Monday, June 15, 2015

Eighteen Past, Current SwingThought Tour Players Make US Open through Sectionals

Michael Davan, Timothy O’Neal, and Andy Pope go from SwingThought Tour to US open in 2015

(Myrtle Beach, S.C.) – What do Michael Davan, Timothy O’Neal, and Andy Pope all have in common? All three have played events on the SwingThought Tour this season and all three will now be playing in the US Open June 18-21 at Champions Bay in University Place, Wash. along with 15 other past SwingThought Tour players who maneuvered their way through local and sectional qualifying.

Davan has had the best event of the three on the SwingThought Tour finishing tied for second at the Savannah Lakes Village Classic in McCormick, S.C. O’Neal has had the most recent success just finishing tied for fourth at the SwingThought Tour’s last event, the All-American Championship at Gates Four Golf & Country Club in Fayetteville, N.C. Pope started the season off right finishing tied for 20th at the SwingThought Tour season opening Valdosta event at longtime Web.com host Kinderlou Forest.

Joining Davan, O’Neal, and Pope are three past SwingThought Tour award winners and five past tournament Champions. Included are past SwingThought Tour Rookies of the Year Blayne Barber (in 2013), who along with wife Morgan just celebrated the birth of the baby girl Emma just two weeks ago, and Lee Janzen (in 1989), a two-time US Open Champion in his own right. Janzen won twice in his rookie season while Barber won five of his first seven SwingThought Tour starts, a beginning to a pro career never seen before. Joining Barber and Janzen will be 2012 Golf Achievement Award Winner Mark Silvers. Silvers is no stranger to the big stage having won the Big Break Greenbrier Series, the 2012 SwingThought Tour Avoca Farms Classic, and earning the SwingThought Tour’s 2013 Knoxville News Sentinel Open exemption. Joining Barber, Janzen, and Silvers as past winners on the SwingThought Tour to get through qualifying are Billy Hurley III, who won the 2010 Terry Moore Ford Classic, and Camilo Villegas, who won the 2005 Savannah Lakes Village Classic.

Other notable SwingThought Tour alumni to get through qualifying include:
* Roberto Castro, past member whose little brother Franco will be competing at this week’s SwingThought Tour Cutter Creek event because he just missed qualifying by a shot.
* Tyler Duncan, last competed over three events on the SwingThought Tour in 2013.
* Tony Finau , had a SwingThought Tour best T2 finish to Barber who won at the 2013 Savannah Lakes Village Classic.
* Brian Harman, had a SwingThought Tour best T2 finish in the 2011 Kandy Waters Memorial Classic where he set the course record 63.
* Tom Hoge, last competed on the SwingThought Tour at the 2011 Miami, Okla. event.
* Stephan Jaeger, past member with SwingThought Tour best 19th place finish at the 2014 Gainesville, Ga. event.
* George McNeill, long-time PGA TOUR member who last competed on the SwingThought Tour in 1998 and 1999.
* Sam Saunders, PGA Tour member and Arnold Palmer’s grandson who last competed on the SwingThought Tour in 2011.
* Cameron Smith, last competed on the SwingThought Tour in 2011.
* Robert Streb, the 2014 McGladrey Classic Champion was last a member on the SwingThought Tour in 2012. However his career best T5 SwingThought Tour finish came at the 2011 Cutter Creek Classic.

For more information on the new SwingThought Tour visit swingthought.com or call 800-992-8748.
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