The second annual ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic is in the books, so it’s time to empty the proverbial notebook and take one last look back at the PGA Tour’s second stop in the Golf Capital of the World.
Franks For the Memories: Q Winner Graduates On and Off the Course
Nathan Franks, winner of the “The Q at Myrtle Beach,” proved more than worthy of his spot in the field. The University of South Carolina senior finished tied for 37th at 5-under-par, an effort highlighted by an opening round 67.
While Franks undoubtedly enjoyed playing in his first PGA Tour event, his weekend at the Dunes Golf & Beach Club created logistical
difficulties. He missed his graduation ceremony Saturday morning in Columbia, but Myrtle Beach Mayor Brenda Bethune provided an alternate ceremony in the media room, where Franks donned a cap and gown and received his diploma from the mayor. Everyone posed for pictures as part of a moment that will certainly prove to be more memorable than a run-of-the-mill ceremony.
More importantly, Franks and his Gamecock teammates opened play in the NCAA Championships Monday morning in Bremerton, Washington, meaning Franks had to make his way across the country immediately following his fourth round at the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Franks won’t have the benefit of much sleep or a practice round, but he clearly has the talent to help the Gamecocks advance out of the Bremerton Region.
From Slump to Spotlight: Higgs Finds His Game in Myrtle Beach
While he was surely disappointed to have fallen short in the three-way Myrtle Beach Classic playoff, Harry Higgs leaves the Grand Strand with a lot of positives. The tie for second place vaulted the fan and media favorite to 112th in the FedEx Cup standings, positioning him to finish inside the top 100 and keep his PGA Tour card with a strong second half of the season.
Higgs arrived in Myrtle Beach having missed five of his last six cuts, so he is certainly hoping to use this performance as a springboard for the rest of the year.
“I’m proud and bummed out,” Higgs said after the playoff. “It felt like this one was mine. Hopefully I get another chance, and I think that I will. I think that I’m on the right path, as long as I continue it.”
Despite the many positives, including his round of 68 on Sunday playing in the final group, Higgs surely rues the bogey he made at the Dunes Club’s par 5 13th after a beautiful tee shot. Higgs hit his second shot into Lake Singleton, leading to the bogey on a hole that was the course’s third easiest.
Monday Grinders Make Good: Duncan, Duangmanee Impress at Classic
The four golfers who advanced out of Monday Qualifying at TPC Myrtle Beach – Austin Duncan, George Duangmanee, Randall Hudson and Zach Reuland – also made their Tour debuts at the Dunes Club, and two of the four made the cut.
Duncan shot 2-under par, good for T54. He was consistent throughout the week with scores ranging from 69 to 72. Duncan struggled with the driver relative to the field, finishing 67th in accuracy (23/56) and 52nd in distance (293 yards), but he was sixth in the field in sand saves, converting 7 of 9 chances.
Duangmanee, who competed as an amateur, fired an opening round 68 that had the University of Virginia grad dreaming big, but he struggled over the weekend, shooting 75-75 and finishing at 5-over-par, tied for 67th.
Who knows what the future holds for any of the Monday qualifiers, but at the very least, Duncan will be able to tell his kids he tied Tom Kim and finished ahead of former British Open champion Francesco Molinari (pictured right). He also collected a check for $9,460 from the PGA Tour.
