'Dawgs on Tour: Marshes of Glynn Edition (aka RSM Classic)

There was a spot of bother in Mexico's weather this weekend, and the PGA Tour golf tournament finish was pushed to Monday. That didn't help our boys in Red & Black, but we still had three cash checks:

Hudson Swafford and Erik Compton tied for 46th, and each made $18,154. Brian Harman finished just ahead in a tie for 40th and made $24,800. Graeme McDowell won in a playoff, but he's Irish and didn't go to Georgia, so we won't dwell on that.

The PGA Tour comes back stateside for the final event of the calendar year, The RSM Classic. Formerly the McGladrey Classic, corporate bureaucrats decided familiarity breeds contempt and thus they changed the name of the company and immediately re-branded the golf tournament. The good news is that they kept the location the same: Sea Island CC on St. Simons Island just off the Georgia coast.

It's a gorgeous layout, and very traditional at 7,000 yards and par 70. It mixes marshes and dunes very well in a links-style layout and is highly regarded. They have added the Plantation Course to the mix this year, so everyone will rotate Thursday and Friday, but will finish up Sunday on Sea Island.

Only 6 of the world's top 35 are present, but St. Simons itself is well represented**, as it has become a magnet for Tour pros. Current residents Zach Johnson (from Iowa), Matt Kuchar (Georgia Tech), Lucas Glover (Clemson), Davis Love III (UNC), Harris English (UGA), Brian Harman (UGA), Jonathan Byrd (don't know), and Bobby Wyatt (Alabama) are all scheduled to compete.

The field includes some more SEC flavor this week, as the tournament gave an exemption to one Dru Love, currently enrolled at Alabama. Dru's full name is Davis Love IV, and son of PGA Championship winner and Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III. The Love's have made Sea Island their home for decades, and Davis is the tournament host. Love III matriculated and played golf at UNC, so at least they've got that out of their system (though he famously got Michael Jordan hooked on golf while they were both enrolled at Chapel Hill).

But here's a short list of those you'll be rooting for as they conclude the early portion of the 2015-16 Tour season:

Erik Compton
Harris English
Brian Harman
Russelll Henley
Chris Kirk
Kevin Kisner
Hudson Swafford

In some related news, Ray Cutright was inducted into the PGA of America Hall of Fame. This is separate and distinct from the World Golf Hall of Fame, but is prestigious in its own right. Ray was the head pro at Sea Island for many years in the 80's and 90's before returning to his roots in Macon, GA and taking the head pro position at Idle Hour G&CC.

And per GeorgiaDogs.com, we have some rankings to be proud of on the women's side: ” Individually, five Bulldogs are currently ranked in the top-100 nationally by both Golfweek and Golfstat.Bailey Tardy is No. 5 by Golfstat and No. 15 by Golfweek, Harang Lee is No. 5 by Golfweek and No. 23 by Golfstat, Jillian Hollis No. 32 by Golfweek and No. 74 by Golfstat, Manuela Carbajo Ré is No. 58 by Golfstat and No. 61 by Golfweek and Rinko Mitsunaga is No. 67 by Golfweek and No. 73 by Golfstat."

So if you want to eschew afternoon football for some golf, head on over to the Golf Channel Thursday-Sunday for the coverage, and...

GO 'DAWGS!!!!

** No word on if CaptJackSparrow accepted his invitation to play, as the IceDawgs have home ice this weekend in Athens.