Greater Greensboro Open Blog: 07/01/2017

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell Join Wyndham Field

Luke Donald and Graeme McDowell will play the 2017 Wyndham Championship. Donald, a former No. 1 player in the world and a five-time PGA TOUR winner with eight international wins also to his credit, was the Wyndham Championship runner up last year. He won “vacations for life” courtesy of Wyndham Vacation Ownership and Wyndham Rewards, when he scored a hole-in-one at the par 3 16th hole in the first round. Donald’s second-place finish at the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, S.C., is his best result of the season to date. In 2011, he became the first player from England to be named PGA TOUR Player of the Year since the award’s inception in 1990. He finished that season ranked No. 1 on the money list for both the PGA TOUR and the European Tour. He represented the European Team in Ryder Cup competition four times. Donald is 100th in the current FedExCup point standings and 91st in the Official World Golf Rankings; he will make his sixth Wyndham Championship appearance next month. McDowell won the U.S. Open in 2010; he has three PGA TOUR victories and eight international wins. He finished tied for fifth in his Wyndham Championship debut last year. Earlier this season, he finished tied for 14th at The Honda Classic and tied for 18th at the Wells Fargo Championship at Eagle Point Club in Wilmington, N.C., for his best finishes of the season. He represented the European Team in the Ryder Cup four times and played in the World Cup five times including last year. A native of Portrush, Northern Ireland, McDowell is 119th in the current FedExCup point standings and 101st in the Official World Golf Rankings.

What's on eBay? 1968 GGO Pairings Guide

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Three-Time Wyndham Winner Davis Love III Joins Wyndham Field; Professional Dru Love Accepts Sponsor’s Exemption

Three-time Wyndham Championship winner Davis Love III and his son, Dru, 23, will play next month’s Wyndham Championship. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club. Dru Love accepted a sponsor’s exemption during today’s media day news conference which both Davis and Dru attended. When the younger Love tees it up in the first round next month, three generations of the Love family will have played the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event; Davis’ father, Davis Love, Jr. played here in 1959, ’63, ‘65 and ‘68. The three generations of Loves also played in the U.S. Open. “I’ve always traveled with him to tournaments and done everything that goes along with it,” Dru Love said. “Now to still be traveling with him to tournaments, but we go to the course together, compete together and both play competitively, it’s been kind of a new experience that’s been really fun and comfortable. Since we’ve been playing tournaments together, our family has been coming to some stuff. It’s just been really fun; it’s been a cool experience.” “I’ve had my eye on Dru’s progress as a junior golfer since he played our AJGA event (he tied for 57th in 2011) at Sedgefield and when he was playing at Alabama,” tournament director Mark Brazil said. “It’s neat to see him turn pro and actually have a pretty good U.S. Open. To be able to invite Dru and have Davis back after his injury last year and have a father-son playing will make it a special year at the Wyndham Championship; I’m thrilled to see those two at Sedgefield in August.” Davis and Dru Love will be the first father-son duo to play the Piedmont Triad’s PGA TOUR event since Jay and Bill Haas did so in 2002 when Bill was an amateur still playing golf at Wake Forest University. “Back then, it was a lot easier for us to give exemptions to amateurs,” Brazil said. “Since we became the last event for players to keep their cards for the next season (in 2013), our policy has been to give exemptions only to professional players trying to keep their jobs or get their cards, and the PGA TOUR completely supports our approach.” Davis Love III, who will be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in September, last won the Wyndham Championship in 2015 after winning in 1992 and 2006; his three wins here in three different decades are second only to the legendary Sam Snead who won here eight times in four decades. The Wyndham Championship’s all-time money leader with $2,513,256 in tournament earnings has 21 PGA TOUR victories including the 1997 PGA Championship. He represented the United States in the Ryder Cup eight times – six as a player and two as the captain. Dru Love turned professional earlier this year after completing his college career at the University of Alabama. Davis Love IV uses the name, Dru, because it’s short for “quadruple.” He qualified for the U.S. Open last month, and his father caddied for him. He also played the Greenbrier Classic earlier this month and the Barbasol Championship this past weekend. The Love family is not the only one with three generations playing the same PGA TOUR event. Doug Ford, who won the 1954 Greater Greensboro Open, his son Doug Ford., Jr. and his grandson, Scott, all played the Greater Hartford Open, which is now the Travelers Championship.

What's on eBay? 1968 Press Photo Billy Casper at Greater Greensboro Open

Si Woo Kim will play the 2017 Wyndham Championship

Defending Champion Si Woo Kim Makes Wyndham Championship Commitment Defending champion and 2017 Players Championship winner Si Woo Kim will play the 2017 Wyndham Championship. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club. “It’s always nice when your defending champion can come back to defend his title, especially with Si Woo Kim who got his first win here last August and went on to win the Players Championship in May,” tournament director Mark Brazil said. “He played some beautiful golf down at Sawgrass (TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra, Fla., home of the Players Championship), and that was fun to watch. I saw him at the Quicken Loans event, and he seems to be in good spirits. We’re looking forward having him back in town.” Kim became the 18th international champion and the 18th first-time winner in tournament history. At 21 years, one month and 24 days, Kim is the tournament’s second-youngest winner. Seve Ballesteros, who won at 20 years 11 months and 24 days in 1978, is the youngest champion in tournament history. Kim will make his second Wyndham Championship appearance this year; he is currently 33rd in the FedExCup point standings and 34th in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Sunday, July 23, 2017

2011 Wyndham Winner Webb Simpson Joins Wyndham Championship Field

Webb Simpson, who claimed his first PGA TOUR title at the 2011 Wyndham Championship, will return to Sedgefield next month to play the 2017 Wyndham Championship. Ten months after winning the 2011 Wyndham Championship, Simpson won his first Major championship when he won the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic Club in San Francisco. The Raleigh native and Charlotte resident made his Wyndham Championship debut in 2009 and has played here every year since. In addition to his 2011 victory at Sedgefield, Simpson finished tied for eighth in 2010, tied for fifth in 2014 and tied for sixth in 2015. The four-time PGA TOUR winner hasn’t won this season, but he finished second at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, fifth at the Dean and Deluca Invitational in May and tied for eighth at the Travelers Championship in June. The Wake Forest alumnus will be making his ninth-consecutive Wyndham Championship appearance; he is currently 32nd in FedExCup points and 59th in the Official World Golf Rankings. He represented the United States in the Ryder Cup in 2014.

Buy-One, Get-One Wyndham Championship Tickets Available at Harris Teeter

Wyndham Championship fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one at Piedmont Triad Harris Teeter locations. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club. Through August 20, while supplies last, two “good any day” Wyndham Championship tickets for this year’s tournament are available for the price of one at all Piedmont Triad-area Harris Teeter locations. A Harris Teeter VIC card is required to get the two-for-one deal. The $55 tickets available at Harris Teeter are good for tournament admission on any day of tournament week. As always, children ages 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult so a family of four with two children ages 15 or younger can attend the Wyndham Championship for just $55 per day.

Buy One Get One Tickets to the Wyndham Championship are back at Harris Teeter!

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Buy-One, Get-One Wyndham Championship Tickets Available at Harris Teeter

Wyndham Championship fans can purchase two tickets for the price of one at Piedmont Triad Harris Teeter locations. The 78th annual Wyndham Championship is set for Aug. 14-20, 2017 at Sedgefield Country Club. While supplies last, two “good any day” Wyndham Championship tickets for this year’s tournament are available for the price of one at all Piedmont Triad-area Harris Teeter locations. A Harris Teeter VIC card is required to get the two-for-one deal. The $55 tickets available at Harris Teeter are good for tournament admission on any day of tournament week. As always, children ages 15 and under are admitted free with a paying adult so a family of four with two children ages 15 or younger can attend the Wyndham Championship for just $55 per day.