Sea Island Golf Club Archives - Golf Digest Middle East

Two more PGA Tour pros withdraw from RSM Classic after testing positive for COVID-19

Golf Digest Middle East — Thu, 19 Nov 2020 02:27:20 +0000

Gregory Shamus
Kickok finished T-8 in Bermuda earlier this month, his best career showing on the PGA Tour.

By Brian Wacker
Two more players have tested positive for COVID-19 at this week’s RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga.

The PGA Tour announced on Wednesday that Henrik Norlander and Kramer Hickok both received a positive test result for the coronavirus during pre-tournament screening and have withdrawn from the tournament.

They are the second and third players who were slated to compete at Sea Island to test positive after Bill Haas also did earlier in the week. Norlander and Hickok will now self-isolate for 10 days.

“Obviously I am very disappointed that I will not be able to play this week, as I am playing well and love the courses at Sea Island,” Norlander said in a statement. “While I’m disappointed to withdraw from a tournament where I’ve had success at in the past, I’m grateful I can drive home to Augusta and have next week to get healthy and be ready to compete again.”

Norlander, a 33-year-old from Sweden who went to college at Augusta State and continues to live there, tied for fifth in last year’s RSM Classic. He also tied for second in the event in 2016, his best finish in 80 career PGA Tour starts.

Maddie Meyer
Norlander had finished tied for second at Sea Island in 2016 and tied for fifth a year ago.

Ryan Brehm replaces Norlander in the field, while Rhein Gibson will take the spot of Hickok. In all, 18 players have tested positive for COVID-19 during screening at PGA Tour events since the play resumed in June.

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UPDATED: Parsons lured to prestigious Georgia club where Davis Love III launched his World Golf Hall of Fame worthy career

Kent Gray — Thu, 18 Oct 2018 12:05:24 +0000

Justin Parsons, right, with Claude and Butch Harmon.

By Kent Gray
The UAE’s highest profile teaching professional has accepted a plum role at a prestigious club in the United States that boasts five PGA Tour players, including major champions David Love III and Zach Johnson, among its membership.

Justin Parsons will join Sea Island Golf Club on St. Simons Island in Georgia in February after establishing himself as one of the game’s most promising teaching talents during 14 years in Dubai.

The 42-year-old Northern Irishman will finish up as Director of Instruction at the Butch Harmon School of Golf, Dubai at The Els Club on Nov. 30 after opening the facility with Claude Harmon III in 2008-09.

The move will allow him more regular access to major champions Louis Oosthuizen and Charl Schwartzel and star-in-waiting Peter Uihlein. Parsons is currently working with the trio at the CJ Cup @ Nine Bridges, the latest PGA Tour stop in Korea. He will also continue working with leading Dubai amateur Rayhan Thomas who is headed to Oklahoma State University next year, as well as European Tour Frenchman Mike Lorenzo-Vera.

Parsons announced the appointment, a long held secret among the UAE golf industry, on Twitter Thursday:

I am thrilled to announce that I will be joining the instruction team at The Sea Island Golf Performance Center in 2019. @seaislandgpc @SeaIslandResort pic.twitter.com/DMriKJNQay

— Justin Parsons (@JParsonsGolf) October 18, 2018

Bryan Harman and Patton Kizzire, both two-time winners on the PGA Tour, and Keith Mitchell, 67th in last season’s FedEx Cup standings, are also attached to Sea Island G.C., where Love’s father, Davis Milton Love Jr, was one of the first teaching professionals.

Love III boasts the 1997 PGA Championship and two Players Championships among his 21 PGA Tour wins while Johnson won the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open.

That Parsons is an indirect replacement at Sea Island for Billy Horschel’s coach Todd Anderson speaks volumes of the Dubai instructor’s growing reputation in the U.S.

Anderson reportedly departed the Sea Island Golf Performance Centre team in 2016 and Sea Island have waited for the right fit as a replacement. Parsons was alerted to the potential opportunity via a Titleist contact and after initially meeting Titleist Performance Institute co-founder and golf fitness guru Randy Myers, flew to Georgia with his wife Cheryl for an interview learning centre manager Craig Allan just before the U.S. Open in July.

“It’s a very, very tough decision to leave Dubai,” Parsons told Golf Digest Middle East from chilly Jeju Island in South Korea. “It’s been our home, a wonderful place to raise our family and has given me the opportunity to grow and do things that I could never have done anywhere else and I’ll be forever grateful for that.

“But having made the amounts of trips I’ve made this year as my career has kind of progressed to the PGA Tour, I was looking for something that would allow me to maintain that growth and also give me a base to work from.

“The guys at Sea Island have certainly said that’s what they want. They want somebody who is a good full swing golf coach who can try and get close to what Todd had done there as well as travelling on the PGA Tour and representing what is a very prestigious facility.”

Parsons, who got his break in Dubai at The Address Montgomerie Dubai, admitted leaving the high-profile Harmon network was a massive call. His replacement at The Els Club, Dubai training centre has yet to be formally unveiled but is understood to be a coach with a global profile.

“Obviously I opened up with Claude in 2008 [at the Els Club, Dubai], in 2009 we opened the Golf School [Butch Harmon School of Golf, Dubai], so I’ve been there since the inception,” Parsons said.

“So although I’m not with the Harmon family anymore, I’ll always be part of the Harmon family and their framework.

“Career wise it allows me to continue to develop my own instruction on the PGA Tour. I’m getting more use to what the players need, I’m getting more use to the pressures they have to deal with and how to assist them day to day, not only with their swing but the linkage with their physical therapists, their medical teams, their caddies. I’m becoming better at being able to do all of that.

“I’m really thankful for the opportunity Dubai has given me to grow and obviously this ongoing opportunity.”

We are excited to announce that Justin Parsons @JParsonsGolf is joining our Instruction team in 2019.
A native of Northern Ireland, Justin will bring the skills and knowledge he shares with students such as @CA_Schwartzel @Louis57TM @PeterUihlein @SeaIslandResort pic.twitter.com/rH3fEjC6tw

— Sea Island GPC (@seaislandgpc) October 18, 2018

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Watch this Auburn freshman drain a clutch walk-off putt to stun rival Alabama and win SEC Championship

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 05:27:00 +0000

(Courtesy of Auburn University)

By Christopher Powers
It wasn’t exactly as stunning as the “Kick Six”, but Auburn’s SEC Championship-winning putt on Sunday was a dagger in its own right for the Alabama faithful hoping to see the Tide win their first men’s conference title since 2014.

After both schools dominated their semifinals matches, Auburn defeating top-seed LSU, 4-1, and Alabama besting Florida, 3-1-1, the Iron Bowl matchup was set for the finals in the second season that the SEC has decided the team title via match play. The Tide took a 2-1 lead in the first three matches at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga., before the Tigers were able to tie it up at 2 when freshman Brandon Mancheno won his match over Alabama freshman Wilson Furr, 2 and 1. That set up an exciting, SEC Championship-deciding match between another Auburn freshman, Wells Padgett, and Crimson Tide senior Jonathan Hardee.

Hardee squared their match at the par-3 17th, nearly acing it and tapping in for birdie. All tied up on the 18th green, Hardee faced a six-footer for par while Padgett had a 20-footer for birdie to win the title, and the freshman delivered in stunning fashion:

WAR EAGLE!@AuburnMGolf defeats Alabama on the 18th hole to win the SEC Championship! ? pic.twitter.com/RrZhODQ5o0

— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 29, 2018

As clutch as it gets, and it appeared he knew it was in when the ball was still about five feet from the cup. All kinds of confidence for a freshman. Here’s another look from someone on site:

Wells Padgett winning putt at the SEC Championship…War Eagle! #golf #igersjax #TGANF #juniorgolf #titliest #nikegolf #jax # fl #florida #northflorida #golfing #boysgolf #girlsgolf #risingstars #underarmour #uskidsgolf #workout #golfswing #juniorfitness #masters #usga #sec pic.twitter.com/c9UTSOsxQs

— TGA of North Florida (@TGANF) April 29, 2018

“That was the biggest putt I’ve ever made in my life,” Padgett said. “It was great being able to do it for my team. To do it as an individual in a tournament is cool, but doing it for your team is the greatest feeling.”

“Wells was the anchor all week in match play,” said Auburn coach Nick Clinard said. “We had him in that hole because we knew his confidence level in that spot, and we knew that he could come through in the clutch and, boy, did he ever.”

Padgett’s putt gives Auburn its first SEC men’s golf title since 2002, and there fourth in program history, something alum Jason Dufner is very happy about:

Championship Sunday!! ?. Proud of @AuburnMGolf for adding to the trophy case today.. lots of hard work and dedication goes into winning team championships in SEC.. Auburn family should be proud!! #tookbamadown

— Jason Dufner (@JasonDufner) April 29, 2018

For Alabama, the No. 6 ranked team in the country, it’s the school’s seventh SEC Championship runner-up finish.

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Austin Cook shoots 67, wins RSM Classic by four, his first PGA Tour victory

Golf Digest Middle East — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 05:14:23 +0000

SEA ISLAND, GA – NOVEMBER 19: Austin Cook acknowledges the gallery on the seventh hole during the final round of The RSM Classic at the Sea Island Resort Seaside Course on November 19, 2017 in Sea Island, Georgia. (Photo by Stan Badz/PGA TOUR)

By Christopher Powers
After making just one bogey over his first 54 holes, Austin Cook made his second of the week at the par-4 second hole on Sunday at the RSM Classic in St. Simons Island, Ga. Just like that, his three-shot lead had shrunk to one, and suddenly the pressure was on for the PGA Tour rookie with just 13 career starts.

Instead of letting one slip away, Cook showed experience beyond his years, posting a final-round three-under 67 without dropping another shot on his final 16 holes. His 21-under 261 total at Sea Island Golf Club was good enough for a four-shot victory, the first of his career on the PGA Tour.

The former University of Arkansas All-American made just one birdie on his first 14 holes, opening the door for those within striking distance. But Cook slammed it shut on the last four holes, making birdie at the 15th, 17th and 18th to finish in style. His 23 birdies this week were more than anyone else in the field.

Cook, 26, had very little experience on the PGA Tour entering the week, but made the most of his limited chances. In 2015, he played in seven events, three of which he Monday qualified for, and finished inside the top 25 five times, including a T-6 at the Barbasol Championship. Sunday’s win comes in the fourth start of his first full season as a member of the tour, and earns him exemptions into the Masters, the Players Championship and the PGA Championship, among others.

Finishing four back at 17-under 265 was J.J. Spaun, who carded a four-under 66. Spaun had closed the gap thanks to a four under start on his opening 10 holes, but ran into some troubles on the home nine, dropping shots at the 11th and 17th holes. The solo second finish is his best on the PGA Tour, coming in just his 36th career start.

Through 14 holes, Brian Gay was even par for the round and 14-under for the tournament, a total that would have put him in five-way tie for third. But Gay jumped up the leader board with two eagles on his final four holes, including a 161-yard hole out from the fairway at the par-4 18th to post a two-under 68. He finished in solo third at 16-under 266, giving him his best result since last season’s Barbasol Championship, where he tied for third.

Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner, Andrew Landry and Chris Kirk tied for fourth at 14-under 268.

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PGA Tour rookie Austin Cook takes three-shot lead into final round of The RSM Classic

Golf Digest Middle East — Sun, 19 Nov 2017 04:38:20 +0000

ST SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 18: Austin Cook of the United States plays his shot on the eighth hole during the third round of The RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club Seaside Course on November 18, 2017 in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)

By Christopher Powers
After opening with rounds of 66 and 62 at Sea Island Golf Club, the only place to go was down for Austin Cook, a PGA Tour rookie making just his 14th career start at the RSM Classic. Surely, he would fade and make room for a few PGA Tour champions like Kevin Kisner and Chris Kirk to mount a charge on moving day.

Cook immediately quelled that notion on Saturday, making back-to-back birdies to open his round and extend his lead to two. From there it was smooth sailing, as he finished with a four-under 66 to get to 18-under 194, good enough for a three-shot lead heading into the final round in St. Simons Island, Ga.

The University of Arkansas alum didn’t make his third birdie until the par-5 seventh, but added another two holes later at the par 4, sticking his 185-yard approach shot to within five feet and holing the putt. He turned in four-under 31, and after a streak of four consecutive pars, Cook remarkably dropped his first shot of the week, ending his run of 44 holes without a bogey. He was able to get it back on the following hole, the par-5 15th, for his final birdie of the day.

Cook has found himself in this position thanks to some stellar iron play, hitting more than 87 percent of his greens in regulation for the week, which ranks him solo second in the field. Another precise round on Sunday could lead to Cook’s first professional victory on any tour, and anything inside the top five would give him his best career finish on the PGA Tour.

Kirk appeared to knock himself out of contention on Friday, posting an even-par 70 and falling five strokes off the pace. But the four-time tour winner made a big move on Saturday, carding a six-under 64 that featured seven birdies and a bogey. His three-round total of 15-under 197 has already eclipsed his 14-under overall total that won him the RSM Classic in 2013 for his second career victory.

“I’m just really comfortable here, I love Sea Island, I lived here for six-and-a-half years, so I’ve played the golf course a lot,” he said. It’s that local knowledge that has Kirk feeling confident about Sunday, even with windy conditions in the forecast.

“I’ve played this course in every direction and velocity of the wind possible. I bet I’ve got 300-plus rounds in on the Seaside (course). Not saying that’ll make me do any better, but I’ll know what to expect.”

If Kirk can catch Cook and win on Sunday, he’ll become the first two-time RSM Classic winner in the event’s eight-year history.

Sitting four back at 14-under 198 is Brian Gay, who shot a one-under 69 with five birdies, two bogeys and a costly double bogey at the short par-4 fifth. Gay, 45, is looking to win for the fifth time of his career on the PGA Tour.

The round of the day belonged to J.J. Spaun, who carded an eight-under 62 highlighted by a run of four straight birdies from the fifth through eighth holes. He’s in solo fourth at 13-under 199, one ahead of Kevin Kisner, who shot a five-under 65 to get into contention.

Two-time major champion Zach Johnson is also lurking at 10-under 202 thanks to a third-round six-under 64.

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Brian Gay posts second-round 64, is one back of leader Austin Cook at the RSM Classic

Golf Digest Middle East — Sat, 18 Nov 2017 07:40:56 +0000

ST SIMONS ISLAND, GEORGIA – NOVEMBER 17: Brian Gay of the United States plays his second shot on the 16th hole during the second round of The RSM Classic at Sea Island Golf Club Seaside Course on November 17, 2017 in St Simons Island, Georgia. (Photo by Justin Heiman/Getty Images)

By Christopher Powers
When it comes to PGA Tour careers, you won’t find two on more opposite ends of the spectrum than those of Brian Gay and Austin Cook. Gay, 45, has won four times and is making the 523rd start of his career at the RSM Classic, while Cook, 26, is making just his 14th career start, and the fourth of his rookie campaign. After two rounds at Sea Island Golf Club in St. Simons Island, Ga., the veteran sits one shot back of the rookie, who has the solo lead at 14-under 128.

Gay’s round began at the par-4 10th of the club’s Seaside course, and he went to work in the windy conditions early, making four birdies on his first seven holes en route to a front nine, three-under 32. He backed it up with another 32 on the home nine, this one bogey-free for a six-under 64 to get to 13-under 129.

“Tough day today I thought, but I was able to hit a number of greens and stay out of trouble and the putter worked well,” Gay said.

Through 36 holes, the University of Florida alum has made just one bogey, and has had every facet of his game working. He ranks T-5th in the field in driving accuracy, T-14th in greens in regulation and 3rd in strokes gained: putting.

“I’ve kept the ball in front of me, there’s a lot of trouble out here, especially with the wind blowing. I haven’t had to make too many saves, and I’ve putted well.”

After exploding for three victories between 2008 and 2009, Gay went through a bit of a dry spell, not winning again until the 2013 Humana Challenge. He heads to the weekend in good position to earn the fifth victory of his career, and hopefully end another drought, this one nearly five years long.

Cook, who also began his round on the par-4 10th of the Seaside course, posted an eight-under 62 to pair with his first-round six-under 66 on the Plantation course. He’s tied for first in the field in birdies with 14, and has not made a single bogey this week. The former University of Arkansas All-American is coming off his best season on the Web.com Tour, having finished inside the top three twice and inside the top 10 eight times. In three events so far this year on the PGA Tour Cook has made every cut, finishing T-25 in the Sanderson Farms Championship, T-20 at the Shriners for Hospitals Children Open and T-50 in the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Three players sit five back in a tie for third at nine-under 133, including Taiwan’s C.T. Pan, who carded a seven-under 65 on the Plantation course. He’s joined by Vaughn Taylor and Chris Kirk, who followed his first-round 62 with an even par 70 on the Seaside course.

In his first start back from injury, Brandt Snedeker has shot matching 67s to get to eight-under 134, six off the lead. The eight-time tour winner not only looks to be back in top form already, but feels pain-free as well.

“No pain at all,” Snedeker said. “I’ve been shocked at how good my body has held up. My game’s in a really good place, my mind’s in a really great place because I’m probably the most excited guy about being here on the weekend, and I’m feeling fresh and can’t wait to get after it.”

Also at eight-under is South Africa’s Brendon de Jonge, who will play the weekend for just second time in his last 20 combined starts on the PGA and Web.com Tours.

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Chris Kirk rides hot putter to first-round 63 and the lead at the RSM Classic

Golf Digest Middle East — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 07:51:11 +0000

LAS VEGAS, NV – NOVEMBER 02: Chris Kirk hits his tee shot on the fourth hole during the first round of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open at TPC Summerlin on November 2, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images)

By Christopher Powers
Sea Island Golf Club, host of this week’s RSM Classic, is the home course of a large group of tour pros that reside on St. Simons Island in Georgia. It’s safe to say it’s a “home game” for most of them, but no resident has taken advantage of the local knowledge in his career quite like Chris Kirk, who earned his second PGA Tour victory at the RSM Classic in 2013. The following season he finished T-4, and followed it up with a T-18 in 2016.

On Thursday it was more of the same in the Peach state for Kirk, who posted a bogey-free, nine-under 63 that featured seven birdies and an eagle at the par-5 18th on the club’s Plantation course. He leads by one over Joel Dahmen.

“I love it (here), I lived here for six-and-a-half years before we moved back to Athens to get closer to our families,” the University of Georgia alum said. “It’s two golf courses that I really enjoy playing and I know the greens really well and thankfully hit a lot of good shots out there today, and made a few putts too.”

Kirk, 32, needed just 23 putts for his 63, the second lowest round of his career. He also led the field in putts per green in regulation, averaging 1.35.

“I hit a lot of really nice putts, which was a little bit of a surprise,” he said. “It’s just nice to see them going in. That’s kind of been what I’ve struggled with the last year or so.”

His trouble on the greens explains why Kirk finished inside the top 10 just six times total in 2016 and 2017, after racking up three victories the previous two seasons, including two in 2014 when he ranked 22nd on tour in strokes gained: putting. In 2017, He ranked 125th in that same category, and hadn’t shown much improvement in his first three events of 2018, ranking 143rd.

“This was the first time in awhile where it doesn’t feel forced,” he said. “I’m just kind of looking at it, lining it up and whack it. That’s where we all aspire to be, but it’s nice to have that feeling for a change.”

Dahmen, who also opened his week on the Plantation course, carded a bogey-free eight-under 64, the low round of his career on the PGA Tour. After a rookie season that saw him make just seven of 16 cuts in 2016-2017, Dahmen is off to a respectable start this season, making two of four cuts and finishing T-23 at the OHL Classic at Mayakoba.

Three players sit at seven under, including another St. Simons Island resident and University of Georgia alum, Hudson Swafford. He’s coming off his breakthrough season on the PGA Tour, one that included his first victory last January at the CareerBuilder Challenge, four top 10s and six top 25s. Swafford is tied for third with Brian Gay and Jason Kokrak.

Back at home and fresh off his first PGA Tour victory, Patton Kizzire opened with a four-under 66 on Sea Island’s Seaside course. He sits five shots off the lead, one stroke ahead of Brian Harman, Kevin Kisner and Brandt Snedeker, who is making his first start since being sidelined with a rare rib injury last June.

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