Austin

Connelly

The Texas-born Canadian spends most of his time on the European Tour these days but he hasn’t picked up a top 25 since last year’s KLM Open (T11). The 22-year-old has made nine starts on the PGA TOUR with the highlight being a T14 at the 2017 Open Championship. The other eight landed at T60 or worse. Overseas he ranks 198 in strokes gained off-the-tee but 26th in strokes gained approach. Connelly will be trying to take full advantage of this rare PGA TOUR appearance but his year-long results grade out him as quite the long shot.

When he found himself T3 heading into the final round of the 2017 Open Championship, and then again when T2 in the KLM Open that same year, the Texan-Canadian would have found it hard to believe he hadn’t kicked on to at least some degree nearly 18 months later. And yet that is what has happened. But he backed the Dutch results up with T11 there last September, and was also T11 in the Sicily Open. Throw these results together and they all occurred on links or links-like tracks so maybe this week he can again thrive on the Beach and Creek Courses? Last seen when T34 in the Australian PGA Championship and then T43 in the South African Open.

The Texan-born Canadian’s Vilamoura debut saw him card laps of 70-72 to miss the cut and if that offers little hope, his form might do. He needs it as well since he currently lies 136th on the Race to Dubai. His effort at Crans was only T45 but his middle rounds of 69-68 were the first time he’d gone sub-70 twice in a week since the Shotclock Masters in June. And he backed it up with 68-70-69-67 last week in the KLM Open which saw him creep through the field every day to complete T11.

The Irving, Texas, resident turned pro after HS (18yo) and has made three starts in 2015-16 on the PGA TOUR. He missed the cut at the RSM and the Valspar, and cashed a T60 at the AT&T Pebble Beach. The now 19-year-old also played two TOUR events in 2015 as an amateur, making both cuts. He’s made nine starts this season on the Mackenzie Tour - PGA TOUR Canada and ranks No. 9 in the Order of Merit. Connelly posted a T2 at last week’s ATB Financial Classic (shortened to 54 holes) and two starts prior, went for solo third at the Staal Foundation Open. Overall, he’s is 6-for-8 on the developmental circuit with four top 25s, three for top 10s.

The 20-year-old from Austin, Texas (he holds dual citizenship with the U.S. and Canada) turned pro in late 2015 after taking on advice from no less a figure than Jordan Spieth. Having turned down the University of Arkansas he competed in the European Tour Q School late last year and earned limited status which will grant him about 10 starts plus a season on the Challenge Tour. His first effort was a good one: T9 in the World Super 6 Perth and this invite gives him the chance to back it up. Most of last year saw him compete on the Canadian Tour where he pegged eight top 25 finishes with a best of T2 in the ATB Financial Classic.

The 20-year-old Canadian, who has limited status on the European Tour having attended Q-School last year, had three birdies and a double at 17 in his opener at Barseback Golf & Country Club. Today, he found three more birdies again but was faultless the rest of the way. Starting at 10, he signed for two opening pars and then picked up his first shot of the round on the par-5 12th. Connelly parred his way to the turn and made his next red number at the par-4 2nd hole. He would find a final circle of the day at 7 before handing in a mistake-free card after a par-par finish. The youngster shot three rounds in the 60s for a T31 finish in the Rocco Forte Open last time so this is a further sign that he could be one to watch.

Connelly’s long journey to Fiji looked to be paying off when he hit 5-under after two thirds of his second round. But a weekend challenge turned into a weekend off as he suffered an astonishing collapse, playing his last six holes in 8-over to miss the cut by a shot. Still, it’s all very much a learning curve for the young Canadian and we saw his potential in The Open at Royal Birkdale (T14). This will be his first start at Himmerland Golf Resort & Spa but it’s worth noting that Connelly played in the Challenge Tour’s Made In Denmark in late June and closed with a 67 for tied 22nd. He could be a risk worth taking this week.

Connelly has been much traveled in 2017 as he seeks to earn himself full playing rights on the European Tour, after coming up just short at Qualifying School last November. It left him stuck between the Challenge circuit and main tour, but he’s had plenty of highlights including being second after the strokeplay holes at the World Super 6 Perth, T8 in the Nordea Masters and T14 in the Open Championship (T3 after 54 holes). A look at his schedule is astonishing. He’s played Singapore, Australia, India, Kenya, Europe and Fiji. T23 in the Made in Denmark last year, he’ll have a few chances now to build on his 117th ranking on the Race to Dubai.

The Canadian who has impressed with a limited category this season has gone a big way (if not all the way) towards securing his 2018 playing rights with this result, moving over 50 spots on the Race to Dubai (to 71st). He closed the front nine with ticks at 5, 8 and 9, took a backward step at 11, but bounced back with a brace of birdies at 12 and 13 before his pitch to the par-5 last hole finished at kick-in range for his final par breaker. He’d made bogey-6 on the hole the previous two times so it was sweet revenge. More importantly it earned him the runner-up spot on his own, clear of six players tied for third – and financially that ought to make all the difference for his aspirations next season.

The young Canadian started the day in a share of sixth place. Making his debut in a major championship, a regression wouldn’t have shocked anyone. Instead, he opened with a birdie and then one-hopped an eagle on his approach at the par-4 second. The rest is history as he traded two bogeys with a birdie before closing strong with circles at the 17th and 18th. The 20-year-old needed just 24 putts today with just 78 swipes of the flat stick taken for the entire week. Connelly turned pro early on the advice from Jordan Spieth (good friends as they share the same swing coach, Cameron McCormick), and now he has the chance to chase him down on Sunday, or at least make an attempt.