Sunday, April 30, 2017

Practising Duets: Part 2

Wishing all my readers a very happy and restful Bank Holiday weekend!

In Part 1 of today’s post (which you can read here), I suggested some warm-up and practice exercises for students prior to working on repertoire. This post offers various practice ideas for duos. These are described via my collection of little duets, SNAPCHATS.

Snapchats Front Cover SNAPCHATS are a useful teaching resource for pupils between Grades 1 – 4 (ABRSM). They consist of 11 extremely short works (8 – 10 bars in length), which can be easily negotiated by less experienced players. They might be a good choice for festivals or recitals; pairing two of them together also works well. One aspect I was keen to explore when writing, was to include several different techniques and piano sonorities, which may be new to players of this level.

The title Snapchats was derived from the social media platform, but the pieces are not specifically related to each other and have eclectic titles. I love harmony, and this is often my primary focus, however, there are a few tunes, with a nod to Minimalism too!

I’m going to do a quick ‘tour’ of each piece, exploring a few of the piano techniques employed, with two or three suggested practice tips. I’ve included a video of each work, some performed by myself and British pianist Nick van Bloss, with two duets played by young students Arthur and Alex Anderson (who performed them at a recent concert).

SUTRA

The first piece (which is around Grade 2 ABRSM level) is calm and tranquil, as the name suggests, yet it must be precise rhythmically or the meditational (or chanting) character will be lost. Chords in the secondo (lower part) are answered with notes ‘ringing’ out above, in the primo. There are several technical aspects here:

  1. Once chords have been negotiated in the secondo part (this could be a new challenge for the inexperienced), experiment by playing them legato (i.e. going from one chord to the next, without any gaps in the sound), voicing the top note. The primo octave pattern, meanwhile, must be placed very rhythmically on the 2nd and 3rd beats of the bar, with a tenuto touch (first line) yet slightly staccato touch (second line), and with some directional colour, precipitating the musical line and how it develops in subsequent bars.
  2. I would encourage players, to count in quavers throughout until they can convey the chanting successfully.
  3. The repeat can be played pianissimo, dying away at the end. It might be fun to add Sustaining pedal too – one pedal per bar encapsulating all the harmonies.

DATE IN MIND

This Minimalist inspired piece (which is around Grade 3 level) focuses on an Alberti Bass secondo accompaniment with a chordal primo (often in intervals of 3rds & 6ths).

  1. The secondo part weaves its way through various chordal patterns and should ideally be light, yet appropriately colouring (or emphasising) various points in the score, particularly in the bass, which provides the all-important bottom of the harmony. Examine the bass line alone, and focus on incorporating it with the primo (i.e. practice the secondo left hand with both hands in the primo part).
  2. Primo players might like to highlight the top line, separating it (tonally) from the other notes in each chord. To do this, weight the hand towards the right or weaker side (that of the 4th & 5th fingers), moving the arm and wrist accordingly.
  3. I would work very slowly with young players, taking a bar at a time, ‘fitting’ each beat together (rather like a jigsaw puzzle), ensuring each quaver in the secondo is exactly ‘placed’ with the melody in the primo).

LIGHT

Probably amongst the simplest of all the pieces in Snapchats (Grade 1 level), Light would be suitable for those who have less experience playing duets. A simplistic tune is accompanied by chords.

  1. Chords must all be placed together which is quite challenging here, as they occur on the second (or weaker) beat of the bar. Therefore, it might be an idea to work at the accompaniment first. Take the chords in the primo’s left hand and the secondo’s right hand; play them with a metronome set on a slow tempo, or count carefully.
  2. Add the bass note on the first beat of the bar (secondo, left hand), practising until all notes have been thoroughly digested and can be played without hesitation.
  3. Finally, add the melody, which may need some attention where fingering is concerned as the tune doesn’t always move in stepwise motion. Highlight the counter-melody in the secondo part too.

This duet can be played without any pedal, but will need plenty of colour and sound variation.

SAMSARA

One of the more difficult of the set (around Grade 4), this can be played at any speed, from Moderato to Presto. The secondo’s accompanying Alberti Bass must be light but very rhythmical, and this is combined with the primo’s rapid melodic passagework.

  1. Ensure the secondo’s lower part provides a firm first beat, after which the remaining quavers can be light, skimming the keys for a soft, even sound. The primo player will need to know the notes well in advance, as there are some tricky turns, particularly in the last bars. As always, practice bar by bar.
  2. For two players to learn to ‘place’ beats at speed, the  metronome might provide the perfect aid. Start under tempo, listening to where the beat falls, gradually learning to observe your duet partner and keep time (which is usually a slow process). Physical gestures will also help. Keep pedal to a minimum here (you actually don’t need any), and end with a full sound.

FLOATING

Another Minimalist inspired piece (around Grade 3 level). The harmony in this piece provides its wistful quality, so to begin with, I would examine the chord structure.

  1. Aim to play the chords altogether in minim beats (blocking them out), therefore two chords per bar (incorporating the accompaniment and the tune).
  2. Once the outer structure has been assimilated (this will help with fingering, and learning where to move), work at the accompaniment, ensuring all the quavers sound together; i.e. primo’s right hand & secondo’s left hand.
  3. Then add the tune, allowing it to float above other texture. Some arm weight will be necessary in order for the melody to sing above the texture; practise by employing a free, flexible wrist, and use the finger-tip, weighting the key with your wrist, arm and elbow behind the note as you play it. This take practice (and a good teacher who will show you what to do), but will be worth it in terms of sound quality.

MISTY RAIN

One of the more unusual of the set (probably around Grade 3), it requires use of harmonics to capture the misty effects of the rain.

  1. The opening chords (in both parts) must be played ‘silently’ to start with (and then held in place), so they unleash the full ‘resonance’ of the piano strings as other notes are played. Practice balancing your hand and fingers first; hover over the keys and take all the notes down, finding the ‘biting point’ or the double escapement where the sound begins. Then take notes carefully past the escapement without sounding them at all. This might need some practice. When both pianists can do this, keep the chord in place until the end of the piece (it only needs ‘playing’ once).
  2. The melodic material must be crisp, detached and light. Work at both right hand parts, playing with a legato touch at first. When notes and fingerings are secure, change to staccato. It’s easier to play if the wrist is flexible, combined with finger staccato (i.e. using finger-tips in a quick, tapping motion, keeping close to the keys). The effect of the quick staccato with the harmonic series behind it will create the misty vibe.

BLACK SQUARE

My favourite of the set! Around Grade 3 level, melodies intertwine here with a strong harmonic pattern.  The melody, which is essentially in the left hand of the primo part (as well as a counter-melody in the right hand primo), requires a full sound and careful shaping.

  1. Again, focus on flexibility in the wrist so that the fingertips delve deeply into the key in combination with weight from the arm, encouraging the melody to sing through the texture. The top line is merely delicate filigree and can be played lightly.
  2. The accompaniment should ideally be rich with minimal pedal. Aim to hold notes for their full value in the secondo (particularly when playing chords, such as at the opening), joining chords with a legato, smooth evenness. Hold notes in position until the very last millisecond, then quickly raise them all and move to the next note position (if different), and depress softly as the sound from the previous chord dies away, so as to match the sound. The join should almost be seamless, and the sound, ongoing, acting as a foil for the primo
  3. Plenty of ensemble work will need to be done in order to play beats exactly together.

ANDANTE

Another interweaving melody which moves between the parts (and is around Grade 2 level). The offbeat tune is present in the secondo right hand and primo left hand, the colouring of each part must be such that the listener is immediately aware of the syncopation.

  1. With this in mind, work at the melody lines first, counting precisely, taking them out of context and playing around with them: experiment with different touches (non-legato, staccato), followed by various accents, which should help to ‘feel’ the slightly off-beat character.
  2. The final two bars (suddenly in a new time signature: 4/4 after 3/4), contain rather unexpected note patterns which might require separate hand practice (primo & secondo right hands alone). Be sure to observe the tenuto markings

HOPSCOTCH

The first of two energetic, zippy pieces, calling for sharp articulation and tight ensemble playing. The overriding feature in this little piece (which is about Grade 2 standard) are the glissandi. They feature in the second line only.

  1. In order to grasp the feel of sliding the back of your hand across the keyboard in time (for the glissandi), start by practising running your hand (which is turned, with nails facing down on the keyboard) over the keys (using the nails to touch the keyboard, otherwise you will break your skin and bleed), and skim over two octaves at a time within the 2/4 framework. You might choose to play the intended note at the end (and F in the final bars) or leave the glissandi ‘open ended’! Either option works. Avoid ‘digging’ into the keyboard too much when skimming over the keys.
  2. Once you can glissando effectively, learn each phrase, using an extremely short, spikey touch for the staccato melody, phrasing each note so that whilst you are playing the notes in a short detached manner, fingers are not ‘rushing’ to the next beat. In other words, space rhythmically. Each two bar motif (or theme) must ‘answer’ the other.

QUICK CHAT

This is a fun piece for learning how to play as a duo in a fast tempo. As quaver passages are often played together by both primo and secondo parts, the notes must be played as if by one person.

  1. Start by playing legato, and slowly, only building speed when confident and when the parts can be securely played simultaneously. Set the metronome on a quaver beat and play with every beat, listening for where the beat falls.
  2. For staccato, practise lifting fingers cleanly off the notes, picking them up, using a combination of wrist and finger staccato.
  3. The difficulty here is playing in the same staccato manner; one pianist’s short and detached is not necessarily the same as another’s; aim to play them with identical shortness and crispness, and with a sharp attack. I find it best to play on the tips and use the top half of the finger to rapidly ‘tap’ or ‘scratch’ the key, softening the wrists after each group of four to counteract any tension.
  4. The glissandi at the end requires pizzazz and intuitive playing; work slowly only increasing tempo when quavers are aligned and the glissandi can be played quickly.

SHANTI SHANTI

A zen-inspired title and Chinese melody, this little piece is around Grade 1 level and is ideal for those starting out.

  1. The chords in both left hand parts must be soft and languid; work at taking the notes down slowly, for a shady, soft colour.
  2. The melody needs a brighter, deeper sound and must be absolutely together (it’s played by both right hands), so working at them alone will help alignment and, counting aloud will keep the rhythm precise. It can be helpful to count in ‘double’ beats when placing notes: if the melody is in crotchets (as here), then count in quavers, or even semi-quavers, for precise placing and voicing.
  3. As with all the duets, I advise working with a metronome, starting out at slow speeds, raising the tempo only when secure and reliable (and without hesitations).

The techniques suggested can be applied to many four hand (and six hand) pieces. Enjoy practising duets and relish the opportunity to work with another like-minded pianist.

SNAPCHATS was recently highly recommended by Spanish pianist, teacher and blogger Juan Cabeza Hernández, as extremely beneficial teaching material. You can read his blog post here; Best 10 Piano Teaching Resources 2016

You can find out more and purchase the SNAPCHATS score here.


 

 

 

 




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Saturday, April 29, 2017

Michigan Open Winners

MI Golf Ball 5The Michigan Open was first played in 1916 and over the years has garnered an impressive list of Champions.

The inaugural Michigan Open was won by Leo Diegel at age 17. Diegel, who was born in Wayne County, Michigan, went on to win two PGA Championships. He also played in the inaugural Ryder Cup and Masters Tournaments.

The great Walter Hagen won the title in 1921. Hagen had served as the head professional at Oakland Hills from 1918 – 1919, but by 1921 was the sport’s only full-time, unaffiliated professional. Hagen won one of his five PGA Championships the same year. Eventually, Hagen retired to Traverse City, Michigan, where he died in 1969.

Noted amateur George Von Elm was the champion in 1928. Von Elm won the US Amateur in 1926 when it was considered a Major, famously battling Bobby Jones in a year when Jones had won both the US and British Opens.

Al Watrous, who had eight PGA Tour victories in the 1920s and 1930s was a six time winner of the Michigan Open. Watrous, too, had a connection to Bobby Jones. During the 1926 Open Championship, Watrous was tied with Jones in the final round until the 17th hole, eventually finishing second. Watrous won the PGA Senior Championship three times.

Horton Smith, winner of the 1954 Michigan Open won the first and third Masters. (Which along with Leo Diegel provides yet another Bobby Jones connection).

Chuck Kocsis, winner of three Michigan Opens, was voted by the Golf Association of Michigan as the state’s “Amateur Golfer of the Century.” Kocsis won six Michigan Amateurs, was a member of three Walker Cup Teams and two NCAA Championship teams at the University of Michigan. He also was low Amateur in two Masters and two US Opens.

Professional golfer Dave Hill, a native of Jackson, Michigan, won the Michigan Open in 1959. Hill would go on to win thirteen times on the PGA TOUR, and was a member of the 1969, 1973 and 1977 Ryder Cup Teams.

Mike Souchak won the Michigan Open in 1967.  He won eleven times on the PGA Tour.

In recent years, the Michigan Open has been dominated by Scott Hebert, professional at the Traverse City Golf and Country Club, who has six wins. In the late 1970s and 1980s, the Michigan Open saw five wins by Randy Erskine, who played on the PGA TOUR from 1974 to 1979.

The complete list of Michigan Open winners follows:

Year Player
2016 Jeff Bronkema
2015 Jeff Cuzzort
2014 Ryan Brehm [3]
2013 Tom Werkmeister (amateur)
2012 Barrett Kelpin
2011 Randy Hutchison
2010 Ryan Brehm [2]
2009 Ryan Brehm [1]
2008 Tom Gillis
2007 Andrew Ruthkoski
2006 Scott Hebert [6]
2005 Michael Harris
2004 Jeff Roth
2003 Bob Ackerman [2]
2002 Scott Hebert [5]
2001 Scott Hebert [4]
2000 Scott Hebert [3]
1999 Scott Hebert [2]
1998 Jeff Roth
1997 Scott Hebert [1]
1996 Steve Brady
1995 Dave Smith
1994 Tom Gillis
1993 Brent Veenstra
1992 Steve Brady [2]
1991 Steve Brady [1]
1990 Robert Proben
1989 Barry Redmond
1988 Ed Humenik
1987 Jack Seltzer
1986 Tim Matthews
1985 Randy Erskine [5]
1984 Randy Erskine [4]
1983 Buddy Whitten [2]
1982 Buddy Whitten [1]
1981 Fred Muller
1980 Lynn Janson
1979 Randy Erskine [3]
1978 Randy Erskine [2]
1977 Tom Deaton
1976 Randy Erskine [1]
1975 Bob Ackerman(amateur) [1]
1974 Lynn Janson
1973 George Bayer
1972 Ron Fox
1971 Ted Kondratko
1970 Walter Burkemo [4]
1969 Charles Knowles
1968 John Molenda
1967 Mike Souchak
1966 Gene Bone [2]
1965 Gene Bone [1]
1964 Thom Rosely
1963 Phil Wiechman
1962 Pete Brown
1961 John Barnum [2]
1960 John Barnum [1]
1959 Dave Hill
1958 John Barnum
1957 Walter Burkemo [3]
1956 Pete Cooper
1955 Walter Burkemo [2]
1954 Horton Smith
1953 Chick Harbert
1952 Mike Dietz
1951 Walter Burkemo [1]
1950 John Barnum
1949 Al Watrous [6]
1948 Chick Harbert
1947 Buck White
1946 Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [3]
1945 Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [2]
1944 Sam Byrd
1943 Al Watrous [5]
1942 Chick Harbert
1941 Gib Sellers
1940 Emerick Kocsis
1939 Marvin Stahl [3]
1938 Marvin Stahl [2]
1937 Chick Harbert (amateur)
1936 Marvin Stahl [1]
1935 Jake Fassezke [2]
1934 Jake Fassezke [1]
1933 Mortie Dutra
1932 Clarence Gamber
1931 Chuck Kocsis (amateur) [1]
1930 Al Watrous [4]
1929 Al Watrous [3]
1928 George Von Elm (amateur)
1927 Al Watrous [2]
1926 Al Watrous [1]
1925 Davey Robertson
1924 No record
1923 Harry Hampton
1922 No record
1921 Walter Hagen
1920 Mike Brady
1919 Leo Diegel [2]
1917-18 No tournament
1916 Leo Diegel [1]

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Friday, April 28, 2017

Great Lakes Shootout Will Determine Sponsor’s Exemption For 2017 Volvik LPGA Championship

Great Lakes Shootout Great Lakes Shootout Will Determine Sponsor’s Exemption For 2017 Volvik LPGA Championship

Top college golfers from five Michigan schools, along with six Symetra Tour standouts with Big 10 connections will have a chance to compete for the sponsor’s exemption in the 2017 Volvik LPGA Championship. The Great Lakes Shootout takes place on May 16 at Travis Pointe Country Club. The Volvik Championship will run May 25-28.

“The exemption is always of interest to golfers looking for the opportunity to play on a professional tour, and this shootout will be an exciting way for a player to earn that slot,” said Keith Karbo, Tournament Director of the LPGA Volvik Championship. “Our idea to was to have local universities who have been supporting our tournament along with the best of the Symetra Tour competing to gain that coveted spot in the main event.”

The Great Lakes Shootout will begin with nine holes of stroke play. Immediately following, the top four of the eleven players will move on to the shootout. Taking place over holes 16, 17 and 18, the shootout will eliminate the player on each hole with the lowest score. The surviving player receives the Volvik sponsor’s exemption.

Michigan colleges participating are The University of Michigan, Michigan State, Eastern Michigan, Wayne State and Detroit Mercy.

Currently eleven Symetra Tour players are in contention for the remaining six spots. In money list order, they are:

  1. Rachel Rohanna (Ohio State)
  2. Elizabeth Tong (Indiana)
  3. Emma Jandel (Ohio State)
  4. Allyssa Ferrell (Michigan State)
  5. Liz Nagel (Michigan State)
  6. Lindsay McPherson (Michigan State)
  7. Christine Meier (Michigan  State)
  8. Maddie Shiels (Nebraska)
  9. Amy Ihm (Iowa)
  10. Laura Kueny (Michigan State)
  11. Kaitlin Park (Northwestern)

If a player in the top six cannot compete, then the next one on the list will be entered.

Mike Nichols, Chief Business Officer for the Symetra Tour said that players were excited about the opportunity.

“There are so many talented players from the Big Ten that play the Symetra Tour each year and this is a great way to give them a chance to compete for a spot in a LPGA event,” Nichols said. “Volvik is a major sponsor of the Symetra Tour and the LPGA Volvik Championship, so it made sense to connect the tours.”

Nichols noted that Volvik’s relationship with the LPGA actually began with the Symetra Tour, the LPGA’s developmental tour. Each year, ten LPGA Tour cards are awarded to the top finishing players on the Symetra Tour. Volvik is the official golf ball of the Symetra Tour and the sponsor for the Volvik Race for the Card.

“The players call the Volvik balls on the driving range their ‘Easter Eggs’,” Nichols joked, referring to Volvik’s brightly colored balls.

 

 

 

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100th Michigan Open Entry Deadline Is May 17

Golf Shot Glass Drinking Game

Golf Shot Glass Drinking Game

 

Golf Shot Glass Drinking Game

Ridiculous Golf Item of the Week

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How I Joined Skillshare and Learned Cool New Skills on the Cheap

The following branded content post is brought to you by Skillshare, a site that I tried out and like a lot. They’re a great site for learning and offered two free months for AK readers (click to redeem two months of Skillshare Premium here), so I was delighted to share this with you!

I love to learn new things. Scratch that — I crave learning new things, whether it’s how to write a new poetry form, how to cook a new dish, or how to do a perfect deadlift.

And while I scratch my learning itch largely by reading, it’s not enough. I’ve been wanting to take some courses lately, and Skillshare has been the perfect introduction into learning more.

Introducing Skillshare

Skillshare is a website filled with more than 15,000 courses. They are taught by video.

Skillshare members can take as many courses as they’d like — and even create a course of their own.

What kinds of courses are there?

Tons — there are more than 15,000 courses altogether. They are courses from complete beginners to hobbyists, professionals, and even advanced courses for experts looking to grow their skill set.

What kinds of classes are there? To start, they have tech classes on mobile development (“How to Make Apps with No Programming Experience”) and game design (“How to Create Pixel Art for Games”).

In the lifestyle section, there are courses on cooking (“How to Make French Macarons”), and design (“Modern Flowers: How to Design a Stunning Centerpiece”).

In the business section, there are courses on marketing (“How to Create Engaging Social Media Content”), freelancing (“How to Start a Shopify Business”), and sales (“How to Create a Sales Funnel That Converts”).

Most popular, however, is the creative section, where there are courses on everything from video production (“How to Shoot With Your iPhone and Edit Like a Pro”) to art (“How to Create Modern Watercolor Florals”) and UI/UX Design (“UI Design in Photoshop From Scratch”).

This is by no means an exhaustive list — these classes are just the beginning of what Skillshare has to offer.

How much does it cost?

Premium Skillshare plans start at $10 per month billed annually or $15 per month month-to-month — much cheaper than I expected. It doesn’t cost much more than Netflix.

However, Adventurous Kate readers can get two months of Skillshare Premium for free through this link.

My Skillshare Experience — Three Different Classes

I decided to try out three very different classes to give me an idea of how everything worked.

Course #1: Humor Writing: Write Funny for the Internet by Mike Lacher

I’ve been wanting to take a comedy writing classes for a long time, but I haven’t wanted to make the time and financial investment right now. This course, taught by a McSweeney’s author, was a fabulous introduction to writing for comedy, using his experience to outline the steps that make your writing funnier and more entertaining.

So much of humor writing is by instinct, but a lot of it can be mapped out by releasing tension almost mathematically. (Most famous was Steve Martin, where he decided to create routines where no tension was released. People hated it.)

Course #2: How to Create a Morning Routine by Derek Franklin

This course, while technically on video, is more of an audio/podcast-type course. For that reason, you could listen to it while cooking or cleaning (which is when I usually listen to podcasts). This is a simple but effective course on steps you can take to create a better morning — something I could definitely stand to do!

More than anything, this course taught me that if you’re starting your routine in the morning, you’re already too late — you will be so much more productive if you plan your morning the night before!

Course #3: Going Pro with Street Photography by trashhand

I love photography, but I’ve been in a bit of a rut lately and wanted to learn new techniques. This course is outstanding for any kind of lifestyle Instagrammer who appears in his or her own photos, and that goes for travel bloggers as well. This course is a detailed way of setting up editorial shoots that work well with your location and create great results for both you and whatever brand you’re working with.

I always lean away from getting photos of myself, unless I’m traveling with a photographer, but after this course, I’m going to work harder on getting those shots.

The Takeaway

I’ll be honest — I’m surprised by how rich the course selection is and the fact that you can learn about so many different kinds of areas with a low risk factor. If you’re interested in drawing, for example, it’s nice that you can try out a drawing class through Skillshare without investing hundreds of dollars up front.

I also appreciated that you can listen to the courses at up to 1.5x the speed, which cuts down on time and works well if you’re paying attention.

Overall, I think Skillshare provides excellent value for money. Which leads me to my next point:

Get Two Months of Skillshare for Free

Want to try it out? I’m giving away two free months of Skillshare to Adventurous Kate readers!

You can access the two free months promotion here.

Should you try it? It’s free! Why not? And you never know. This could be the beginning of a career change or the start of a lifelong learning project.

What kind of course have you been wanting to take?



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BSNYC Friday Fun Quiz!

Good morning.

Now that we've got that out of the way, I'm pleased to present you with a quiz.  As always, study the item, think, and click on your answer.  If you're right well then that's just fantastic, and if you're wrong you'll see a recumbent conversion.

Thanks very much for reading, ride safe this weekend, and thanks very much for reading.

Ride safe this weekend,


--Wildcat Rock Machine




1) The Red Hook Crit is also known as:






2) Mario Cipollini is in Brooklyn today to:






3) Of course Jeremy Santucci rides a Cipollini.





4) According to my Newbery Award-winning children's book, why did Jesus put the dinosaurs in charge of the Earth?






5) Complete this popular expression:

"Jumping the _____."

--Gun







6) What is the "Rock Bar?"






7) Mike Sinyard says that in two years:




***Special "Well That's An Odd Choice"-Themed Bonus Video!***


I guess they were desperate for comfort.

Afterwards they broke into the pet shop next-door and stole a Bichon Frise to put in that basket.



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Thursday, April 27, 2017

I'm typign fixed-gear which is why I cant' backspace to fix the typoes

GAM Golf Days Offer Opportunity To Play Private Michigan Clubs

2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview

2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview

2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview

Dates: April 24-30, 2017
Where: Avondale, La.
Course: TPC Louisiana (Pete Dye/2004), 36-36—par 72/7,425 yards
Field size: 80 teams/160 players
2016 champion: Brian Stuard
Purse: $7,100,000
FedExCup: 400 points (each member of winning team)
Format: 72-hole stroke play, Foursomes (Thursday/Saturday) and Four-ball (Friday/Sunday)
Twitter: @zurich_classic

 

Historic new tournament format

  • Last November, the PGA TOUR Policy Board approved a historic change to the format of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, making the event a 2-player team event featuring Foursomes (alternate shot) during the first and third rounds and Four-Ball (best ball) during the second and fourth rounds. Since the formation of the PGA TOUR (1968), this is the first time an official event has utilized Foursome play as part of a team competition, and the event is the first official team event since 1981.
  • The starting field will consist of 80 teams (160 players). Each of the top available players from the PGA TOUR Priority Rankings who commits to the tournament will choose his partner, who in turn must have PGA TOUR status unless he is chosen as a tournament sponsor exemption. Following the conclusion of the second round, there will be a cut to the low 35 teams and ties at the 35th position. In case of a tie after 72 holes, there will be a sudden-death playoff using the Four-Ball format.
  • The Zurich Classic of New Orleans will continue to award FedExCup points and official money, and will count as an official victory for the members of the winning team. As such, both players will receive a two-year winner’s exemption and an eligibility into Invitational fields, including the Tournament of Champions and THE PLAYERS Championship. Additionally, the PGA of America will include both members of the winning team in the Tournament Winners category for the PGA Championship. FedExCup points and prize money will be awarded to teams making the cut based on combining every two positions from the distribution table for a standard TOUR event, with each team member receiving an equal share. For instance, the winning team will evenly split first and second place FedExCup points (500 for first and 300 for second for 800 total points, or 400 for each player). Official prize money will be distributed in the same manner.

 

History of PGA TOUR team events

  • The 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans will be the first official PGA TOUR team event in 36 years. The last official PGA TOUR team event was the 1981 Walt Disney World National Team Championship held at the Magnolia, Palm and Lake Buena Vista courses at Disney. Vance Heafner and Mike Holland won that title. The tournament became an individual stroke-play event in 1982.
  • The PGA TOUR has held 61 previous official team events, with two pros paired together, using various formats. The PGA TOUR has contested 13 official team tournaments where a pro was paired with an amateur in official events, with the pro always earning official-win designation.
  • The Zurich Classic of New Orleans will use a four-ball and foursomes format. The closest the PGA TOUR has previously come to using a Foursomes format in an official event was at the 1934 Pinehurst Pro-Pro held at Pinehurst’s No. 2 and won by Tommy Armour and Bobby Cruickshank. That tournament played under Scotch Foursomes rules, a setup that allows each player to hit a drive on each hole and then whichever player’s ball is in the best position, the teammate hits the next shot in alternate-shot fashion until the ball is holed.

 

How Brian Stuard won the 2016 Zurich Classic of New Orleans

  • Michigan native Brian Stuard won his first career PGA TOUR event in his 120th professional start on the PGA TOUR, making birdie on the second hole of sudden death, the par-5 18th hole, to defeat Jamie Lovemark and Byeong Hun An.
  • It was the 13th playoff in event history.
  • Although the event was reduced to 54 holes due to inclement weather, Stuard was the only player in the field to play bogey free.
  • The last player to win on the PGA TOUR with no bogeys in a 72-hole event was Lee Trevino at the 1974 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
  • Including the playoff, Stuard was a perfect 46 of 46 from putting inside 10 feet for the tournament.
  • With the new team format in 2017, Stuard will pair with Chris Stroud in an attempt to defend his title.

 

More on Brian Stuard/Chris Stroud Brian Stuard

  • Last season, advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs for the third time in his PGA TOUR career, thanks to his first career win on TOUR. Kept himself alive through the first three of four Playoffs events, before ending his season after the BMW Championship at No. 60 in the FedExCup standings.
  • Was the 16th player since 1990 to make the Zurich Classic of New Orleans his first career PGA TOUR victory and the eighth of the last 12 to do so.
  • The 2016 victory was his fourth start in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, having previously missed the cut in 2010 and 2014. He finished T65 in 2015.
  • Stuard’s best finish to date in 2016-17 was T16 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

 

Chris Stroud

  • Stroud’s best finish thus far in 2016-17 was T8 at the Puerto Rico Open.
  • Career-best PGA TOUR finish is runner-up at the 2013 Travelers Championship, where he lost a playoff to Ken Duke.
  • Owns five top-25 finishes in 10 career appearances at the Zurich Classic, including a T5 in his
    tournament debut in 2007.

The Zurich Classic and the FedExCup

The 2016-17 season marks the 11th year of the FedExCup, the season-long points competition highlighted by four FedExCup Playoff events, with the FedExCup champion being crowned at the completion of the TOUR Championship. Some FedExCup notes regarding the Zurich Classic of New Orleans:

  • Three FedExCup champions are in the field: Jordan Spieth (2015), Billy Horschel (2014), Henrik Stenson (2013).
  • Six of the 10 winners of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans have gone on to qualify for the season finale, the TOUR Championship: Andres Romero (2008), Jerry Kelly (2009), Bubba Watson (2011), Jason Dufner (2012), Billy Horschel (2013) and Justin Rose (2015).
  • 18 of the top 30 in the current FedExCup standings are in the field led by Hideki Matsuyama (No. 2) and Justin Thomas (No. 3).

Notes on the field

  • Six of the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking: Jason Day (No. 3), Hideki Matsuyama (4), Jordan Spieth (5), Henrik Stenson (6), Justin Rose (8) and Rickie Fowler (9), and 25 of the top 50.
  • Twelve major champions, combining for 16 major titles, are in the field, although only one team features both players as major winners – Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson. Other major champions competing at the Zurich Classic include Retief Goosen (2), Jordan Spieth (2), Bubba Watson (2), Angel Cabrera (2), Jason Day, Jason Dufner, Keegan Bradley, Louis Oosthuizen, Geoff Ogilvy and Lucas Glover.
  • Twelve of this season’s PGA TOUR winners: Brendan Steele, Cody Gribble, Rod Pampling, Mackenzie Hughes, Justin Thomas, Hudson Swafford, Hideki Matsuyama, Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler, Russell Henley, Wesley Bryan and Kevin Chappell.
  • Ten past Zurich Classic of New Orleans winners: Brian Stuard (2016), Justin Rose (2015), Seung-Yul Noh (2014), Billy Horschel (2013), Jason Dufner (2012), Bubba Watson (2011), Jason Bohn (2010), Jerry Kelly (2009), Nick Watney (2007) and K.J. Choi (2002).
  • Seven Zurich Ambassadors will compete in the Zurich Classic this week – Keegan Bradley, Ben Crane, Jason Day, Jamie Donaldson, Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel and Justin Rose.
  • LPGA star Lexi Thompson, also a Zurich Ambassador, will be on site Tuesday to team with Olympian Lolo Jones in the Celebrity Shootout at 3 p.m. The competition, over four holes (Nos. 1, 2, 8 and 9), using the same foursomes/four-ball format as the Zurich Classic, will determine the winner of the $10,000 charitable donation. A total of eight celebrities will compete in this competition.

 

2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview: Notable Teams

Justin Rose/Henrik Stenson

Rose (gold) and Stenson (silver) were Olympic medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympic Golf Competition. They are the only team featuring two major champions in the Zurich Classic. The pair also combined for three wins while paired together as European teammates in the 2014 Ryder Cup. In 2016, the duo played against Jordan Spieth/Patrick Reed three times, winning once (5 and 4, R1, afternoon four-ball) and losing twice.

More on Rose

  • Rose has made 11 starts at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and has finished in the top-15 in four of his last five appearances at TPC Louisiana (T10/2012, T15/2013, T8/2014, 1/2015, MC/2016). He has 18 consecutive rounds of par or better at TPC Louisiana. Dating to 2012, Rose is 60-under-par at TPC Louisiana.
  • Rose is one of six international winners of the Zurich Classic since 2000 (2015/Justin Rose/England, 2014/Seung-Yul Noh/South Korea, 2008/Andres Romero/Argentina, 2004/Vijay Singh/Fiji, 2002/K.J. Choi/South Korea, 2000/Carlos Franco/Paraguay).
  • He was runner-up to Sergio Garcia after losing a sudden death playoff at last month’s Masters

More on Stenson

  • This year marks his first appearance at the Zurich Classic.
  • Posted final-round 63 to win The Open Championship last year, his fifth PGA TOUR title and first major championship victory.
  • Swede was second of three international players to become FedExCup champion, in 2013 (2007/Vijay Singh/Fiji, 2016 Rory McIlroy/Northern Ireland).
  • In six starts on TOUR this season he has recorded two top-10 finishes (T2/WGC-HSBC Champions, T7/Valspar Championship) but he has missed the cut in his last three starts.

Jason Day/Rickie Fowler

Day (No. 3) and Fowler (No. 9), both Zurich Ambassadors, are currently ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Ranking. The pair are also the most recent winners of THE PLAYERS – Day in 2016 and Fowler in 2015.

More on Day

  • Finished T5 at last year’s Zurich Classic as the first player ranked No. 1 in the Official World Golf
    Ranking to compete in this event since David Duval in 1999.
  • Held the solo 36-hole lead, and shared the 54-hole lead with Justin Rose at the 2015 Zurich Classic before finishing T4 with four sub-70 rounds.
  • Ten-time PGA TOUR winner, most recently at THE PLAYERS Championship last year.

More on Fowler

  • Won The Honda Classic earlier this season for his fourth career PGA TOUR title.
  • While playing the same format as the Zurich Classic, finished runner-up, with Jimmy Walker as his partner, at the ISPS HANDA World Cup at Kingston Heath in Australia late last year.
  • Making his seventh consecutive appearance in the Zurich Classic. Best finish is T10 in 2012.
  • Currently ranked No. 8 in the FedExCup standings.

Hideki Matsuyama/Hideto Tanihara

Matsuyama, No. 2 in the FedExCup standings and No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking, pairs with fellow Japanese star Tanihara, who reached the semifinal of the recent World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play.

More on Matsuyama

  • After the close of the 2015-16 PGA TOUR season, Matsuyama won five of 10 worldwide starts, including the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and the Waste Management Phoenix Open in a four-hole playoff over Webb Simpson. Matsuyama also claimed the Japan Golf Open and the VISA Taiheyo Masters in his home country and beat a small but stellar field in the Bahamas to capture the Hero World Challenge. During this period he also finished runner-up at the CIMB Classic and the SBS Tournament of Champions.
  • Matsuyama has been at the top, or near the top, of the FedExCup standings this season and currently lies 81 points behind leader Dustin Johnson.
  • Finished T6 at ISPS HANDA World Cup of Golf in Australia last year while playing with Ryo Ishikawa using same format as this week’s Zurich Classic.
  • Matsuyama makes his first appearance at the Zurich Classic this week.

More on Tanihara

  • Tanihara earned his best PGA TOUR finish with his fourth at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play last month. He now owns three top-10 finishes in 45 career starts on TOUR, along with a T5 at The Open in 2006 and a T8 at the 2014 Sony Open in Hawaii.
  • The 38-year-old, who has 14 international victories, qualified for the Masters by moving inside the top-50 in the Official World Golf Ranking after his performance in Austin. He missed the cut at Augusta National.
  • Tanihara is ranked 11th in the International Team Presidents Cup standings as he looks to make the team for the first time in his career.
  • This will be the second appearance at the Zurich Classic for Tanihara. In 2005, he shot 70-80 to miss the cut.

Jordan Spieth/Ryan Palmer

  • 2015 FedExCup champion and two-time major winner Spieth teams with fellow Texan and three-time TOUR winner Palmer.
  • When Spieth won the 2016 DEAN & DELUCA Invitational at Colonial CC, Palmer finished T3.

More on Spieth

  • With his win at the 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Spieth tied Jason Day for most victories since the start of the 2013 PGA TOUR season. Spieth and Day, who have nine each, were joined by Dustin Johnson who won the Genesis Open, WGC-Mexico Championship and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in consecutive starts to reach nine titles since the start of the 2013 season.
    • Spieth is the second-youngest player since World War II to win nine times on the PGA TOUR:
      • o Tiger Woods (23 years, 5 months, 7 days) – 1999 Memorial
      • o Jordan Spieth (23 years, 6 months, 16 days) – 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am
      • o Jack Nicklaus (24 years, 19 days) – 1964 Waste Management Phoenix Open
    • In nine starts this season, Spieth has finished inside the top 10 four times.
    • Spieth makes his second appearance at the Zurich Classic after missing the cut in 2013.

More on Palmer

  • Palmer’s most recent of three PGA TOUR wins was the 2010 Sony Open in Hawaii.
  • Palmer has advanced to the FedExCup Playoffs nine times in 10 seasons.
  • His lone top-10 in eight appearances in New Orleans was T4 in 2012.

 

Steve Stricker/Jerry Kelly

  • Stricker and Kelly are both Wisconsin natives who currently play PGA TOUR Champions.
  • The pair teamed to win the 2009 Shark Shootout in Naples, Fla., and finished as the runner-up at the same event late last year.
  • They also teamed to play in the Bass Pro Shops Legends of Golf on PGA TOUR Champions where they finished T8 last week.
  • They have a combined age of 100, the oldest in the field this week, with 31 appearances at the Zurich Classic between them.

More on Stricker

  • Captain of 2017 U.S. Presidents Cup Team.
  • Winner of 12 PGA TOUR events, best result this season is T16 at the Masters Tournament.
  • Making his 16th start in the Zurich Classic where he has three top-10s (T4/2000, T7/2009, 6th/2012).
  • In two starts on PGA TOUR Champions since becoming eligible this year, Stricker has a runner-up finish at the Tucson Conquistadores Classic and a T3 at the Mississippi Gulf Resorts Classic.

More on Kelly

  • Kelly is a three-time PGA TOUR winner, including the 2009 Zurich Classic.
  • In 16 previous appearances at the Zurich Classic, Kelly has one additional top-10 result, a T5 in 2003.
  • Kelly was a member of the U.S. Presidents Cup Team in 2003 and posted a 2-2-0 record.
  • Kelly posted a T3 at the 2017 Chubb Classic in his PGA TOUR Champions debut after turning 50 in November last year.

Bubba Watson/J.B. Holmes

The American pair ranked No. 1 (Holmes) and No. 4 (Watson) in the Driving Distance category in the 2015-16 PGA TOUR Season. The duo played together at the 2015 Presidents Cup in several matches.

More on Watson

  • Watson won the Zurich Classic in 2011. The two-time Masters champion, and nine-time PGA TOUR winner is seeking his first win since last year’s Genesis Open in Los Angeles. Watson’s results this season have been erratic with three MC’s, one WD and one top-10 (T9/WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play) in nine starts.

More on Holmes

  • Holmes has represented the United States on one Presidents Cup team (2015) and two Ryder Cup teams (2008, 2016), with the U.S. Team winning all three events.
  • In nine starts this season he is still seeking his first top-10. Since joining the TOUR in 2006, the only season Holmes has failed to post a top-10 during a season was 2013 when he was limited to five events after breaking his ankle while rollerblading. In three starts at the Zurich Classic, Holmes has recorded nine of 10 rounds under par (75/R2/2009). His best result in New Orleans is T11 in 2014.

Louis Oosthuizen/Branden Grace

  • The South African duo were unbeatable at the 2015 Presidents Cup in Korea, winning all four team matches together.
  • Grace also defeated Matt Kuchar (2 and 1) in singles for a 5-0 record, while Oosthuizen halved with Patrick Reed to go 4-0-1.
  • This marks the first appearance in New Orleans for both Oosthuizen and Grace.

More on Oosthuizen

  • Oosthuizen’s only PGA TOUR title is The Open Championship in 2010. He owns 12 international victories, most recently the 2016 ISPS HANDA Perth Invitational. His best result in eight starts this season is third at the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

More on Grace

  • Although he has 10 international titles, Grace’s lone TOUR victory is the 2016 RBC Heritage. His T11 at this year’s event while attempting to defend his title is his best showing this season. In the last eight major championships, Grace has recorded four top-five finishes (T4/2016 PGA, T5/2016 U.S. Open, 3rd/2015 PGA, T4/2015 U.S. Open).

Justin Thomas/Bud Cauley

  • Thomas, currently third in the FedExCup standings on the strength of three wins teams with fellow former University of Alabama golfer Bud Cauley.

More on Thomas

  • Thomas is a four-time TOUR winner, including three wins this season (CIMB Classic, SBS Tournament of Champions, Sony Open in Hawaii). Thomas shot 59 (-11) in the opening round of the Sony Open in Hawaii to become the seventh player with a sub-60 round on TOUR.
  • In 2013, Thomas helped lead Alabama to its first NCAA golf national championship and was named second-team All-American. He left Alabama after his sophomore season to turn professional, having won six individual titles in two years.
  • Thomas celebrates his 24th birthday Saturday of the Zurich Classic.
  • He was T12 in 2015 in his only appearance at the Zurich Classic.

More on Cauley

  • Cauley earned his PGA TOUR status for the 2012 season from the PGA TOUR non-member money list in just eight starts. He joined a short list of players who earned their PGA TOUR card straight from college without having to go to the Qualifying School.
  • Cauley was a three-time All-American at Alabama and represented the U.S. at the 2009 Walker Cup, where he posted a 3-0-1 record. During his freshman year at Alabama, he was the Southeastern Conference’s Freshman of the Year.
  • Seeking his first victory on the PGA TOUR, although he is a winner on the Web.com Tour (2014 Hotel Fitness Championship). He has three top-10s this season (T3/CareerBuilder Challenge, T9/RBC Heritage, T10/Valero Texas Open).

Tyrell Hatton/Jamie Donaldson

  • Hatton, from England, and Donaldson, from Wales, both received sponsor exemptions to compete in the Zurich Classic.
  • Donaldson is a Zurich Ambassador while Hatton recently joined the PGA TOUR as a Special Temporary Member.

More on Donaldson

  • Three-time European Tour winner Donaldson did not meet the 15-event minimum requirement for members and therefore lost his PGA TOUR membership last season. He will make his first start of the season at the Zurich Classic and his third appearance at this event, where he was T48 last year.

More on Hatton

  • European Tour winner Hatton gained some attention last year with top-10 finishes in two major
    championships – a T5 at The Open and a T10 at the PGA Championship.
  • After a T4 at The Honda Classic, he followed up with two more top-10s – a 10th in the WGC-Mexico Championship and a T4 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational to secure enough non-member FedExCup points to earn Special Temporary Membership. This will be his first appearance at the Zurich Classic.

Daniel Berger/Thomas Pieters More on Berger

  • Berger, 24, was PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year in 2015 and the only rookie to advance to the TOUR Championship that season.
  • He won the 2016 FedEx St. Jude Classic for his first TOUR victory. He posted a T6 in his debut at the Zurich Classic in 2015 and finished T20 last year. Berger has three top-10 finishes this season.

More on Pieters

  • Belgium native played collegiately at the University of Illinois, where he won the individual NCAA
    Championship in 2012.
  • 25-year-old has won three European Tour events, represented Belgium at the Olympic Golf in Rio and World Cup, and played as one of Darren Clarke’s four captain’s pick on the 2016 European Ryder Cup team.
  • Earned Special Temporary Membership on the PGA TOUR earlier this year on the strength of T2 at the Genesis Open. Finished T4 in last PGA TOUR start at the Masters Tournament. Making first career start at the Zurich Classic.

Brooks Koepka/Chase Koepka

  • The Koepka brothers are the only siblings teamed together in this event.

More on Brooks Koepka

  • Brooks attended Florida State before turning professional and heading to Europe to play. He joined the PGA TOUR after the 2014 season and earned his lone TOUR victory at the 2015 Waste Management Phoenix Open.
  • At 26 years of age, Brooks has a victory on the PGA TOUR, European Tour, Japan Tour and four wins on the Challenge Tour.
  • Member of the winning U.S. Team in the 2016 Ryder Cup. He finished T21 in his lone start in New Orleans in 2014.
  • Runner-up at last week’s Valero Texas Open.

More on Chase Koepka

  • Chase, 23, attended USF where he exceled, winning a school-best four tournaments.
  • Received a sponsor exemption to compete with his brother and will make his PGA TOUR debut in the Zurich Classic.

Russell Knox/Kevin Streelman

  • Knox and Streelman are students of Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, ranked the No. 1 and No. 2 female instructors in America and co-founders of VISION54.

More on Knox

  • Knox, from Scotland, began this season with three top-10s and sits No. 32 in the FedExCup standings.
  • Won twice on the PGA TOUR in 2015-16, at the WGC-HSBC Champions and Travelers Championship, and qualified for the season-ending TOUR Championship.

More on Streelman

  • Two-time PGA TOUR winner’s lone top-10 in 13 starts this season is a T4 at the OHL Classic at
  • Making his sixth start in the Zurich Classic.

Tony Finau/Daniel Summerhays

  • Finau and Summerhays are Utah natives who both advanced to the PGA TOUR via the Web.com Tour.

More on Finau

  • Finau won the 2014 Stonebrae Classic on the Web.com Tour which helped him earn PGA TOUR status the following year. Last season, he claimed his first TOUR title with a victory at the Puerto Rico Open.
  • Missed the cut in his only previous start in New Orleans in 2015.
  • Finished T3 at last week’s Valero Texas Open.

More on Summerhays

  • Summerhays qualified for a spot in the 2007 Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational when he earned first-team All-American honors at BYU and went on to win the event, becoming the first amateur to win a Web.com Tour title. He couldn’t accept the $126,000 first prize but did earn a full exemption for the remainder of the season and all of 2008. Three days after that win, he made the decision to forego his senior season at BYU and turned professional.
  • Joined the PGA TOUR in 2011, in search of his first TOUR victory.
  • Making his fifth appearance at the Zurich Classic, his best result being T21 in his last start in 2014.

International Teams

Several international teams are made up of players from the same country, including;

  • Rod Pampling/John Senden, (Australia)
  • Angel Cabrera/Julian Etulain (Argentina)
  • Mackenzie Hughes/Nick Taylor and David Hearn/Graham DeLaet (Canada)
  • Seung-Yul Noh/Byeong Hun An, Si Woo Kim/Sung Kang and K.J. Choi/Charlie Wi (South Korea)
  • Louis Oosthuizen/Branden Grace, Tyrone Van Aswegen/Retief Goosen (South Africa)

The Louisiana Connection

Among those in the field with Louisiana connections:

  • Patrick Reed – Won two high school state championships while attending University High in Baton Rouge. Finished T24 in first appearance at Zurich Classic in 2012 but missed cut in both 2013 and 2014. No. 15 in the Official World Ranking. Will partner with another Patrick – Patrick Cantlay – who has two top-three showings in four starts this season.
  • Smylie Kaufman – LSU graduate won in his second career start on TOUR at the 2015 Shriners Hospitals for Children Open with a final-round 61. Father Jeff and mother Pam both played collegiately at LSU. Shot 68-81 at Zurich Classic last year to miss cut in his only previous appearance. Teammate this week is Harold Varner III, 2016 Australian PGA champion.
  • Michael Thompson – Former Tulane University undergrad, who transferred to University of Alabama following Hurricane Katrina. Thompson claimed his first career PGA TOUR title in 2013 at The Honda Classic. Teaming with Kiwi Tim Wilkinson this week.
  • Andrew Loupe – Baton Rouge native and LSU grad (2011) will be making his fifth start in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans (MC/2011, T52/2014, MC/2015, MC/2016). T10 at Shell Houston Open was lone made-cut in first eight starts this season. Partnering with John Peterson in all-LSU pairing.
  • John Peterson – Three-time All-America and two-time All-SEC selection at LSU, where he won twice, including the 2011 NCAA Division I individual championship. His mother, Jan, is a graduate of LSU and two of his siblings also attended LSU. Moved back home to Fort Worth, Texas, in 2014 after living in Baton Rouge, La., following college. T8 in 2012 is best result in four appearances at Zurich Classic. Joins Andrew Loupe in all-LSU team at Zurich Classic.

2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview: Tournament notes

  • The Zurich Classic of New Orleans is the penultimate PGA TOUR event for players, not previously eligible, to earn a start in THE PLAYERS in one of three ways: 1) moving into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking; 2) winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans; and 3) moving into the top 10 in the 2016-17 FedExCup standings.
  • Since 1990, 16 players have made the Zurich Classic of New Orleans their maiden victory on the PGA TOUR, including eight of the past 12 champions; Brian Stuard (2016), Seung-Yul Noh (2014), Billy Horschel (2013), Jason Dufner (2012), Andres Romero (2008), Nick Watney (2007), Chris Couch (2006) and Tim Petrovic (2005).
  • TPC Louisiana is the fifth of 13 TPC Network venues to host PGA TOUR events this season.
  • Ben Martin, teaming with Ben Crane this week, holds the TPC Louisiana course record with a bogey-free 10-under 62 in the opening round of the 2014 Zurich Classic.

 

Stars have come out in 2017

  • Nine of the 17 winners in the 2017 calendar year have been inside the top 25 in the Official World Golf Ranking entering that week’s event: Justin Thomas (SBS Tournament of Champions/22); Thomas (Sony Open in Hawaii/12); Hideki Matsuyama (Waste Management Phoenix Open/5); Jordan Spieth (AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am/6); Dustin Johnson (Genesis Open/3); Rickie Fowler (The Honda Classic/14); Johnson (WGC-Mexico Championship/1), Johnson (WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play/1), Sergio Garcia (The Masters/11).

Young stars winning

Eleven different players under the age of 30 have accounted for 14 of the 24 PGA TOUR wins through the Valero Texas Open, including a PGA TOUR-record tying (since 1970) seven straight between The RSM Classic in November and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February. The under-30 winners in 2016-17 are listed below:

Date Tournament Winner Age won
October 23, 2016 CIMB Classic Justin Thomas 23 years, 5 months, 24 days
October 30, 2016 WGC-HSBC Champions Hideki Matsuyama 24 years, 8 months, 5 days
October 30, 2016 Sanderson Farms Championship Cody Gribble 26 years, 1 month, 10 days
November 20, 2016 The RSM Classic Mackenzie Hughes 25 years, 11 months, 29 days
January 8, 2017 SBS Tournament of Champions Justin Thomas 23 years, 8 months, 10 days
January 15, 2017 Sony Open in Hawaii Justin Thomas 23 years, 8 months, 17 days
January 22, 2017 CareerBuilder Challenge Hudson Swafford 29 years, 4 months, 13 days
January 29, 2017 Farmers Insurance Open Jon Rahm 22 years, 2 months, 19 days
February 5, 2017 Waste Management Phoenix Open Hideki Matsuyama 24 years, 11 months, 11 days
February 12, 2017 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Jordan Spieth 23 years, 6 months, 16 days
February 26, 2017 The Honda Classic Rickie Fowler 28 years, 2 months, 13 days
March 12, 2017 Valspar Championship Adam Hadwin 29 years, 4 months, 10 days
April 2, 2017 Shell Houston Open Russell Henley 27 years, 11 months, 21 days
April 16, 2017 RBC Heritage Wesley Bryan 27 years, 21 days

Charity

Since 1958, the Fore!Kids Foundation has raised money to fund children’s service organizations through golf events like the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, the Golf Ball Gala and several charitable golf tournaments. As a 501(c)(3) corporation, Fore!Kids has helped to raise more than $30 million to date for children’s charities in metro New Orleans and Baton Rouge. More information at http://ift.tt/22gaPeB.

 

The 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Preview is via PGA TOUR

 

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Teams For The 2017 Zurich Classic

Teams For The 2017 Zurich ClassicHere are a list of teams for the 2017 Zurich Classic, which uses a team format. Using stroke play scoring, teams will play the first and third rounds as alternate shot. The second and fourth rounds are four ball. A cut will be made after two days, with 35 teams and ties.

1 Tyrrell Hatton* &  Jamie Donaldson*
2 Angel Cabrera* & Julian Etulain*
3 Jason Day  & Rickie Fowler
4 Jason Dufner & Patton Kizzire
5 Justin Rose & Henrik Stenson
6 Jordan Spieth &  Ryan Palmer
7 Bubba Watson &  J.B. Holmes
8 Billy Horschel & Matt Every
9 Russell Knox &  Kevin Streelman
10 Hideki Matsuyama & Hideto Tanihara*
11 Patrick Reed & Patrick Cantlay
12 David Lingmerth &  Danny Lee
13 William McGirt  & Robert Garrigus
14 Daniel Berger & Thomas Pieters
15 Steven Bowditc & Boo Weekley
16 Keegan Bradley &  Brendan Steele
17 Wesley Bryan &  Ryan Blaum
18 Alex Cejka & Soren Kjeldsen
19 Tony Finau &  Daniel Summerhays
20 Fabian Gomez Jhonattan Vegas
21 Branden Grace & Louis Oosthuizen
22 Cody Gribble & Jim Herman
23 Russell Henley & Blayne Barber
24 J.J. Henry & Tom Hoge
25 Charley Hoffman & Nick Watney
26 Mackenzie Hughes & Nick Taylor
27 Smylie Kaufman & Harold Varner III
28 Si Woo Kim & Sung Kang
29 Chris Kirk & Brendon Todd
30 Kevin Kisner & Scott Brown
31 Brooks Koepka & Chase Koepka*
32 Peter Malnati & Mark Wilson
33 Ben Martin & Ben Crane
34 Troy Merritt & Robert Streb
35 Rod Pampling & John Senden
36 Steve Stricker & Jerry Kelly
37 Brian Stuard & Chris Stroud
38 Hudson Swafford & Harris English
39 Vaughn Taylor & Andres Gonzales
40 Justin Thomas & Bud Cauley
41 Geoff Ogilvy & Ian Poulter
42 Carl Pettersson & Jason Bohn
43 Kyle Ramey # & Phil Schmitt #
44 Seung-Yul Noh & Byeong Hun An
45 Kevin Chappell & Gary Woodland
46 Roberto Castro & Scott Stallings
47 Jamie Lovemark & Luke Donald
48 Brian Harman & Johnson Wagner
49 David Hearn & Graham DeLaet
50 Kyle Reifers & Andrew Johnston
51 Ricky Barnes & Matt Jones
52 Patrick Rodgers & Cameron Tringale
53 Chez Reavie & Lucas Glover
54 Freddie Jacobson & Willy Wilcox
55 K.J. Choi & Charlie Wi
56 Spencer Levin & Rocco Mediate
57 Tyrone Van Aswegen & Retief Goosen
58 Derek Fathauer & Sam Saunders
59 Jonas Blixt & Cameron Smith
60 Zac Blair & C.T. Pan
61 Andrew Loupe & John Peterson
62 Mark Hubbard & Jonathan Randolph
63 Kyle Stanley & Ryan Ruffels*
64 Michael Kim & Brandon Hagy
65 Shawn Stefani & John Rollins
66 Ken Duke & Chad Collins
67 Steve Marino & Will MacKenzie
68 Morgan Hoffmann & Camilo Villegas
69 Grayson Murray & Cameron Percy
70 Kelly Kraft & Kevin Tway
71 Ollie Schniederjans & Richy Werenski
72 J.J. Spaun & Ryan Brehm
73 Dominic Bozzelli & J.T. Poston
74 Michael Thompson & Tim Wilkinson
75 Whee Kim & Greg Owen
76 Bryson DeChambeau & Rory Sabbatini
77 Martin Flores & Gonzalo Fdez-Castano
78 Seamus Power & Steven Alker
79 Trey Mullinax & Bobby Wyatt
80 Xander Schauffele & Tag Ridings
*Sponsor Exemptions
# PGA of America Section Exempion

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Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give to Welcome Back All Three Past Champions

Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give to Welcome Back All Three Past Champions

The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, held in Grand Rapids, Michigan will welcome back all three past champions – Sei Young Kim, Lexi Thompson and Mirim Lee – for the 2017 edition. The Meijer LPGA Classic will be held June 13-18 at Blythefield Country Club.

“Each year, we strive to ensure the Meijer LPGA Classic is a high-caliber tournament for the community, but also for these incredible athletes who make Grand Rapids their home,” said Cathy Cooper, Director of the Meijer LPGA Classic. “When our past champions commit, we know that they recognize and appreciate just how much the community supports them year after year.”

The state of Michigan hosts two LPGA the tournaments: the Meijer LPGA Classic in Grand Rapids and the LPGA Volvik Championship in Ann Arbor. In addition, Michigan is the home of three Symetra Tour Events: the Island Resort Championship in Harris, the Tullymore Classic in Canadian Lakes and the Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship in Battle Creek.

The Past Champions:

Sei Young Kim – 2016 Champion
The Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give Defending Champion Sei Young Kim is still relatively new to the Tour but has made great strides. Kim captured three victories in her rookie season, and in 2015, won both the Kia Most Compelling Performance Award and the Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year honors. She also became a Rolex First-Time Winner in 2015 at the Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic, competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics, and has had five overall career wins. To view her full bio, please visit: http://ift.tt/2ozWuSe

Lexi Thompson – 2015 Champion
In her amateur career, Lexi Thompson became the youngest person to qualify for the U.S. Women’s Open in 2007 when she was just 12 years old. Thompson ranked No. 1 in the Women’s Amateur and Girl’s Junior Amateur by Golfweek in 2009 before turning professional in 2010. In 2011, she not only became the youngest professional to win on the Ladies European Tour, but also the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history after winning the Navistar LPGA Classic at 16 years, 7 months, and 8 days old. To date, she has competed in two Solheim Cups and UL International Crowns, along with the 2016 Rio Olympics, finished 45 times in the Top 10, and achieved seven LPGA Tour victories and one major. To view her full bio, please visit: http://ift.tt/2q9LpEo.

Mirim Lee – 2014 Champion
Mirim Lee began playing golf at the age of 11. She began her professional career in 2009 and played on the KLPGA’s developmental tour. Lee won her first KLPGA victory at the S-OIL Champions in 2012. In 2013, she broke the tournament scoring record, with a 61 in the third round, of the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament to earn Priority List Category for the 2014 season. In her rookie season, Lee became a Rolex First-Time Winner with her playoff win at the 2014 Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. This season, Lee won her third win on tour with her victory at the 2017 Kia Classic in March. To view her full bio, please visit: http://ift.tt/2ozDB1E

The 2017 Meijer LPGA Classic will host a full field of 144 for 72 holes of stroke play over four days of competition. Proceeds from the tournament – and each of the week’s festivities – will once again benefit the Meijer Simply Give program that restocks the shelves of food pantries across the Midwest. To date, the Meijer LPGA Classic has generated more than $2.1 million for food pantries in the communities it serves.

For more information on the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give or to volunteer, please visit meijerLPGAclassic.com.

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