BOB WEST ON GOLF: Key PGA Tour stretch ahead for Andrew Landry

Published 9:00 pm Tuesday, October 24, 2017

With his batteries recharged after two weeks off, Andrew Landry returns to the PGA Tour for four consecutive fall tournaments that could send him into the 2018 portion of the season dealing from a position of strength in Fed Ex Cup points.

Landry, currently 29th after a tie for 7th at the Safeway Open in the only fall event for which he was eligible, is set to play the Sanderson Farms Championship in Jackson Miss., this week. After that, he rolls the dice in Las Vegas next week, travels to Cancun to play the OHL Mayakoba Classic, then goes to Sea Island, Georgia for the final tournament of 2017 Nov. 16-19.

The four-tournament stretch provides an excellent opportunity for Landry to move up the FedEx points list because most of the tour’s biggest names will be skipping the above-mentioned events. After Sea Island, Landry won’t have another PGA Tour playing opportunity until the second week of January …

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While Landry is gearing up, Chris Stroud figures to be taking some time off to work on his game after a couple of disappointing weeks overseas. Stroud followed up a 75th place finish in Kuala Lumpur with a tie for 47th this past week at the CJ Cup in South Korea.

The PNG and Lamar ex got off to a good start in South Korea with a 71, then followed with rounds of 75-76-73 to finish nine over. In 10 fall tournament rounds, he’s managed to shoot as low as 71 only once and his stroke average stands at 74.15.

Stroud’s plans for the remainder of the 2017 season have him competing in Cancun and at Sea Island. He will, however, be heavily involved in a charity pro-am for Hurricane Harvey relief Dec. 12 at Bluejack National outside Houston …

Braden Bailey posted his fourth consecutive top 10 of Baylor’s fall season when he finished T3 in the Bears’ Royal Oaks Intercollegiate Monday and Tuesday in Dallas. His rounds of 66-70-71 for a six-under-par total of 207 helped Baylor finish 25 under as a team and win by 19 shots over Arkansas.

Bailey, in Baylor’s three previous fall tourneys, had finished T10, T6 and 7th. It was his 10th time in 12 rounds to shoot par or better and he lowered his 2017-18 stroke average to 69.4.

Baylor, ranked No. 9 nationally by Golfweek, won’t play again until late January …

Winning team in the inaugural Port Arthur YMCA scholarship fundraiser was made up of Rocco Mastrangelo, Damon West, Joe Tortorice and Bob West. They shot a 14-under-par 58 at Bayou Din in a four-person scramble format.

Closest to the pin winners were Kirt Gaspard on No. 2 and Patrick Ross on No. 11. J. Bruser won the long drive on No. 2.

The duo of Lonnie LaBove-Brian Frederick shot a 10-under 62 in a two-person scramble format to win the St. James Catholic Church fundraiser at Babe Zaharias. They edged the team of Mitch Duncan-Hunter Huff by a stroke.

Closest to the pin winners were Dwaine Staudimire (No. 7) and Gaspard (No. 15). Brian Frederick won the long drive.

In the Monday Senior 50 Plus 2 ball game at Zaharias, the foursome of Adam Noel, Raymond Darbonne, Ron Mistrot and Mike Hollier won the front in minus-4.

On the back, the fivesome of Kenny Robbins, Dillard Darbonne, Paul Duplantis, Charlie Perez and Rick Prichett prevailed with minus-2.

Highlight of the day was a five-under-par 67 shot by the 83-year-old Noel. …

The Super Saturday two-ball at Zaharias saw the team of Mark Lawson, Paul Flores, Kevin Mehl and Charles Leard win the front with minus 3. On the back, the threesome of Tom LeTourneau, James Shipley and Larry Johnson finished first with even par.

Format for the Thursday Senior Game at Zaharias was Select Drive All Points Count. First with plus 24 was the team of Mike Lansford, Bill Jones, Cricket Owen and Paul Duplantis. Teams captained by Ron LaSalle and Noel tied for second at plus 21 …

Closest to the pin winners were Larry Rogers (No. 2), Bim Morrow (No. 7), Cap Hollier (No 12) and Pritchett (No. 15) …

The Wednesday Babe Zaharias DogFight was won with 16 points by the team of Larry Reece, Gary Fontenot, Leard and Art Miller. Second with 15 points was the foursome of Cody Metts, Harrell Guidry and Lee Bertrand.

Closest to the pin winners were Fontenot (No. 2), Morrow (No. 7), Hollier (No. 12) and Owen (No. 12).

Golf news should be e-mailed to rdwest@usa.net