Vah.Tech invades the 2014 Greenbrier Classic!
The 3o4.
The Dub.Vee.
The Mountain state.
West “by God” Virginia.
The 2014 Greenbrier Classic.
Happy 238th B-day to my favorite Uncle Sam!!!
Virginia Tech Hokie Brendon de Jonge, 2010 Greenbrier Classic bronze medalist and 2011 fourth place finisher is in the field. Also set to play in the Classic field is fellow Hokie Johnson Wagner, 2011 Mayakoba Golf Classic winner, 2012 Sony Open in Hawaii winner and 2012 Human Challenge first runner-up. Frank Beamer will be there and so will Techsideline.com and ESPNRadio 1o2.3 Beckley Wv. as well!
So let’s hit from the blue tees for a change.
The Old White Course is of a moderate if not shallow length as tee to green yardage goes. Although it has been modified or lengthened to 7,274 yards -or 56 yards longer tan two years ago- with accompanying faster greens for the 2013 Greenbrier Classic. Its fairways are still generically among the widest on Tour and generally roll comparatively flat in lateral terms from rough to rough. This puts a premium on playing a long-range game as the longer hitters will enjoy the luxury of swinging a mid to short-iron stick after crushing a moon-shot drive on a track that is relative dry (or waterless) by modern era golf course design standards. This reduces penalty strokes our out of bounds risk(s), this increases fun. The Old White Course itself was built in 1914, making it the oldest P.G.A. tour stop on the professional circuit.
Old White Course:
- Out in 34
- In in 36
- Total=70 strokes to par
Here are your now three 2014 hometown Hokies and their odds on winning:
Mikey Moyers: (amateur, just turned Pro, was enrolled and golfing for good ole V.P.I. last year!)
Prize Money: ($00.oo)
FedEx Cup points: (N/R)
Odds to win: 10000:1
Tee Time 1:50pm Thursday
- Driving Distance: n/a
- Greens in Regulation: n/a
- Putting: n/a
- Stroke Average: 73.36
- Hometown: Stanardsville, Virginia
As I’m not a fabricator or a Maytag savvy spin-cycle kinda guy, I won’t lie. As lying is for rugs. I do not know this kid, I do not know much about him, I don’t know his game, and apparently neither does anybody else that I’ve found on a Holiday short-week either.
Not a whole lotta dirt under my fingers here people, though I can tell you that Mikey played his way into the hungry for participants 2014 Greenbrier Classic field with a scorching -5 or five under par round on Monday on the Old White Course up in White Sulphur Spring Wv. I can also tell you that Mikey was named to the All-A.c.c. team last season, which makes his recent -5 entrance savvy round all the more compelling indeed.
Mikey was a Academic Honor Roll member at Virginia Tech, he was co-Player of the year a season ago for the Hokie Golf Team as well. He finished 13th in the Virginia State Amateur tourney a year ago, and has numerous non-professional tourney Top-15’s and Top-10’s on his dossier. Mikey won the 2009 Virginia State Golf Association Junior Player of the Year title. And he seems to have put together a great scholastic golfing career; and a subsequently solid enough Atlantic Coast one. Though not a dominate one, at least not that I can discern. Which as I’ve already said, makes his admission to the Greenbrier Classic all the more impressive indeed.
(EDITOR’s note: this from tylerhokie of TSL’s Pay MB, HTH’s)
“Golf against him. GREAT short game and hits it relatively straight. Not particularly long, but has gotten better and added some length when he was in the strength and conditioning program. His dad and I were golf professionals together at the same time. Mikey comes from a long line of great golfers. His Dad, his Uncle Bob Moyers is a legend in Va golf. I could keep going in regards to that family. Quiet kid who just keeps grinding. Wish him the best this weekend for sure. Mentally… Very tough. He’ll be all starry eyed come Thursday and he’ll have the jitters for sure, but one thing Mikey won’t be is intimidated.”
Brendon de Jonge: ($1,013,538)
641 FedEx Cup points: (66th)
Odds to win: 3o:1
Tee time: 1:20pm (Thursday)
- Driving Distance: 1o8th (287.9)
- Greens in Regulation: 119th (64%)
- Putting: 1o5th (1.779 per hole)
- loves to fish the New River
- surname pronounced: “Dee-Yong”
- favorite Blacksburg hang-out: “Big Al’s”
Brendon is a big ole husky looking kid; which belies his shorter than expected tee-to-fairway game. Making this robust looking Hokie more parts putting and course management than raw parts power. That said; name me someone else who has improved more in the last two years on Tour than our very own Brendon de Jonge? Not many “survey says” As Brendon is in the midst of his best season ever as year-to-date earnings validate in full. A multi-millionaire at the age of 33 does not suck. Neither does what Brendon described to me as having “…an eye for the course” as the Old White Course appears to suit his game and well at that.
De Jonge and his somewhat generously proportioned stature should be in no way shape or form be interpreted as being soft. As he played in the entire 2002 NCAA regional’s with a broken rib.
De Jonge has made 18 of 23 cuts thus far this season on Tour. Additionally he has finished 42nd or better every week less once since March, and that equates to $12,36o.22 per day! Not bad work — if you can get it.
***
Montford Johnson Wagner: ($138,795)
195 FedEx Cup points (18oth)
Odds to win: 18o:1
Tee time: 12:20pm (Thursday)
- Driving Distance: 13oth (284.7)
- Greens in Regulation: 174th (6o.4%)
- Putting: 154th (1.8o7 strokes per hole)
- has not been seen sporting the Thomas Magnum mustache this season
Gone is the P.I. Hawaiian Island savvy mustache, and possibly gone as well is Mr. Wagner’s Touring card sans a stronger finish to 2014 than his heretofore beginning would suggest.
Only two rounds south of 70 strokes in his last 34 rounds played with only four cuts made since January or in the last 5 months and change is Mr. Wagner as I type. Talk about a humbling sport; geez! Golf is a cruel cruel mistress indeed and although Golf may not be good for your ego; it can do wonders for your humility. As this time just two seasons ago Mr. Wagner was a medium-shot to make the prestigious Ryder Cup, whereas this year; he is not too far removed from playing for his Tour Card life.
As of this moment, there is not a stick in poor Mr. Wagner’s back that ranks higher in 130th best in 2014 Tour Stats. Now compare that to this time two years ago whereby Mr. Wagner coursed no less than three different tour rankings that were a sprightly 21st or better and you can see what I mean. Finally, Mr. Wagner has been in the money in three of his last five tourneys, and yet and a blind man can see it with a cane. Johnson could stand a big big weekend up at the Greenbrier Classic every bit as much as a dead man needs a coffin. That uncensored dose of realism firmly in place … it is fair to say that Johnson and Brendon both roll it fairly well at the neighborly homecourt advantage otherwise known as the Greenbrier Classic, where they both played numerous rounds in college as Virginia Tech Hokies.
I’m looking forward to that, they are looking forward to that; as how totally off the hook EPIC would it be to see a Hokie go up to the 3o4 and steal the Greenbrier Classic and drink from the Black Diamond Cup? So come on by, hear some Jimmy Buffet and Maroon 5 (clearly a good omen for these three) at night and cheer our three beloved Touring Hokies, one breaking his Touring seal (M.M.) on to victory by day. As try as you might; you still can not spell victory without the Vee and the Tee.
Loading ...Virginia Tech Golf=3, wvu Golf=nil
“LETS GO!“
“Hokies!“
bourbonstreet**
You blew it, 3 Hokies are playing. Mikey Moyers made Monday qualifier and is in the field!
Just took a Mulligan————>b..street
; )
“Mikey Moyers: (amateur, still enrolled and golfing for good ole V.P.I.!)”
” I can also tell you that Mikey was not, I repeat not named to the All-A.c.c. team this season, which makes his recent -5 entrance savvy round all the more compelling indeed.”
You’re kidding right! You want to know why Mikey Moyers wasn’t named all ACC this past year? It’s because he was a senior in 2013. He has been practicing his game and looking for a sponsor this year to help him in qualifying school. Really?
Indeed.
Just found a better link on that——->b.street
Thank you nevertheless Sir.
Nice Eye.
b.street
Re: J Wagner. I IIRC Johnson’s record will show that he is a hot weather player. So his time of year is upon us, and I expect his play will improve over the next couple of months.
He is the opposite of me. I shoot in the 80s…If it gets any hotter than that I don’t play. 🙂
I don’t wanna hit this too hard; though I don’t wanna ignore it; ether.
J.Wag’s as the temper to match the thermometer.
Dude runs pretty hot out there.
(prolly more so now than ever; fighting for his Card)
b.street