The PGA Tour Champions is in Atlanta and we are there
By Roy J. Akers — www.skyviewsports.net
Duluth, Ga (ATL.) The PGA Tour Champions comes off of the Senior PGA Championship and visits the TPC Sugarloaf. Jerry Kelly is the defending champion of the event and he is the first of three golfers we profile going into weekend action.
“Q. Just one from me. For those of us who cover this tournament every year, you mentioned coming here and eating the food, but what do you like about being here this week? Specifically this course, what do you like about playing the course?
JERRY KELLY: I love it when it’s firm and fast. You play it on the ground an awful lot
instead of in the air like when it gets sloppy and wet. That’s my kind of game, I like European
style linksy golf and things like that. I just like a firm and fast golf course. I think it’s fantastic.
And downtown Duluth, I park myself at Noona pretty much every single night, but I’ll venture
out to a couple other spots, Frankie’s and whatnot. I enjoy my time here every time.th start on the PGA TOUR, so I would kind of like to match that up, that would be really cool. I’m glad I’ve won before my 200th start on this Tour. But no, I love getting to that point, I love those playing milestones. That means you’ve had a consistent career. To be able to play that many times on any Tour I think is fantastic, so I’m proud of it.”
Stewart Cink on the Stableford System
We’re switching to modified Stableford this
year. What ultimately led to the change to do that in the scoring format?
STEWART CINK: What led to the change was actually it goes back to AmFam last year
where they changed their event radically to a team event and it was well received. All the
players enjoyed it. What it showed was that change and a different format on the schedule is probably a good thing. Personally I always enjoyed playing in the Stableford events. The one in Colorado for
years on the PGA TOUR was my favorite event by far, I loved it. So I thought that the fact that change on the Champions Tour schedule would be a good thing, plus knowing the Stableford is fun.
And I also thought that this course, TPC Sugarloaf kind of lends itself good to the points and
the aggressive play and the decision making, the risk-reward, all that kind of stuff that really
Stableford is all about and really felt like a good fit. So we decided to go for it and so far
everybody seems to be pretty pleased with it. We’ll see.”
Zach Johnson of TPC Sugarloaf
Q. We’re now joined by Zach Johnson here at the Mitsubishi Electric Classic.
Two-time winner on this course, TPC Sugarloaf. Just to start, how great is it to be back here?
ZACH JOHNSON: It’s very nostalgic, but it is absolutely fantastic, very welcoming.
Played 18 yesterday actually, zipped around with my caddie and a buddy. Just, I mean, I
don’t want to say “surreal,” that’s a pretty strong word, but there were some moments that,
oh, my gosh, you know, I can’t believe I’m back on this site, I can’t believe I’m back.
But I love it. I loved it since I actually Monday qualified here before I was on Tour. I don’t
know, that was a long time ago, 25 years ago maybe. Fell in love with it then and that love is
still there. I’m excited to be back just because I feel like the grounds are — I love it.
