Whitsett, Elder exempt for Wichita Web.Com stop
WICHITA, Kan. – Cory Whitsett, a recent graduate from the University of Alabama, will be making his pro-debut at the Air Capital Classic, while Brad Elder and Kyle Thompson received the final two exemptions for the Air Capital Classic presented by Aetna, tournament director Roy Turner announced today.
Whitsett was a member of the Alabama men’s golf team, which recently won the NCAA Championship at Prairie Dunes Country Club in Hutchinson, Kan., for the second year in a row. The Houston, Texas native also qualified for this week’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst where he will be competing as an amateur. Whitsett was the 2013 SEC Player of the Year, selected to the United States 2013 Walker Cup team, member of the victorious 2013 Palmer Cup squad, ranked No. 1 in Golf World’s 2013-14 preseason top 50 watch list and was recently named to the 2014 Capital One Academic All-America At-Large Team.
Elder, the 2007 Air Capital Classic champion, finished in a tie for 28th in last year’s event and made the cut in seven of 13 Web.com Tour starts in 2013. The Tulsa, Okla., native finished 89th on the money list last year. The Air Capital Classic will be his first tournament start this year.
Thompson was a runner-up in the Air Capital Classic in 2011 to tournament champion Mathew Goggin and has played in six events so far on the Web.com Tour this season. The Panama City, Fla., native is a 10-year Web.com Tour veteran with three wins and eight second- place finishes in his career.
The Air Capital Classic will be well represented at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst, which will kick off Thursday, June 12. A total of 53 alums are among the field, including:
Steven Alker 2002-06, 10-12
Jonas Blixt 2010-11
Keegan Bradley 2010
Roberto Castro 2010-11
Alex Cejka 2013
Stewart Cink 1996
Chad Collins 2006-09, 12-13
Erik Compton 2004-07, 11
Donald Constable 2013
Jason Day 2007
Jason Dufner 2001-02, 05-06
Ken Duke 2003-06, 10-11
Matt Every 2008-09, 11
Jim Furyk 1993
Bobby Gates 2010
Lucas Glover 2002-03
David Gossett 2001, 08, 13
Bill Haas 2005
Russell Henley 2012
Billy Hurley III 2011, 13
Zach Johnson 2000, 03
Matt Jones 2002, 04-07
Chris Kirk 2009-10
Kevin Kisner 2010, 13
Matt Kuchar 2006
Garth Mulroy 2007, 09
Joe Ogilvie 1998, 03
Rob Oppenheim 2007, 10-13
Ryan Palmer 2003
Rod Pampling 1997, 2000-01
D.A. Points 2001, 03, 07-08
Aron Price 2006-08, 12, 13
Fran Quinn 1991, 99-2000, 02-07, 09, 13
Clayton Rask 2011
Jim Renner 2012
Brandt Snedeker 2006
Brett Stegmaier 2013
Steve Stricker 1991
Brian Stuard 2008-09, 11-12
Kevin Sutherland 1991-92, 95
Hudson Swafford 2012-13
Chris Thompson 2007-08, 13
Brendon Todd 2008, 11
David Toms 1990-91, 95
Kevin Tway 2012
Bo Van Pelt 2000-01, 03
Jimmy Walker 2002-04, 07