Bubba Watson not only Bulldog burning it up in pro golf
Russell Henley hoist the winner's trophy after winning last years Stadion Classic at UGA Nationwide Tournament while still an amatuer. (Photo by Robert Matre reprinted with permission)
ATHENS – It’s good to be a “Dawg” these days. At least that’s what former members of the UGA golf team are saying.
Three of them were back on campus on Monday as part of media day for the Stadion Classic at UGA. The annual Nationwide Tour event on the UGA Golf Course is set to tee off May 3-6. Defending champion Russell Henley – who won last year’s tournament while still a senior at Georgia – Hudson Swafford and Richard Scott are now Nationwide regulars and are back to play again. Scott, who played on the Bulldogs’ 2005 national championship team, is also a Nationwide player and accepted a sponsor’s exemption from the Stadion on Monday.
They represent a small part of what has been a really big year in pro golf for the Bulldogs. You may recall that 2000-2001 UGA letterman Bubba Watson recently won a certain invitational tournament down in Augusta a couple of weeks back.
In addition to giving his fellow Bulldogs inspiration, Watson’s major championship draws attention to the good work being done by coach Chris Haack with Georgia’s golf program
“Everything he does has a purpose,” Henley said. “He has his laid-back attitude and he wants you to have fun when you play and do your own thing that works for you. He does things differently than a lot of coaches. But then you look at all the Georgia guys that are all of the sudden coming out and playing well on the tours. There’re a lot Bulldogs playing great golf and that’s because ‘Hacker’ coached them the right way.”
- In addition to Henley’s Stadion win last year, the Macon product made the U.S. Walker Cup team and now is a full-time player on the Nationwide Tour. He has made three cuts in six events.
- Harris English won the Children’s Hospital Invitational last year as a Nationwide player and has made eight cuts with five Top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this year.
- Chris Kirk won the Viking Open on the PGA Tour this past year.
- Erik Compton won the Nationwide’s Mexico Open this past year
- Brendan Todd took top honors at PGA Tour Qualifying school and has earned $361,957 this year.
- Swafford won the HGM Hotels Classic last year on the eGolf Tour and has made four cuts in six event so far on the Nationwide circuit.
“I’m just excited to be a part of that group of guys and hopefully I can start competing up there with them on the PGA Tour,” Henley said.
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37 comments Add your comment
BG
April 16th, 2012
5:12 pm
First? GO DAWGS!
Big time?? Not
April 16th, 2012
5:21 pm
You forgot Kevin Kisner and Brian Harmon both on the PGA.
Not the First
April 16th, 2012
5:26 pm
Certainly not the first, but I still gotta say Go Dawgs!
Desert Dawg
April 16th, 2012
5:51 pm
Coach Haack needs to become the OC on the football team.
Paddy
April 16th, 2012
6:03 pm
How about Blake Adams, he has won over $2 mil the last 2 years on the PGA tour?????
Bryan G.
April 16th, 2012
7:12 pm
The golf team has a proven record of staying away from “brownies.”
tenn.DAWG
April 16th, 2012
8:12 pm
What Desert Dawg said.
Andy
April 16th, 2012
8:31 pm
Brian Harman set the course record at a tournament earlier this year with a 61. Broke the old record by 3 shots. It won’t be long before he is a PGA Tour winner.
BKbroila
April 16th, 2012
8:34 pm
Blake Adams has had some good showings as well….DGD…hell of a guy!!!
Scott Todd
April 16th, 2012
8:42 pm
Don’t forget the all time money leader on the nationwide tour Paul Claxton!!!!! DGD and a DGMan!
DawgGolfFan
April 16th, 2012
8:56 pm
Blake Adams didn’t play golf at UGA. But he is a great golfer and even better person, so we’ll claim him along with all the other guys representing UGA so well on the links these days. And how about Chip Beck – nicest guy in the world – still competing on the Champions Tour.
Paddy
April 16th, 2012
9:06 pm
DawgGolf…..didn’t Blake transfer to Ga Southern after 3 yrs at UGA?
Like Most Uf Grads
April 16th, 2012
9:47 pm
Any one remember Paul Stankosky
Andy
April 16th, 2012
10:26 pm
@Paddy….yes, Blake played a year at GSU
arrowhead1959
April 16th, 2012
10:31 pm
I was at the Heritage in Hilton Head this week-end and watched Brian H and Harris E. They both played well and had a good time. Harris has Bulldog headcovers. Go Dawgs!
Hairy Dawg
April 16th, 2012
10:42 pm
Why of course they is DGDs. They burning it up and Bubba had to put that pestky bug Hoochie Kuchie in his place cause we own state. It a good time to be a Dawg when we make the Techmites pay for being owned.
Go Dawgs!
woodie
April 16th, 2012
10:51 pm
Is this really about golf ? lol !
Mobile Dawg
April 16th, 2012
11:06 pm
woodie, are your sour grapes cause you’re always in the trees?
DawgFan
April 16th, 2012
11:33 pm
Don’t forget about Bryden Macpherson, who competed in the Masters at the age of 21 this year after winning the British Amateur Championship.
I May be wrong, but.....
April 17th, 2012
12:49 am
Didn’t Ryuji Imada also play on the UGA golf team with Bubba? I seem to remember him there. He is a pretty solid PGA tour player and has won a couple of international events.
Double Secret Probation
April 17th, 2012
7:04 am
Harris English is doing some amazing stuff in his rookie season on the PGA tour! He has missed only two cuts in 9 or so events and as the column says has 5 top 25 finishes! He is a fantastic young man as well. So are Hudson and Russell, and here’s hoping they catch fire soon and make some noise on the Nationwide tour this year.
Top Row Dog
April 17th, 2012
9:00 am
Darn you Augusta State. Georgia should be the defending NCAA champion for third time.
Paul in NH
April 17th, 2012
9:13 am
Ryukji Imada played gold at UGA – but he was a couple of years ahead of Bubba Watson
Chip Towers
April 17th, 2012
9:59 am
I didn’t forget anybody. It wasn’t my intention to list every pro that played for UGA, just the ones that have excelled the last several months.
Dave
April 17th, 2012
11:00 am
I’m not going to make it until the football season starts. Shaking…dry mouth….fever….need some safty blitzes, tailback sweeps, post patterns and 3-4 defense……*hack
BigDawg
April 17th, 2012
11:10 am
Golf? GOLF??? C’mon guys…….. Dave I’m right there with ya.
Joe
April 17th, 2012
12:37 pm
Chip dont expect a Dawg fan to understand your intentions nor understand what the word intention means….
T'ville Dawg
April 17th, 2012
12:51 pm
I get a double burst of pride for Harris English. DG Dawg and a native of Thomasville. Article doesn’t state it, but I think Harris finished in the top ten in last week’s tournament. Only a matter of time he tees it up in Augusta.
Also a shout out to our Thomasville guy Ray Drew. Good G-Day game.
Anyone remember golfer Lyn Lott. (I’m definitely showing my age)
Tech Troll 13
April 17th, 2012
1:09 pm
I saw Bubba on the Golf Channel last week. He blamed his trouble in Europe last summer on “his not so good education”
gdawginkalamazoo
April 17th, 2012
3:27 pm
Everybody makes a big deal out of that shot Watson hit out of the woods. I have that shot in my bag. I have hit it many times. Usually when I’m about 130 yards out in the middle of the fairway with the pin located straight ahead. Foouuuuur!
gdawginkalamazoo
April 17th, 2012
3:31 pm
Fore!
Plus2am
April 17th, 2012
3:58 pm
What about Brian Harmon? PGA player, Walker Cupper!
DawginLex
April 17th, 2012
4:08 pm
Joe
you must not be too bright either if you think you are welcome to comment
UGA Athletic Diversity
April 17th, 2012
4:39 pm
Enjoyed the column. Many readers are probably not aware of the rich athletic heritage at UGA. We are not a one trick pony, as they say, when it comes to sports. I think Georgia is closing in on 40 NCs and also nearing 140 SEC titles in at least 8 different sports. John Isner has played his way into the world’s top ten, and representing the university well.
Chip Towers
April 17th, 2012
5:43 pm
Meant to include Bryden MacPherson, U.S. Amateur Champion and Masters participant.
SE GA Fan
April 17th, 2012
9:57 pm
Some of these Bulldog tour pros play out of St. Simons Island/Sea Island. Gotta love it!!
todd
April 23rd, 2012
10:17 am
Also, forgot about Justin Bolli, who has been on and of the PGA tour 3 times and is currentlly in the Nationwide top 25