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For those who have been wondering about the PGA Tour absences of Port Neches-Groves exes Andrew Landry and Chris Stroud, there are good reasons in both cases. You can expect to be seeing a lot of both in the near future.

Landry, in fact, made his return last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic after a month away while preparing for the birth of his second son. Bennett Reed made his appearance as Brooks Ryan’s brother on June 15.

Struggles on the back nine kept Landry from making the cut in Detroit. After opening with a 2-under-par 70, then playing the front nine on Friday in 2 under, the former Arkansas star looked to be in good shape to reach the weekend.

A stretch of bogey, bogey, double bogey, double bogey from 12 through 15, however, led to a 77 and sent Landry packing. He’s playing again this week at the John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois and should have good vibes based on his last trip to the John Deere.

That was in July of 2019. Landry fired rounds of 65-65-67-69 to finish outright third at 266 and win $408,000. A stroke behind him in a tie for fourth was none other than Stroud on the strength of posting 68-66-66-67.

It was the best combined showing on the PGA Tour for the Pea Patch duo.

Landry also has one other bit of potential karma working in his favor this week. Twenty-nine days after No. 1 son Brooks was born in 2018, Andrew scored his first ever PGA Tour win in the Valero Texas Open. Sunday’s final round of the John Deere will be played on the 26^th day after No. 2 son Bennett Reed arrived.

Though he has dropped to No. 152 in Fed Ex Cup playoffs, Landry could get in with a hot stretch over the next month. Four tournaments outside next week’s British Open – the Barbasol, the 3M Open, the Barracuda Championship and the Wyndham Classic — remain before the playoffs start.

Stroud, meanwhile, won’t be playing in the John Deere but he expects to be back within the next few weeks. The former Lamar All-America has been sidelined with back and knee issues since last November and has undergone vigorous treatment and rehab.

At one point he was contemplating a late spring, early summer return but decided he wanted to be 100 percent before coming back. According to reports, he is playing and practicing full time and having no issues. He’ll have a designated number of tournaments after his restart to retain his PGA Tour card.

CHIP SHOTS: Eric Delahoussaye of Port Arthur ended the latest hole-in-one drought at Babe Zaharias. Delahoussaye scored his third ace on Sunday, June 27 on the 138-yard 12^th hole, using a 7-iron. Witnesses were Ken Jones and T. Hall.

Braden Bailey had another strong showing in a Monday qualifier but once again came up short. Bailey fired a three-under 69 attempting to play his way into the Korn Ferry Tour’s TPC Colorado Championship. That was good for a tie for 12^th in a starting field of 103 players.

To get one of the four available spots, however, he needed to post five-under, then win a playoff. Two players shot 65, one finished at 66 and four more carded 67s. West Orange-Stark ex Michael Arnaud and former Lamar star Dawie van der Walt are in the field.

Tuesday’s Senior 2 ball at Babe Zaharias saw the team of James Vercher, Cap Hollier, Bob Luttrull and Darrell Mouille tie the front at minus 2 and win the back outright at minus 3. Also finishing minus 2 on the front was the foursome of James Cady, Ron LaSalle, Rick Pritchett and John Jessen.

In the Monday Senior 50 Plus 2 ball at Babe Zaharias, the team of Mike Brown, Joe Gongora, Jeff Rinehart and John Jessen won the front with minus 3. Minus 5 was the winning score on the back for the team of Russ Gloede, Ed Holley, Troy Touchet and Charles Leard.

The Friday 2 ball at Zaharias saw the front conclude in a tie at minus 2. Posting that number was the team of Charles Perrio, Luttrull, Robert Stansbury and Dwayne Benoit and the foursome of Ted Freeman, Hollier, Adam Noel and John LeBlanc.

Five teams tied the back at even par. Those teams were captained by Freeman, Perrio, Ron LaSalle, Craig Geoffroy and Bob West.

Minus 4 was the winning score on both nines in Thursday’s 2 ball. Posting that number on the front was the team of Vercher, Randy Monk, Richard Malone and Larry Lee. Reaching minus 4 on the back was the team of Keith Mullins, LaSalle, Bobby Wactor and Dan Flood.

Wednesday’s Zaharias DogFight was played in a par 4 format because of wet conditions. Placing first with 37 points was the team of Vercher, Wactor, Larry Foster and Jerry Watson. Taking second with 36 points was the foursome of LaSalle, Danny Robbins, Larry Stansbury and Evert Baker.

Closest to the pin winners were James Cady (No. 2), Cap Hollier (No. 7), Robbins (No. 12) and Gongora (No. 15).

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