2014 Bridgestone Invitational: Brendon Todd Reflects On Breakout PGA Tour Season, Pittsburgh Roots

Brendon Todd is a Peters Township native that currently ranks 40th in the world and eighth in the FedEx Cup standings. Photo courtesy of Zachary Weiss

AKRON, Ohio – If you see a Terrible Towel being waved in Atlanta, odds are that it is PGA TOUR golfer Brendon Todd.

Todd was born in Pittsburgh, specifically in Peters Township.

“It’s definitely where I got my base, where I learned the game from my dad at Rolling Hills Country Club,” said Todd, who now resides in Georgia. “I loved Pittsburgh sports growing up.”

Todd’s hard work and perseverance has paid off with his current Official World Golf Ranking at 40 and his current eighth place standing in the FedEx Cup standings.

The 29-year-old Todd first started his career on the then Nationwide Tour in 2007 starting in one event and missing the cut. The next year, he made the cut in 14 events winning once (Utah Championship) and finishing in the top-10 seven total times to finish 19th on the money list.

As a result, Todd made 21 starts in 2009 on the PGA TOUR, making five cuts in 21 total appearances and placing 181st on the money list. He also missed two Nationwide Tour cuts that year.

The learning experience for Todd resulted in a return to the Nationwide Tour where he missed the cut in all 13 of his appearances. Instead of quitting, Todd amassed two top-10 finished in 24 Nationwide Tour appearances in 2010. He would however return to the PGA TOUR when he placed first in Q-School.

More from Pittsburgh Sports

• Pittsburgh Penguins: A Look Back at 2019
• Penguins Will Continue to Persevere Despite Injuries
• In the Midst of Coaching Drama, be Thankful in Pittsburgh
• Big Week for Robert Morris University Colonials Athletics
• Steelers’ Second Half Schedule May Provide Path to the Playoffs

Todd earned first top-10 in February 2012 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, placing ninth. His placement earned him conditional status for 2013 and he had 10 starts on the PGA TOUR and 10 on the Web.com Tour. On the Web.com Tour, Todd won his second event ever, the Stadion Classic at UGA, and also had a second place. While he finished 145th on the PGA Tour money list, he was 20th on the Web.com Tour and thus earned full-time status for the PGA TOUR for this season.

The breakthrough for Todd came when he won the HP Byron Nelson Classic this May by two strokes over 2003 Masters Champion Mike Weir.

“I think since I became a solid college golfer I felt I could win on the Tour,” said Todd to reporters following the event. “It’s taken a little while but now that I’m here, it’s a dream come true.”

In total Todd has seven top-10 finishes this season, including five in six starts (HP Byron Nelson Classic, Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial, the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide Insurance, Quicken Loans National and The Greenbrier Classic). This season, Todd is third in strokes gained-putting, ninth in sand-save percentage and 10th in scoring average.

“I’ve got a good two years under my belt with the same teacher, Scott Hamilton, who has helped me hit the ball more efficiently and really narrowed my misses down,” Todd said. “I’m hitting more fairways and greens now.”

With his success, Todd has not forgotten the importance Pittsburgh his played to get him to where he is at now.

Todd still closely follows the Pittsburgh Penguins and offered a prediction for the upcoming Pittsburgh Steelers season.

“I think if they get above .500, that’s a good season,” said Todd. “Hopefully they’ll sneak into the playoffs this year.”

McIlroy Says No to Potential Langer Ryder Cup Berth

Three time major champion Rory McIlroy is against Bernhard Langer making the Ryder Cup as a captain’s pick citing “team dynamic”. Photo courtesy of Zachary Weiss

European Ryder Cup Captain Paul McGinley, along with US Captain Tom Watson, has the unenviable task of selecting three captain’s selection for their respective teams and with his play this season, Bernhard Langer has thrown his name into the ring.

Langer has won the Constellation SENIOR PLAYERS at Fox Chapel and most recently The Senior Open Championship by 13 strokes – two of his four victories on the season. In addition, Langer leads in the Charles Schwab cup by 259 points over Colin Montgomerie.

Langer’s accomplishments have drawn praise from many including Watson.

“I’d certainly be saying to Paul this guy is playing so well that he might be worth a pick,” said Watson to The Scotsman. “The way he is hitting it just now, Gleneagles is a course that could be played by Bernhard.”

Montgomerie also supports this idea and wants to see his friend make the team.

“I hope Paul McGinley is looking at this, both in terms of the way he is playing and the confidence of the guy,” Montgomerie said. “You want experience on the first tee in a Ryder Cup and no-one apart from Tom Watson has more experience in the game right now than him [Langer].”

When raised the topic himself, Langer said to Skysports, “It’s up to the captain. I certainly feel my golf is worthy of playing in the Ryder Cup.”

With all of this in mind, I asked Rory McIlroy at his press conference Tuesday what his feelings were on this topic and after a long pause received this response:

“What he’s done this year, especially last week winning the U.S. Senior Open by 13 shots, it was impressive,” said McIlroy. “The thing I would be slightly apprehensive of, if you were to bring him into the team environment, the European team, a few of the guys would have played with him, like the more experienced guys, but he’s not quite in the same group of people.

“I think the team dynamic is pretty good at the minute with the mix that we’ve got, and to bring someone in that hasn’t spent much time around us or those guys might not be the best, but he’s obviously playing great golf.

“It’s sort of hard because he’s not playing against the regular guys week in and week out, but he’s playing great golf obviously, and what he’s done this year and this month as well has been fantastic. I’d say probably, if they were to be involved in the Ryder Cup, if they were vice captains or something, then I’d be all for that, but I don’t think they should be on the team.”

McIlroy currently ranks first in the European Ryder Cup point standings both in the European Points List and World Points List.