional birdies on Nos. 7, 10 and 14 – each from inside of 13 feet.
In the end, Hughes carved out a 1-under 69 to match four others on 17-under 265, including Villegas (68) and Horschel (68), with Blayne Barber (66) and former TOUR member Henrik Norlander (65) joining the fray.
In sudden death, Horschel dropped out on the first playing of the par-4 18th with a 3-putt bogey while Hughes, Villegas, Barber and Norlander toured the 18th a second time in pars before darkness suspended play.
The foursome returned on Monday at 8:00 am ET to face the 189-yard par-3 17th. With temperatures barely climbing into the 40s, none of the four managed to find the surface with Hughes the only player to get up-and-down, canning a 15-footer from the fringe after leaving his chip shot short.
With the win, the Kent State alum earns a two-year exemption on TOUR (through 2018-19) and collects a host of other goodies, including invites to the Tournament of Champions, THE PLAYERS, PGA Championship and the Masters.
Hughes made his way to the main stage after finishing 17th in regular-season money on the Web.com Tour in 2016 – his second season on the junior circuit (2014). He made 14 cuts in 23 starts with three top 10s, including his first win at the Price Cutter Charity Championship in Springfield, Missouri (as the 54-hole leader).
The Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, native also won one time on the Mackenzie Tour – PGA TOUR Canada in 24 career events, claiming the Cape Breton Celtic Classic in 2013, where he erased a six-shot deficit in the final round with 6-under 66 to win by one. He is the only player in history to win on the Mackenzie Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA TOUR.
This was the seventh playing of The RSM Classic with all seven contested at the Sea Island Resort. It was the second straight edition that employed a two-course Rota with all golfers playing one round each on the par-72 Plantation Course (7,058 yards) and one round on the par-70 Seaside Course (7,005 yards). After the 36-hole cut, the final two rounds were on the Seaside Course. The cumulative scoring average for the week was 69.184.
Hughes, who posted rounds of 61-67-68-69, is the third winner this season to remove themselves from the Web.com Tour grad reshuffle, joining rookie Cody Gribble (Sanderson Farms) and Rod Pampling (Shriners). Last week’s OHL champion Pat Perez, won on a Major Medical Extension.
With a Strength of Field rating of 152, he collects 32.00 world-ranking points and climbs 177 places to a career-best 110th in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
In total, EIGHT of the Top 50 in OWGR were in the field this week: No. 20 Matt Kuchar (CUT); No. 26 Brandt Snedeker (T45); No. 28 Kevin Chappell (CUT); No. 34 Jim Furyk (T6); No. 35 Zach Johnson (CUT); No. 38 Bill Haas (T13); No. 41 Kevin Kisner (CUT); No. 48 William McGirt (T27).
Hughes collects 500 FEC points for the win, jumping 51 spots to a career-best 4th in the FEC standings. For the week, he was T50 in greens in regulation at 72.22 percent (52/72), but 1st in birdies with 23, 1st in total putts (105), 1st in putts per GIR at 1.615, and 2nd in scrambling at 85.00 percent (17/20).
Season Trends:
Inclusive of Hughes, SIX of the first SEVEN winners have emerged out of the FINAL group on Sunday. Only Brendan Steele bucks the trend, coming from four back with 7-under 65 to heist the season-opening Safeway out of the third-to-last threesome.
54-hole leaders/co-leaders are now 2-for-7 converting. Patton Kizzire (Safeway), Anirban Lahiri (CIMB), Luke List, Chris Kirk (Sanderson Farms), Lucas Glover (Shriners) and Gary Woodland (OHL) all failed to convert. Only Hideki Matsuyama (WGC-HSBC), and now Hughes, have been successful.
Winner’s Weekly Stats (ranking of 70 players):
NOTE: No ShotLink on Plantation Course
Birdies: 23 (1st)
Bogeys: 3 (T3)
3+ Bogeys: 1 (T68)
Par-3 Scoring: 2.94 (T23)
Par-4 Scoring: 3.80 (5th)
Par-5 Scoring: 4.30 (T8)
Driving Distance (all drives): 272.0 (T51)
Driving Accuracy: 44/56 (T11) at 78.57 percent
Greens in Regulation: 52/72 (T50) at 72.22 percent
Putts per GIR: 1.615 (1st)
Total Putts: 105 (1st); by round: 24-27-25-29
Scrambling: 17/20 (2nd) at 85.00 percent
Leader(s) in Select Stats:
Birdie or Better Percentage: Ollie Schniederjans (22 birdies, one eagle) and Hughes were T1 at 31.94 percent.
Birdie to Bogey Ratio: Horschel was 1st at 9.50. Norlander was 2nd at 6.33 and Hughes was 3rd at 5.75.
Golf Channel Perfect Picks:
Golf Channel’s game is scheduled to begin with the Tournament of Champions Jan. 5-8, 2017.
Draw:
No traditional draw this week with the two-course Rota in use the first two rounds. No trend either as last year’s winner (Kevin Kisner) began on the Plantation Course and Hughes began on the Seaside Course.
As far as making the 36-hole cut, it was more advantageous to begin on the Plantation Course with 42 (of 78) making the cut versus 38 (of 78) on Seaside.
Yahoo! Low Rounds:
Like Golf Channel, the Yahoo! game is expected to begin with the Tournament of Champions.
That said, here were the low rounds:
R1: Mackenzie Hughes (61-SS) *career low in 23rd career round
R2: Sung Kang (course-record 64-PL); Cheng Tsung Pan (career-low 64-SS); Luke List (64-SS); Brad Fritsch (64-SS)
R3: Camilo Villegas (64)
R4: Henrik Norlander; Jamie Lovemark; Anirban Lahiri; Kelly Kraft (65)
What We Learned:
Last season, the pre-tourney odds-favorite(s) won just TWICE in 46 events: Jordan Spieth at the Hyundai TOC and the DEAN & DELUCA – NONE so far this season through seven events.
Matt Kuchar: The 38-year-old was the top-ranked player at OWGR No. 20 AND the pre-tourney odds fave at 14/1 outright. He missed the 36-hole cut (by FIVE) at even-par 70-72=142. In six previous appearances, the Sea Island resident had never missed the cut and had never finished worse than T25.
First-timers: 33
Top 4:
Mackenzie Hughes (P1); Ollie Schniederjans (T6); Cheng Tsung Pan (T6); Anirban Lahiri (T13)
TOUR rookies: 22
Ollie Schniederjans: Besides Hughes, the World No. 197 was tied for next-best rookie with a four-way T6 on 14-under 268 (66-68-66-68). This was the Georgia Tech alum’s 19th career start (15 as a pro) and fourth as a member. It’s his FIRST top 10, supplanting T12 as an amateur at the 2015 Open Championship.
Cheng Tsung Pan: The World No. 215 joined Schniederjans as part of the four-way T6 on 14-under 268. He was solo 2nd thru 36 holes (66-64) and T2 thru 54 holes with 67, but dropped four spots following a 1-over 71. The 25-year-old records his FIRST top 10 in his 10th career start (seventh as a pro) and fifth as a member. His previous best was a T25 at the 2015 Travelers.
Cody Gribble: The 26-year-old entered the week 4-for-4 on the season with three top 15s, two for top 10s, including his win at the Sanderson Farms. He missed the cut (by two) at 3-under 70-69=139.
Ryan Blaum: The first Web.com Tour grad reshuffle took place at the conclusion of the RSM. With Gribble and Pampling removing themselves from the reshuffle with wins, the Duke alum has vaulted 23 places to No. 1 going 5-for-5 on the season with four finishes of T31 or better, including a season-best T11 the Sanderson Farms.
The 33-year-old Floridian was one of 18 players to make the cut on the number this week but missed the 54-hole cut (by one) after a 2-over 72, ending his streak of par-or-better rounds at 18.
Defending Champ:
Kevin Kisner: The University of Georgia alum won last year’s edition in a tournament-record 22-under 260. He missed the cut (by four) at 1-under 71-70=141.
Notable Finishes:
Camilo Villegas: Playing this season out of the Past Champion category, the World No. 424 orchestrated a 2-under-par 35-33=68 in the final round to wrap his fifth appearance tied with four others on 17-under 265 (66-67-64-68), and then lost on the third hole of sudden death.
The four-time TOUR winner was looking for his first win since the 2014 Wyndham Championship where he came from four back with 7-under 63 to win by one. He began the finale in a three-way T2 on 15-under, one back of Hughes. Playing out of the final threesome with eventual playoff combatants Hughes and Horschel, the 34-year-old circled three birdies against one bogey on 10 (of 14) fairways and 12 greens in regulation.
Villegas, who won the 2008 TOUR Championship in a playoff, drops to 1-2 in sudden death but does record his fourth career runner-up (287th career event) and first top 10 since the aforementioned win at the Wyndham 61 starts ago.
Blayne Barber: The 26-year-old fashioned a 4-under-par 33-33=66 in the final round to conclude his third appearance tied with four others on 17-under 265 (63-68-68-66), and then lost on the third hole of sudden death.
The Auburn alum began the final frame on 13-under (T6), three shy of Hughes. Playing out of the third-to-last threesome, he hit 10 (of 14) fairways and 16 greens in regulation, circling five birdies against a lone bogey. After a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th, he led by one with three to play but finished with all pars.
The Tallahassee, Florida, native’s P2 is a career best in his 60th career start, eclipsing T3 at the 2016 Honda Classic.
Henrik Norlander: Making his first start of the season, the sponsor invite and World No. 441 painted a bogey-free 5-under-par 32-33=65 in the final round to match four others on 17-under 265 (67-67-66-65), and then was eliminated on the third hole of sudden death.
The Swede, who was a member of Augusta University’s back-to-back NCAA Championships, began the finale in a three-way T9 on 12-under, four back of Hughes. Playing out of the fourth-to-last threesome, he landed 12 (of 14) fairways and 14 greens in regulation, circling five birdies, including a walk-off 3 at the 18th, tying the low lap of the day with three others.
The 29-year-old’s P2 is his FIRST top 10 in his 45th career start, brushing aside a T15 at the 2013 Zurich Classic. His top-10 finish earns him an exemption into the 2017 Sony Open.
Billy Horschel: The 29-year-old rallied for a 2-under-par 36-32=68 in the final round to match four others on 17-under 265 (66-66-65-68) and then was eliminated on the first hole of sudden death, 3-putting the par-4 18th for bogey – whiffing his par putt from 18 inches.
Playing out of the final threesome, the Floridian began the finale in a three-way T2 on 15-under, one back of Hughes. He was sleepwalking thru 10 holes (nine pars, one bogey) before awakening to circle holes 11, 14 and 15.
Horschel was chasing his fourth TOUR title in his 153rd career start, first since the 2014 TOUR Championship. He settles for his third career runner-up, first since a T2 at the 2014 Deutsche Bank, and drops to 0-1 in sudden death.
Jamie Lovemark: After kicking off in 67-66-70, the World No. 100 back-doored a T6 with a day-tying-low 65, his second top 10 at the RSM in as many tries (T9/2016). It’s also a season best in his fifth start, previously T20 at Safeway.
Jim Furyk: After opening in 64-69-68, the 46-year-old back-doored a T6 with 67. He was solo 3rd on last visit in 2012 and T11 in 2011. This was his second start of season following a missed cut last week at OHL.
Russell Henley: Playing his fifth RSM, the 27-year-old bagged a third straight top 10 (T6/2016; T4/2015) with a three-way T10 (67-65-70-67). It’s his first top 10 this season in four starts but third straight top 25.
Stewart Cink: The 43-year-old, playing this season on a Top 25 Career-Money-List exemption, records his first top 30 at the RSM in six appearances with a three-way T10 (62-71-67-69). It’s his first top 10 of the season in four starts but third straight top 15. It’s also his first top 10 on TOUR since T5 at the 2015 RBC Canadian Open 69 weeks (26 starts) ago.
Patrick Rodgers: After opening in 69-65-65, the second-year man closed in even-par 70, dropping four spots into a three-way T10 on 13-under 270. It’s his first top 10 of the season in five starts (three MCs), and first since T3 at the 2016 Travelers.
Chris Stroud: Playing this season on conditional status, the 34-year-old was making his third start of 2016-17 after a missed cut at the opposite-field Sanderson Farms and a 72nd- and last-place finish last week in Mexico on a sponsor exemption. The Texan, who finished 134th in the FEC standings last season, carded rounds of 69-67-68-66 for an eight-way T13.
It’s the first time he’s posted all FOUR in the red since T10 at the 2015-16 Frys.com 57 weeks (30 starts) ago, which is also his last top 10. This is easily his best showing at the RSM, previously missing four straight cuts and a T66 on debut in 2010.
Bill Haas: The 34-year-old’s T13 (69-66-66-69) is his third straight top 20 to open the season (T20, Safeway; T4, WGC-HSBC) with all 12 rounds in the red.
Luke List: The 31-year-old’s T13 (69-64-68-69) is his fourth straight top 15. He’s now 5-for-5 to start the season with 19 (of 20) in the red and is 10th in scoring average at 69.314. The Vanderbilt alum’s two top 10s are highlighted by a career-best T2 at the Sanderson Farms where he was a 54-hole co-leader.
Up Next:
The TOUR is off until the Tournament of Champions January 5-8, 2017.
