PGA Champions Tour Ally Challenge...Tee times https://www.pgatour.com/champions/tournaments/the-ally-challenge/tee-times.html
This weekend Mike Weir will return from the golfing wilderness that besets a lot of guys between the ages of 45-50 who have lost their PGA Tour status, ran out options and exemptions, many like Mike through injury. He turned 50 in May and on Friday will begin his Champions Tour career.
You've followed Weirsy's every round here in places like the Korn Ferry Tour, the European Tour, down under in Australia, in the Middle East, even out in the Far East as he continued to look for competitive action, hoping of course to find that week when it all went his way, back to the winners circle. He has remained as always, determined, even when he couldn't drive it straight, and was written off by many of his most ardent fans.
The Ally Challenge is at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in Grand Blanc, Michigan, the first Champions Tour event since COVID shut down play in March. 7100 yards par 72.
Look at the Full Field link above and you'll see it's like a huge school reunion. Weirsy (2003 Masters) is paired with Jim Furyk (2003 US Open) and KJ Choi (2011 Players) , all making their debuts and all beginning their rookie season !!
Mike has earned nearly $28m which ranks 46th all time giving him full status and the ability to play a full schedule for the first time since 2014. He has 8 PGA Tour titles and was ranked 3rd in the world in 2003/4
This course and others on the Senior circuit are significantly shorter than the PGA Tour which means he will no longer be the shortest driver which left him hitting long irons for appproach shots on the PGA Tour. Now he can get back to the wedges which once prompted Johnny Miller to say "he's the best in the world right now from 100 yards in"
He's been waiting for this week for a long time, a tour to call home with a set schedule, and I know he'll be excited and a little nervous, and happy to be a rookie again.
Full COVID restrictions and protocol are in effect, no fans of course,
I'll post the tee times when they are released later today.
Bryan Angus
Is it true that most PGA Tour players make their money in their first few years on the Senior Tour, and that it's about the age of 57 when most (not all) of them have lost the ability to win again?
ReplyDeleteIn general despite guys like Hale Irwin, Langer when you're 50 and used to playing the longer PGA courses you are fitter and have that advantage over guys who are 65. I don't have stats in front of me but that makes sense.
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