6 minute read
McConnell Golf News
What more could a McConnell Golf member want than what was delivered during the 83rd-annual Wyndham Championship at Sedgefield Country Club?
Start with the prerequisite, a fitting and historic champion. Despite a slow start out of the station, Thomas the Train got things rolling along at Sedgefield. Joohyung Kim, who adopted the American name “Tom” from his love of Thomas the Train as a boy, started the 2022 Wyndham with a dreaded “snowman” — a 4-over-par quadruple bogey — on his very first hole of the tournament. Then he started rolling along, never stopping until he was back at the station holding the Sam Snead Cup following an eyeopening, five-shot victory over a pair of former PGA Tour Rookies of the Year, third-round leader Sungjae Im and first-round leader John Huh.
The 20-year-old Kim became the second-youngest PGA Tour winner since World War II (Jordan Spieth was 19 years, 10 months when he won the 2013 John Deere Classic) and the first born in the 21st century. He was born in 2002 in Seoul, South Korea. His father, Chang-Ik, had been a professional golfer and is now a teaching pro. The family moved around when he was young; their residences included China, Australia, the Philippines and Thailand.
To call Sunday at Sedgefield a special day for Kim would be an understatement. His 8-under par 27 on the front nine tied for the secondlowest nine-hole score in PGA Tour history. To top it off, the Wyndham’s youngest winner ever also clinched a place in the all-important, seasonending FedEx Cup Playoffs.
Kim wasn’t the only Wyndham competitor who enjoyed their walk in the park on Sunday. Sedgefield member Alex Smalley and Wakefield member Chesson Hadley both secured their PGA Tour cards for next season by shooting scorching 64s. Only Kim and Stephan Jaeger (62) fared better in the final round. Hadley finished tied for eighth place while Smalley finished tied for 13th to earn their share of the tournament’s $7.3-million purse.
Smalley played the tournament wearing the initials “JW” on his cap to honor 50-year-old Jeff Womack, a popular Sedgefield member who died unexpectedly a few weeks earlier. The lumber salesman was a married father of two daughters. Smalley, who joined Sedgefield in 2020, had played golf with Womack several times. “He just kind of lit up the room whenever he walked into one, just because he had a smile on his face, " Smalley told PGA Tour.com’s Helen Ross. Hadley has a long history with McConnell Golf. He played junior golf with John McConnell’s sons growing up in Raleigh. McConnell Sr. was on hand when Hadley won the ACC Championship at Old North State Club. Following that important victory, McConnell offered Hadley practice privileges at his company’s portfolio of courses to help him prepare for the eGolf Tour. Then in 2012, McConnell secured an entry for Hadley into the Wyndham Championship. Two years later, Hadley was named the PGA Tour’s Rookie of the Year.
Good deeds like that are part of the reason CBS broadcaster Jim Nantz said “the great John McConnell” on the Saturday of tournament weekend, when McConnell presented Nick Faldo with a special plaque at Sedgefield’s Wall of Champions behind the ninth green as a tribute to Faldo and his legacy. In 1979, Faldo made his PGA Tour debut and competed in the Greater Greensboro Open, now known as the Wyndham Championship. The five-time major champion spent the last 16 years as a broadcast analyst. During the 2022 Wyndham weekend he celebrated his retirement from the CBS broadcast booth.
Last but certainly not least, former McConnell Golf Junior Scholarship recipient Blake McShea, who grew up in Zebulon and played college golf at UNCW, not only Monday qualified for the Wyndham, he fired a 5under-par 65 during Friday’s second round to find himself momentarily tied for seventh place. He easily made the cut and eventually finished tied for 76th in his inaugural PGA Tour event.
EVENTS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER
1 (THURS) I LADIES MEMBER GUEST 7 (WED) I TRY PICKLEBALL EVENT
OCTOBER
7 (FRI) I MEN'S MEMBER GUEST
From The Baseline
As the fall months approach and the weather cools down we are not cooling down in the tennis realm! With Ladies Interclub, USTA leagues, and junior team tennis in full swing our courts will be rocking. Along with that we look forward to multiple fun events such as our Try Tennis/Try Pickleball, our Ladies and Men’s Member Guests, and our Hired Gun. We look forward to a great fall packed full of fun events in both the tennis and pickleball arenas! Our continued goal is to have something for everyone and keep these courts rocking. Whether you are new to the game, or you’re a seasoned veteran we plan on having options for every tennis player at the club. We hope to see you all out at the courts and if there is anything we can do to make your time at the club more enjoyable, please do not hesitate to let us know!
BECK BOND Director of Tennis
CLINIC OPTIONS JUNIOR TENNIS CLINIC
We have clinics for all ages. See the Tennis Website for additional information.
Mighty Mites (Red Ball, Ages 4-7) Quickstart (Orange Ball, Ages 7-10) Tournament Prep (Green/Regular Ball, Ages 10+) High Performance (Regular Ball, Ages 12 +)
SIGN UP ONLINE OR BY EMAILING BECK: bbond@providencecc.com
ADULT CARDIO
Come join our pros and get your heart rate up to start your day! This hour long clinic will have you running and gunning as you improve your strokes and get great exercise! SIGN-UP IS REQUIRED!!!
WOMEN ON WEDNESDAY'S
Every Wednesday I 6:30pm - 8:00pm Cost: $20 per Person
Come on out for a fun evening of drills and competition after a long day at work or with the kids! This clinic will focus on hitting lots of balls, doubles strategy, and shot placement.
BEGINNER LADIES'
Whether you’re new to tennis or haven’t picked up a racquet in years we have just the clinic for you! This is your chance to come out and learn the game of a lifetime! Our beginner clinic focuses on the basics of the game from learning the strokes, to keeping score, and eventually how to hold a rally with friends!
INTERMEDIATE LADIES'
This clinic is ideal for our 3.0 ladies! This power hour and a half is designed for the intermediate player and combines live-ball drill sessions with situational point play. It’s a perfect opportunity to hone your skills in between matches.
STROKE OF THE WEEK
Thursday I 9:00am-10:30am
Cost: $23 per Person Whether you're looking to fine tune your forehand or add some more power to your serve come out and participate in our stroke of the week clinic. In this clinic we will be focusing on one particular stroke each week. After 45 minutes of technical drills we will add it to live ball and game type drills!
MEN'S SATURDAY CLINIC 3.5+/3.0
Come out and start your weekend on the right foot. Our men's Saturday morning clinic offers an hour of doubles strategy, stroke development, and a great workout.
