Todd

Hamilton

Hamilton was the first alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon. He gained entry when Spencer Levin withdrew this morning. Hamilton is 1-for-2 with a T12 in Puerto Rico this year. He’ll be competing in his ninth consecutive appearance at the Nelson; however, his only top-55 payday was a T18 in 2005.

Hamilton was the second alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon. He gained entry due to three withdrawals this morning. In his only start of 2012, he missed the cut at the Mayakoba. He’s 1-for-3 in Puerto Rico with a T42 last year.

Hamilton has virtually zero fantasy value. That’s evident by the fact that he was the second alternate for this week’s opposite event. Yet, he’s still quite capable of piecing together good golf. He split 10 (of 14) fairways and hit 14 greens today en route to four birdies. Temper your enthusiasm, however, as he hasn’t had a top 20 on the PGA TOUR in 35 months.

Hamilton has averaged one occurrence of consecutive sub-70 rounds per year since 2010. That he reached this season’s quota today is mildly concerning as it relates to the weekend. He didn’t incur his first bogey of the week until his eighth hole today -- No. 17 at Trump International -- and he offset two in the round with five birdies. Overall, he’s missed 10 greens in regulation, so his scrambling is spot on thus far.

The former Open Champion finished the week with a 9-under total of 68-69-73-69=279. The difference came with the putter, as he finished the week with 1.723 putts per GIR. He is not currently in the field at the Transitions Championship, but that could change if he slides into the top 10 at the end of the day.

While he didn’t play in the 2001 trip to Royal Lytham and St. Annes, he did manage to finish 45th in 1996. In Hamilton’s seven attempts to claim the Claret Jug for a second time after his win, he has managed to cash just twice and has not cracked the top 30.

Hamilton is 2-for-6 on the PGA TOUR this year. He’s 1-for-7 in starts on other tours as he juggles what status he has remaining globally. At Montreux Golf and Country Club today, he hit 13 greens and buried five birdies before swallowing his only bogey of the day at the par-3 16th hole.

Hamilton found four birdies to just one bogey in his final trip around Montreux Golf & Country Club. His 11 GIR resulted in 26 putts. This week marks the first time he’s cracked a top 10 since the 2009 Heritage where he tied for fourth.

Hamilton was the eighth alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon, and he climbed to third alternate after today’s field changes, but he was given the last sponsor exemption into the tournament. He finished second-to-last at CordeValle on Sunday. Now 180th on the money list, the two-time PGA TOUR winner will turn 47 years of age on Thursday.

Hamilton was the second alternate when the field was released on Friday afternoon, but there was only one withdrawal this morning, which Joe Durant filled, so Hamilton likely received the final sponsor exemption. He’s split time on the PGA TOUR (eight starts) with starts in Europe and Asia this year. Overall, he’s 5-for-17. Both of his top 25s were on the PGA TOUR where he ranks 178th in earnings.