Web.com Tour

Subscribe

August 5, 2012 | 11:42 p.m.

What a start

Former Virginia All-American Ben Kohles
Sean Martin

Ben Kohles’ record-breaking start to his pro career continued at the Cox Classic. He won for the second consecutive week, giving him two victories in two professional starts. How many other pros can say they are undefeated? Here’s 5 Things you need to know from Kohles’ victory in Omaha, Neb.:

• • •

1. WELL, THAT WAS EASY: Kohles is only the seventh player to win in consecutive weeks on the Web.com Tour. It’s infinitely more impressive that he’s done so in his first two weeks as a pro.

Here’s a numerical breakdown that tells you all you need to know about Kohles’ career: Two starts. Two wins. $261,000 in earnings. One 2013 PGA Tour card. All eight of his rounds have been under par, including seven in the 60s, and has a 66.5 scoring average.

Kohles shot 24-under 260, including a final-round 62, to win the Cox Classic by three shots. Last week, he became the first person to win a Web.com Tour event in his pro debut. He was bogey-free on the weekend and made just two bogeys all week. His consecutive victories moved him to second on the Web.com Tour money ...

Click here to continue reading


August 5, 2012 | 6:10 p.m.

Kohles wins Cox Classic for 2nd straight victory

Former Virginia All-American Ben Kohles

OMAHA, Neb. — Ben Kohles won his second straight Web.com Tour title since turning professional, closing with a 8-under 62 on Sunday for a three-stroke victory in the Cox Classic.

The 22-year-old former University of Virginia player won the Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational last week in a playoff in Columbus, Ohio, in his first professional start. He was the first player to win a Web.com title in his pro debut, and is the first to win in his first two tour starts.

Kohles also wrapped up a 2013 PGA Tour card from the Web.com money list, and moved within a victory of an immediate PGA Tour promotion. He earned $117,000 to move into second place on the money list with $261,000, more than enough to finish in the final top 25 and earn a PGA Tour card.

Kohles finished at 24-under 260 at Champions Run.

Dawie van der Walt had a 60 to finish second.


July 29, 2012 | 8:44 p.m.

Quick learner

Former Virginia All-American Ben Kohles
Sean Martin

Ben Kohles made the most of his pro debut, winning the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational on Sunday in Columbus, Ohio. Here are 5 Things you need to know from a historic week on the Web.com Tour:

1. QUICK LEARNER: Kohles, a three-time All-American at Virginia, is the first player to win a Web.com Tour event in his pro debut. He finished 18th at last week’s Porter Cup, then turned pro upon arriving at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational. He shot 12-under 272 at Ohio State Golf Club’s Scarlet Course to get into a playoff with fellow first-year pro Luke Guthrie, then won with a birdie on the first playoff hole. Both Guthrie and Kohles birdied the 72nd hole to get into the playoff.

“It’s absolutely a dream come true,” said Kohles, who holed a 22-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole. “What more can you ask for in your first pro event than to win? It’s still a bit of shock and I’m not sure it’s all sunk in yet.

“Coming straight out of college I didn’t have any money to my name but I guess I have ...

Click here to continue reading


July 29, 2012 | 6:25 p.m.

Kohles wins Web.com event in playoff with ...

Former Virginia All-American Ben Kohles

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ben Kohles won the Web.com Tour's Nationwide Children's Hospital Invitational on Sunday in his first professional start, beating Luke Guthrie with a birdie on the first hole of a playoff.

Kohles closed with a 1-under 70 to match Guthrie at 12-under 272 on Ohio State's Scarlet Course. Guthrie birdied three of the final five holes in regulation for a 66.

One of 12 college All-Americans invited to the event, Kohles turned pro after finishing his amateur career last week in the Porter Cup. The 22-year-old former University of Virginia player earned $144,000.

Casey Wittenberg, a two-time winner this year who tops the money list, shot a 68 to tie for second with Cliff Kresge at 11 under. Kresge finished with a 69.


July 29, 2012 | 9:52 a.m.

All-American Kohles in control in his pro debut

Former Virginia All-American Ben Kohles
Sean Martin

Ben Kohles is having an impressive pro debut on the Web.com Tour. The Virginia product will begin Sunday’s final round of the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational in Columbus, Ohio, with a two-shot lead over three players. Kohles, one of 12 collegiate All-Americans given exemptions to the tournament, is trying to become the 13th player to win his Web.com Tour debut.

He turned pro this week after an 18th-place finish at last week’s Porter Cup. Kohles, a two-time ACC player of the year, won the prestigious Dogwood Invitational earlier this summer.

He is at 11-under 202 (66-69-67) at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational, two shots ahead of Aaron Watkins, Cliff Kresge and Trevor Murphy. Kohles is one of five All-Americans to make this week’s cut at Ohio State Golf Club's Scarlet Course: Kohles, Luke Guthrie (T-8, 206), Jordan Spieth (T-15, 208), Cory Whitsett (T-31, 210) and Blayne Barber (T-40, 211). Kohles, Guthrie and Barber are competing as professionals.

Two All-American invitees have won the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational in its five previous playings. Daniel Summerhays and Harris English were amateurs when they won in 2007 and 2011, respectively. Rickie Fowler lost a ...

Click here to continue reading


July 24, 2012 | 9:38 a.m.

Proving ground

Luke Guthrie
Sean Martin

The Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational is one of the highlights of the Web.com Tour schedule because of its unique format. The event invites collegiate All-Americans to Ohio State’s Scarlet Course, giving amateurs and newly-minted pros the chance to test themselves on the PGA Tour’s developmental circuit. It’s a tournament that seems to hold true to the tour’s original mission, to be a proving ground for up-and-coming talent.

Recall last year, when amateurs Harris English and John Peterson were atop the leaderboard for most of the week. English won, then earned his PGA Tour card at last year’s Q-School; he’s in the midst of a successful rookie season. Peterson finished fourth at this year’s U.S. Open. A third amateur, Peter Uihlein, also finished in the top 10 last year.

Two amateurs have won the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational in the event's five-year history: Daniel Summerhays (2007) and English. At least one amateur has finished in the top 10 each season.

Here’s a look at this year’s invitees (*-will compete as pro):

FIRST-TEAM ALL-AMERICANS

Blayne Barber, Auburn*: Barber, a member of last year’s Walker Cup team, will ...

Click here to continue reading


July 10, 2012 | 11:09 a.m.

Doesn't add up

PGA Tour commissioner Tim Finchem
Sean Martin

After months of wrangling about how to seed players for the PGA Tour's new qualifying system, the Tour decided not to seed them at all. Instead, all players trying to earn Tour cards through the Web.com Tour Finals will start at zero, the PGA Tour announced July 10.

The Web.com Tour Finals is a series of events that will debut in September 2013, pitting the developmental tour’s top earners against the bottom of the FedEx Cup points list. The top 25 money winners on the Web.com Tour entering the finals will receive Tour cards for the following season, but will compete in the finals to determine their standing among the 50 card-earners. The 25 players who have the highest cumulative earnings in the finals – the number of events has yet to be determined – also will receive PGA Tour cards.

This is very similar to the current qualifying system, in which 25 players earn Tour cards from the Web.com Tour money list and 25 earn them at Q-School. Beginning in 2013, the finals will replace Q-School.

The purpose of seeding players for the finals was to put an emphasis on season-long performance, a criterion that ...

Click here to continue reading


July 6, 2012 | 4:48 p.m.

Barber turns pro, to debut on Web.com ...

Auburn's Blayne Barber
Sean Martin

Blayne Barber, a member of last year’s U.S. Walker Cup team, told Golfweek on Friday that he will make his pro debut at the Web.com Tour’s Nationwide Children’s Hospital Invitational on July 26-29 in Columbus, Ohio.

Barber earned his finance degree from Auburn in May but had a year of eligibility remaining after redshirting one season after his transfer from Central Florida to Auburn. He had considered returning to Auburn for the fall semester and attending Q-School as an amateur but has decided to turn pro this summer instead.

“The biggest thing was that I just feel good about where my game is at,” said Barber, of Lake City, Fla. “I was done with school, and I was planning on going to Q-School regardless. I really didn’t want to come back (to Auburn) for two more semesters. I wanted to be playing pro golf full-time next year regardless, and I didn’t think it was fair to coach (Nick Clinard) or to my teammates to just come for one semester and leave.

“Being done with school and feeling good about my game, I thought this would be a good time to go for it ...

Click here to continue reading


July 3, 2012 | 3:04 p.m.

Mills will make Web.com debut in Utah

Corbin Mills during the final round of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.
Sean Martin

Corbin Mills will be in Utah next week, but not to defend his U.S. Amateur Public Links title. He'll be making his pro debut at the Web.com Tour's Utah Championship. Mills, No. 6 in the R&A World Amateur Golf Ranking, recently completed his junior season at Clemson.

He represented the United States at last week's Palmer Cup, a Ryder Cup-style event between the top collegians from the U.S. and Europe. Mills earned the Americans' only point in singles play, halving his match with NCAA champion Thomas Pieters. Europe won, 13.5-10.5, after winning 7.5 of 8 singles points.

Both events are being held next week in Utah, about 50 miles apart. The Utah Championship is scheduled for July 12-15 at Willow Creek Country Club in Sandy. The U.S. Amateur Public Links will be held July 9-14 at Soldier Hollow Golf Course in Midway.

Mills, who will be represented by Blue Giraffe Sports, won the U.S. Amateur Public Links and Players Amateur in consecutive weeks last year. He finished 30th in the Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings this past season, including a victory at the Jerry Pate National Intercollegiate.


July 1, 2012 | 9:43 p.m.

Tomasulo wins United Leasing Championship

Peter Tomasulo

NEWBURGH, Ind. — Peter Tomasulo won the United Leasing Championship on Sunday for his third Web.com Tour victory, beating David Lingmerth with a par on the fourth hole of a playoff in triple-digit heat.

The 30-year-old Tomasulo bogeyed the final hole of regulation for a 2-under 70, leaving him tied with Lingmerth at 11-under 277 on the Victoria National Golf Club. Lingmerth finished with a 68.

The victory capped a 21-month comeback from injuries that included a broken bone in his foot, stress fractures in his ribs and a pair of surgeries this year.

"This is the first time in a long time that I've felt really healthy," Tomasulo said. "It's a lot of fun being back out here. I miss being out here and playing. This feels great. It's a blast being out here and competing again. I really didn't expect to play well this early."

Tomasulo, making only his third start of the 2012 calendar, earned $99,000 and jump from 200th to No. 21st on the money list. The final top 25 will earn 2013 PGA Tour cards.

Tomasulo hit his 3-wood tee shot in the water on the final hole of regulation ...

Click here to continue reading


June 27, 2012 | 11:50 a.m.

New umbrella

Bill Calfee, president of the Web.com Tour. (file photo)
Golfweek Staff

The PGA Tour’s developmental circuit has a new name, effective immediately. What was formerly the Nationwide Tour will now be known as the Web.com Tour. The new sponsor’s reign begins this week at the tour’s event in Indiana and is scheduled to continue for 10 years.

The announcement of Web.com’s sponsorship ends months of questions about the developmental circuit’s future. Nationwide Insurance previously announced that it would not renew its sponsorship when it expired at year’s end.

Web.com, a publicly-traded company based in Jacksonville, Fla., was formed in 1997 and currently has 1,800 employees and approximately $500 million in annual revenues. David Brown, the company’s CEO, said the sponsorship was attractive because it allows the company to access markets across the country through the Web.com, Champions and PGA tours and offer its services to the players, tournaments and charities that are part of all three tours.

The tour drastically, and controversially, changed its qualifying structure in order to lure a sponsor to succeed Nationwide. It seems the changes had little to do with Web.com’s sponsorship decision, though.

“Certainly we think it’s very beneficial, but that ...

Click here to continue reading


June 24, 2012 | 8:46 p.m.

Casey Wittenberg wins Wichita Open

Casey Wittenberg

WICHITA, Kan. — Casey Wittenberg won the Wichita Open on Sunday for his second Nationwide Tour victory of the season, closing with a 5-under 66 in 100-degree conditions for a two-stroke victory over Justin Hicks and Jim Herman.

Wittenberg, an eight-stroke winner in March in the Louisiana Open, finished at 18-under 266 at Crestview Country Club. He tied for 10th last week in the U.S. Open.

"I wanted to go win the golf tournament and not let it come to me, "Wittenberg said. "It's hard to win any golf tournament whether you win by one shot or you win by eight. It's nice to have more than a one shot lead coming into the last hole and fortunately I was in that position coming to the last hole."

Wittenberg earned $108,000 to jump from 10th to second on the money list with $240,019. The final top 25 will earn 2013 PGA Tour cards. He also could earn an immediate promotion with a third victory.

Hicks shot a 67, and Herman had a 70.


June 10, 2012 | 3:35 p.m.

Lee Williams wins Nationwide Tour's Mexico Open

LEON, Mexico — Lee Williams won the Mexico Open on Sunday for his first Nationwide Tour title, closing with a 2-under 70 for a one-stroke victory over Paul Haley II.

Williams, a former Auburn player, finished at 14-under 274 at El Bosque. He earned $112,500 to jump from 39th to fifth on the money list with $158,875. The final top 25 will earn 2013 PGA Tour cards.

Haley, the Chile Classic winner in March, shot a 68. He leads the money list with $229,834.

Scott Gutschewski had a 66 to finish third at 12 under.


June 3, 2012 | 7:09 p.m.

Hahn claims 1st Nationwide victory at Rex Open

James Hahn

RALEIGH, N.C. — James Hahn earned his first Nationwide Tour victory Sunday by beating Scott Parel on the second hole of a playoff at the Rex Hospital Open.

Hahn shot a 4-under 67 and joined Parel at 13-under 271. Both players had pars on the par-4 No. 18, and Hahn birdied the par-5 No. 9 while Parel had a par on the second playoff hole.

Hahn earned $99,000 for the victory. He started the day four strokes behind third-round leader B.J. Staten, but made his move early with three birdies on his first five holes.

He had his fifth birdie of the round on the par-4 No. 13 and closed his round with five pars.

Jin Park (67), Staten (72) and Jim Renner (71) finished at 272.


May 30, 2012 | 1:15 p.m.

This week in the world of golf . . .

Zach Johnson watches his tee shot on the first hole during the final round of the PGA Colonial golf tournament.

All Times EDT

PGA TOUR: MEMORIAL TOURNAMENT

Site: Dublin, Ohio.

Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.

Course: Muirfield Village Golf Club (7,352 yards, par 72).

Purse: $6.2 million. Winner’s share: $1,116,000.

Television: Golf Channel (Thursday, 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Friday, 12:30-3:30 a.m., 3-6 p.m., 8:30-11:30 p.m.; Saturday, 2:30-5:30 a.m., 12:30-2:30 p.m., 9:30-12:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-2 p.m., 9:30-12:30 p.m.) and CBS (Saturday, 3-6 p.m., Sunday, 2:30-6 p.m.).

Last year: Steve Stricker won the first of his two 2012 titles, beating Matt Kuchar and Brandt Jobe by a stroke.

Last week: Zach Johnson won the Colonial for his eighth PGA Tour title and first since the 2010 tournament, beating Jason Dufner by a stroke. Johnson was assessed a two-stroke penalty on the final hole for failing to replace his ball to its original position after marking it before his last putt.

Notes: Tiger Woods is making his first start since tying for 40th in The Players Championship on May 13. He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March for his first PGA Tour title ...

Click here to continue reading