MATT KUCHAR NEEDED EXTRA HOLES IN 2009

We knew him when. Matt Kuchar talking about his round at 2009 Turning Stone Resort Championship with Capital Area Golf.com.

Back in 2009, Matt Kuchar needed extra holes and daylight on a Monday finish to beat Vaughn Taylor at the Turning Stone Resort Championship.

Kuchar came off of 18 and into a playoff with Taylor. They played a couple of holes but it was called for darkness and they had to come back on a frosty October morning to finish.

Click here to read the account from then.

Now, two and a half years later, Kuchar is the 39th PLAYERS Champion. He’s the first American since 2007 (Phil Mickelson) won the tournament.

Capitalareagolf.com brings you the biggest names in local golf and a peek in at the pros when we can connect them with the Capital Area.

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McGregor Links mascot

PRO: BEWARE HOLES #7 & #15
By John Craig

While sitting in the rain hut on one of several rain delays at Glens Falls Country Club last year, the USGA’s Mark Fitzgerald and the head pro at McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton were chatting.

“He said ‘That McGregor takes water pretty well, doesn’t it?’ so that’s kind of what started our conversation,” is how McGregor Links CC head pro Tom Oppedisano remembers the conversation going.

On Monday, May 14, McGregor Links will host 76 players looking for five spots in the U.S. Open Sectional. But, by the looks of things, the forecast is only slightly better than last year’s qualifying round – but it will still be raining.

“The club as a whole is very excited to host the tournament,” Tommy-O said. “We’re very much ready for it.”

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MCGREGOR LINKS SITE FOR FIVE SPOTS

On Monday, May 14, 18-holes, 76 players, five spots in a U.S. Open local qualifier at McGregor Links CC for a chance to advance to a 36-hole sectional two weeks later, June 4. The ultimate goal is the Olympic Club in San Francisco on Father’s Day weekend, June 14-17.

Golfers – both professionals and amateurs with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 1.4 – can file entries to compete. In 2012, local qualifying is at 109 sites from April 30-May 17. The number of available spots is determined by the number of players at the local qualifier.

TOUGH OPEN ROAD

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AUTHORS TO SIGN “BOGEY TEES OFF”

This weekend, Saratoga Springs’ native Dottie Pepper will have her headset and battery belt back on as she works as an analyst for NBC Sports at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Vedra Beach, FL. But she didn’t get much of a break while CBS Sports had the PGA Tour over the past five weeks.

She’s been out promoting “Bogey Tees Off: Vol. 1 – A Lesson About Being Truthful.” It’s the story of a range ball that wants to “go pro.” She traveled up and down the East Coast and even made a trip to England the site of this year’s Open Championship – Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club – to promote the children’s book.

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NYS JUNIOR PGA CHAMPIONSHIP
By Mike Collar

The Capital Area will be well represented in the New York State Junior PGA Championship this weekend at the Leatherstocking Golf Course in Cooperstown.

The top 60 junior golfers from around the state tee off at 11:30AM Saturday with an 8:30AM shotgun start on Sunday. Eligibility is by invitation only – up to the top-10 boys and up to the top-5 girls from the four New York PGA Sections. This weekend’s tournament is 36 holes of individual stroke play.

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CRAGA NEARLY DOUBLES UP NENY PGA
By John Craig

NISKAYUNA – With nine new faces from last year’s Amateur team that got throttled by the Northeastern NY PGA, plus no-carts because of the Tuesday heavy rain, the Capital Region Amateur Golf Association won back the Gazette Cup, 35 ½ – 18 ½. CRAGA now trails in the all-time series, 6-4.

The 10th annual matches, held for the past four years at Mohawk Golf Club, featured 12 local pros and 12 top amateurs from area country clubs.

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ONE DOLLAR DEAL
By Timothy S. Wyld

According to undocumented history from Wikipedia, the 400-acre tract of land where the PGA Players Championship is held this week was purchased by then PGA Commissioner Deane Beman for $1. The “One Dollar Deal” led to the creation of TPC Sawgrass and a permanent home for The Players Championship.

The course plays to a par-72 and measures 7,215-yards.

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Don DeNyse III and his father volunteered at the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black

PAYING FOR WORK, FUN
By Timothy S. Wyld

So, you’ve been thinking about volunteering to work at a professional golf event? Here is the lowdown on how to go about landing that experience and what to expect if you do.

Almost every professional golf tournament relies upon individuals to volunteer their time and yes, cash, to work at an event. For the past two years The Heritage on Hilton Head Island has charged volunteers $100 for a uniform consisting of a shirt, hat, and wind jacket. If you purchased a second shirt to accommodate your four-day shift schedule, it costs another $25. And, if you wanted a discounted pass good for the grounds the entire week for your spouse or loved one, that would be another $75. In total, volunteering for The Heritage this year cost me $200 for the aforementioned items.

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SITE OF U.S. OPEN QUALIFIER

Editor’s Note: CapitalAreaGolf.com asked for a player’s guide for the site of the regional U.S. Open Qualifier – McGregor Links Country Club in Wilton. It was the site of last year’s state junior tournament. Head pro Tom Oppedisano asked his reigning three-time club champ Dave Huestis to give it a shot.

McGregor Links Country Club is a Devereaux Emmet design that has similarities to last year’s U.S. Open course, Congressional Country Club outside Washington D.C., which is also a Devereaux Emmet design. Both have a finishing par-3 18th hole.

McGregor Links has a USGA course rating of 72.2 and a slope of 134. It’s a par-72, 6,629-yards long.

Click here to watch a video on Youtube.

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TOUGH DAY FOR ROTTERDAM NATIVE

Three players – Stewart Cink, Webb Simpson and Ryan Moore – may lead the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, NC at seven-under par but CapitalAreaGolf.com is following Bryan Bigley of Rotterdam. He has a lot of work to do, however.

After double-bogeys on two of his final three holes, the Siena graduate, who earned a spot by shooting 64 in the Monday qualifier, signed a humbling 80 on his scorecard.

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