Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images
The Bulldogs have taken over the Tour Championship. Brian Harman leads the pack of ‘dawgs’, looking to win his first FedEx Cup title.
ATLANTA — The University of Georgia isn’t just an NFL feeder school. It’s also a PGA Tour feeder school.
There are three Georgia Bulldogs in the Tour Championship field this week, more than any other school among the Top 30.
Brian Harman was the highest-ranked Bulldog at No. 8, Russell Henley was behind him at No. 12 and Sepp Straka rounded out the field at No. 30.
The Bulldogs have 10 total players on the PGA Tour, three more than any other school. Oklahoma State, Texas, Nevada-Las Vegas, Georgia Tech, Alabama and Clemson are all tied with seven players.
These players are just PGA Tour numbers, which doesn’t include the Korn Ferry Tour, Canadian Tour or other mini-tours.
Six of the 12 (including LIV players) former Bulldogs have won at least one PGA Tour event.
Head coach Chris Haack has been with the University of Georgia since 1996. He is the brains behind the whole operation. Under his belt, Haack has two national titles, eight SEC titles, 67 team tournament titles. His accolades could continue for days.
He is one of the most respected coaches in NCAA golf, and rightfully so. Haack can now add another major champion under his belt as well. Harman became the second Bulldog to win a major behind Bubba Watson, who won two Masters’ titles.
Harman began his career with the Bulldogs in 2006 and won two SEC Championships in 2006 and 2009. Hudson Swafford, Harris English and Russell Henley helped win the 2009 and 2010 SEC titles.
Now, these guys are winning tour events and majors, playing in the Ryder Cup and having successful pro golf careers.
Among the 12 guys to play on the PGA Tour, they have a total of 37 PGA Tour, 16 Korn Ferry Tour and five other non-sanctioned event wins. That brings the grand total to 58 professional wins.
Sometimes, it feels like people forget about Georgia’s success and how many golfers are still on the PGA Tour. Oklahoma State, Clemson, Stanford, Alabama and many other schools have their respective winners, but the Bulldogs are no slouch.
There is a reason Georgia has the most PGA Tour players. It’s because Haack breeds success. He instills it in his players, who continue to carry that mindset onto the PGA Tour.
The three in the Tour Championship field this week may not win, but they were still among the best 30 on Tour. They earned that right and even more bragging rights to have 10% of the field representing the ‘G.’
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. You can follow her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports for more golf coverage. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough too.
