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MAKING THE CONNECTION: MANY FORMER COLLEGE ALL-AMERICA PARTICIPANTS DO WELL AT PEBBLE BEACH WITH SPIETH LEADING THE WAY February 15, 2017

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Jordan Spieth, who won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday, Feb. 12, was one of 23 players who previously made their way through El Paso playing at the Sun Bowl Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic (SBWRCAAGC).

Spieth, who highlighted his victory with a 30-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole with the Pacific Ocean as a backdrop, played in the 2011 SBWRCAAGC at the El Paso Country Club. He closed his 2017 Pebble Beach performance with a 2-under 70 for a four-shot victory over former U.S. Amateur champion Kelly Kraft, a close friend from Dallas who couldn’t get a putt to fall that might have put a little pressure on Spieth.

During the 2011 SBWRCAAGC, Spieth, then a freshman at Texas and Golfweek’s top-ranked player, struggled a bit finishing T-15 with Arkansas’ Austin Cook at 5-over.

“I was able to get out to Pebble Beach for the tournament and it is always great to catch up with some of these guys,” said Sun Bowl Executive Director Bernie Olivas. “Brandon Hagy, who played in El Paso when he was with California, told me that he still has the boots he got from Lucchese, plus others mentioned they still remember coming to El Paso.”

Dustin Johnson, who finished third in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am on Sunday, played in El Paso during the 2005 and 2006 SBWRCAAGC. He played for Coastal Carolina at the time and tied for 16th and 23th in respective years.

Brandt Snedeker, another top-five finisher at Pebble Beach this past weekend, played in the 2002 SBWRCAAGC along with J.B. Holmes and Ricky Barnes (Arizona). Snedeker was playing for Vanderbilt and finished in fifth, while Holmes (Kentucky) placed in a tie for eighth.

One name that most golf fans know is Phil Mickleson. He came to El Paso to participate in the SBWRCAAGC in 1989, but withdrew from the tournament during the early rounds of play.

Below is a list of players who have played in the Sun Bowl Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic. The Sun Bowl Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic is one of the premier college golf tournaments in the country. Some of golf’s brightest stars have traveled to El Paso to compete in the tournament since its inaugural year in 1976. Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Davis Love III, Ricky Barnes and Jerry Pate are just a handful of past participants who went on to have successful PGA careers.

Place at Pebble Beach – Player – School – Year played in SBWRCAAGC
1st – Jordan Spieth – Texas-2011
3rd – Dustin Johnson –Coastal Carolina- 2005, 2006
4th – Brandt Snedeker- Vanderbilt- 2002
T10th – Nick Taylor-Washington-2008, 2009
T10th- Kevin Kisner- Georgia- 2004
T14th- Scott Stallings- Tennessee Tech- 2006
T14th- Nick Watney- Fresno State- 2001
T23rd – J.B. (John) Holmes- Kentucky-2002
T23rd – Derek Fathauer- Louisville-2007
T33rd – Tag Ridings-Arkansas-1996
T33rd – Brandon Hagy-Califonia-2012
T39th – Tom Hoge- TCU- 2009
T39th – Henrik Norlander- Augusta State-2008, 2010
T39th – Chris Kirk- Georgia- 2005, 2006
T48th – Zac Blair- BYU-2015
T48th – Rory Sabbatini- Arizona-1995, 1997
T48th – Ricky Barnes- Arizona-2000, 2001, 2002
T48th – Kevin Tway- Oklahoma State- 2009, 2010
T48th – Kevin Chappell- UCLA- 20071011
55th – Stewart Cink- Georgia Tech- 1993
58th – Jonas Blixt- Florida State- 2007
62nd – Scott Langley- Illinois-2009, 2010
65th – Phil Mickelson- Arizona State- 1989