Thornberry, Niemann to Play PGA Tour's Greenbrier Classic
Braden Thornberry (L) and Joaquin Niemann (R) each get
their second chance to tee it up with the world's best
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, WV (July 5, 2017) - Two of the bigger names in amateur golf are in the field at this week's Greenbrier Classic on the PGA Tour.
Braden Thornberry of Olive Springs, MS has risen to the #1 spot in the Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com World Rankings and is riding a hot streak that began in late May with a win in the NCAA Championships. He followed it up with a fourth place finish at the PGA Tour's FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis, and then a win at the prestigious Sunnehanna Amateur.
He was also recently presented with the Haskins Award as the nation's top collegiate player. As the Haskins Award winner, he gained entry into the Greenbrier Classic this week.
Joaquin Niemann of Chile enters the week as the #1 ranked player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking and he too has been playing excellent golf of late. Niemann began the year with a runner-up finish in the Latin America Amateur, then won the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in April and last month's Mexican International Amateur. He also qualified for and competed in the U.S. Open at Erin Hills.
A third amateur is in the field this week. Less heralded but no less deserving, Alan Cooke of Parkersburg, WV earned a sponsor's exemption into the field by winning the 2016 West Virginia Amateur at the Greenbrier. Cooke was originally exempted into the 2016 Greenbrier Classic, but the tournament was canceled due to the devastating floods that ravaged the area right before tournament week. Tournament organizers allowed Cooke to use his exemption for this year's tournament.
Thornberry tees off at 1:50pm Thursday off of #10 and will play with Brandon Hagy and Bobby Wyatt. Niemann plays off of #10 at 8:50am with Willy Wilcox and Tom Hoge. Cooke will play with Mark Anderson and Rick Lamb at 9:00am off of #10.