Robin

Freeman

The 53-year-old Veteran Member started the week no higher than 22nd alternate. He gained entry when J.P. Hayes withdrew. Freeman hasn’t competed on the PGA TOUR since missing the cut at last year’s stop at Annandale. Since turning 50, he’s logged two top 10s in 19 starts on the Champions Tour.

He was no higher than 16th alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon, but the bar eventually lowered to loop him in. The Veteran Member (177 cuts made in 393 starts) hasn’t pegged it on the PGA TOUR since the 2013 Sanderson Farms Championship. His last payday was a T67 in Reno five years ago this week. He’s competed infrequently on the Champions Tour, going 19-for-22 with two top 10s since 2009.

The 56-year-old Veteran Member was scheduled to go out in the last threesome at 1:50 p.m. local time off the first tee at Grand National today. He opened with 10-over-par 41-40=81 with one birdie, nine bogeys and a double. No explanation was made available for his decision, but it doesn’t matter.

Freeman gained entry to the field after the withdrawal of Tommy Armour III. He has made both of his cuts on the PGA Tour this season, but he had to withdraw a couple of weeks ago from the Valero Texas Open due to an illness.

Freeman has been splitting time this season between the Nationwide and PGA Tours this season. His only made cut in three starts on this year’s Tour was at the Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for 69th place.

Freeman played four holes of his final round and was 2-over-par on the day at the time of his withdrawal. He turned 50 on May 7 and has zero fantasy value.

Freeman has been playing on the Nationwide Tour this season. He has a long history at the Reno-Tahoe with three made cuts in nine stats and his best finish is a T-35 in 2001.

Freeman gained entry into the field after Willie Wood was added and then withdrew from the field. The sudden addition and subtraction was the third such move of the day, after Ian Leggatt and Bob Burns earlier in the morning made the same move.

Now 54 years of age, Freeman sits at the bottom of the Past Champions/Veteran Member category. He gained entry thanks to a pair of withdrawals this morning. This is the only tournament he’s played on the PGA TOUR in each of the last two seasons. He tied for fifth at Annandale in 2002, but if you’re considering an investment on that fact, it’s probably time to find a new hobby.

Freeman started the week as the second alternate into this week’s field. So far this season he has played only on the Champions Tour and only in two events. It would not be a surprise to see him withdraw from the Viking field.