Graham DeLaet, a former Weyburn golfer, tied 26th overall in a field of strong competitors during the Players Championship. The Players Championship is one of the biggest events of the Professional Golf Association.
Graham DeLaet, a former Weyburn golfer, tied 26th overall in a field of strong competitors during the Players Championship. The Players Championship is one of the biggest events of the Professional Golf Association.
DeLaet earned $67,450 at the Players Championship. This showing was much better than last year, when DeLaet finished 70th overall at the 2012 Players Championship.
To date on the PGA, DeLaet has earned $637,184 after 13 PGA events, 10 of those where he made the cut. DeLaet's FedExCup standing is at 60th.
DeLaet started the Players Championship golfing with Korea's Sang-Moon Bae and American Brian Stuard.
Starting on the back nine of the first round, DeLaet was on par for most of the round, with a lone birdie on the 12th hole.
Then during the front nine, he hit two bogeys, on the first and third holes. But DeLaet was able to even out those bogeys by hitting back-to-back birdies on holes eight and nine.
DeLaet finished round one at 71, one-under-par.
Then during round two, DeLaet started with a birdie on hole one in the front nine. He stayed on par for the rest of the front nine, before sinking a birdie on hole nine.
For the back nine of the second round, DeLaet shot a birdie on hole 10 and then a bogey on hole 14. He finished round two at 72, two-under-par.
With a total score of three-under-par after two rounds, DeLaet was in good position, making the even-par cut.
DeLaet struggled a little during the third round, where he shot a 74, two-over-par. During the front nine, he hit a birdie on holes four and eight, but also hit back-to-back bogeys on holes six and seven. Then during the back nine, he had birdies on one birdie on hole 16, and three bogeys on holes 12, 14 and 18.
The best round of the Players Championship for DeLaet was round four, when he shot a 69, three-under-par. He started on the front nine, where he shot a birdie on hole two, a bogey on hole 6, and stayed on par for the rest of the front nine.
Then during the back nine, DeLaet shot birdies on holes 11, 13 and 16, and stayed on par for the rest of the course, with no additional bogeys.
While competing on the PGA, DeLaet is ranked high in several different golfing stats. He is eighth in driving distance, third in greens in regulation percentage, and fourth in total driving.
The next PGA tournament for DeLaet will be the HP Byron Nelson Championship in Texas, from Thursday to Sunday, May 16 to 19.
DeLaet is balancing PGA events with two Saskatchewan tournaments this year. He is the honourary co-chair of the Dakota Dunes Open in Saskatoon, set for June 4 to 7.
Also, DeLaet will be at the Willows Golf and Country Club in Saskatoon on July 11, for the Graham DeLaet Charity Golf Tournament that will benefit junior golfing programs in the province.
