Sunday 7th January 2024 – Round 3
Jacob MODLESKI (USA) won the 20th Jones Cup Invitational at Ocean Forest G.C. with a 215 (-1) total.
A 69 (-3) in the final round, which included a five birdie final nine holes of 32, meant he was the only player to finish the 54-holes under par and was good enough to give him a 1-shot victory.
Ranked 404th in WAGR the Notre Dame freshman was a surprise winner of this prestigious title. Indeed at the start of the week he wasn’t even in the field, only gaining his place on Thursday.
Modleski earned an exemption to play in this year’s RSM Classic at Sea Island G.C. with his win.
Jacob Modleski (Photo: Jones Cup Invitational)
Caleb SURRATT (USA) and Jackson KOIVAN (USA) finished tied 2nd on Even par. USA Walker Cup player Surratt finished his tournament with a best of the week 67 (-5). Having also finished runner-up last year a bogey 5 on the 16th will hurt as he looks back on his round. Koivan, who is a freshman at Auburn, once again showed his huge promise with his second 71 on Sunday.
Blades BROWN (USA), who ultimately finished tied 5th, looked like he may make a run at the title before a triple-bogey on the par 3 17th and a bogey on the home hole sent him tumbling down the leaderboard.
The average score in Round 3 was 77.3, the tougher final day pin positions on the undulating greens strengthening the course.
Results (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
It was another generally disappointing Jones Cup for the GB&I contingent who were competing.
Jack BIGHAM (ENG) +8 finished tied 18th albeit, having dropped 5-shots in his closing three holes on his way to a final round 78, his play over the tournament certainly deserved better.
James ASHFIELD (WAL), who was paired with Caleb Surratt and World No. 1 Gordon Sargent on Sunday, also shot 78 to finish tied 27th on +11.
Callum SCOTT (SCO) +13 battled back well from his disastrous opening round with two closing 73’s to finish tied 33rd.
GB&I-Only Results (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
Click here to view the – 2024 Jones Cup Invitational Results
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Saturday 6th January 2024 – Round 2
An even par 72 was good enough to lift World #19 Luke CLANTON (USA) into the lead at the Jones Cup Invitational with a 143 (-1) total.
16 year old protégé Brown BLADES (USA) and Thomas PONDER (USA) are his nearest challengers heading into tomorrow’s final round after they posted a 72 and 71 respectively to finish up on 144 (Ev).
Norway’s Herman SEKNE shot the best round of the day and the tournament so far with a 69 (-3). The Purdue senior should have been even lower after he double-bogeyed the 18th to take the gloss off a good day’s work.
The average score in Round 2 was 75.7 (+3.7), a full 2-shots lower than on Friday. Overnight rain led to a 30 minute delay in play but at least softened the very firm greens a little.
Round 2 Scores (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
Jack BIGHAM (ENG) +2, a Florida State teammate of Clanton, shot a 71, one of eight under par rounds today, to move into the top 10.
James ASHFIELD (WAL) +5 is now tied 18th after a 73 whilst his compatriot Jonathan BALE +9 fell back to tied 37th after a 77 in Round 2.
Josh HILL (ENG), who spent much of last year injured, is +11 after his own 77 but still in the top 50.
Calum SCOTT (SCO) bounced back well from his disappointing opening round with a 73 and now sits alongside Luke POULTER (ENG) in tied 55th on +12.
Round 2 GB&I-Only Scores (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
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Friday 5th January 2024 – Round 1
Nick GABRELCIK (USA), who started his round on the 10th hole, took the early lead at the 2024 Jones Cup Invitational with a 2-under 70. He shot three birdies around a windy Ocean Forest course which sits alongside the Atlantic ocean.
Tommy MORRISON (USA) and Luke CLANTON (USA) -1 tied 2nd were the only other players to break par on a high scoring opening day.
The defending champion David FORD (USA) is well placed after an even par 72.
The average score on Day 1 was 77.9 (+5.9), highlighting the severity of the test.
Round 1 Scores (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
Jack BIGHAM (ENG) +3 tied 19th was the leading GB&I player. Jack’s round included four birdies but four bogeys and a triple on the difficult par 4 13th impacted his progress.
Welshmen James ASHFIELD and mid-amateur Jonathan BALE +4 tied 25th also enjoyed reasonable starts to this elite event. Ashfield’s round included three birdies whilst Bale managed one in a steadier effort.
Calum SCOTT‘s (SCO) round was ruined by a 9 on the par 3 15th.
Round 1 GB&I-Only Scores (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius)
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3rd January 2024 – Preview
The 20th Jones Cup Invitational will be played between 5th-7th January 2024 at Ocean Forest G.C. on the northern tip of Sea Island in Georgia.
Historically a top 10 ranked amateur tournament it has always attracted a strong field.
The winner of the Jones Cup Invitational, subject to them remaining an amateur, traditionally receives an exemption into the PGA Tour’s RSM Classic played at Sea Island in November.
The Jones Cup Invitational was first played in January 2001 as a prelude to that year’s Walker Cup match which was being staged at Ocean Forest in the following August.
The Sea Island resort is a big supporter of amateur golf with the Jones Cup Junior Invitational, Jones Cup Senior Invitational and Sea Island Women’s Amateur also played at the nearby Seaside Course since 2009, 2012 and 2021 respectively.
Format
The Jones Cup Invitational is a 54 hole individual stroke play competition played over three days.
Given the small field there is no cut.
The winner receives the silver Jones Cup and the Layne Williams Medal which was awarded for the first time in 2022. Layne Williams was a rules official for the Georgia State Golf Association.
Players
The Jones Cup Invitational Committee invite just 84 players to contest their tournament.
The majority of invites are granted based on each player’s previous performances and their world amateur rankings.
77 players contested an 18 hole qualifier on Sea Island’s Retreat Course on 11th December with Henry GUAN (USA) -7, Sihan SANDHU (USA) -4 and Harrison DAVIS (USA) -3 all added to the field. Jon HOPKINS (ENG) -3 missed out on the final qualifying spot after a 4-for-1 sudden death play-off. Click here to view the – 2024 Jones Cup Invitational Qualifier Results
Tyler WATTS (USA), the winner of the Jones Cup Junior Invitational which was played a few weeks ago on 18th-19th December also earned an exemption. Click here to view the – 2023 Jones Cup Junior Invitational Results
8 golfers from Great Britain & Ireland (GB&I) are competing this year and I am sure a few more would have liked to have played if they could. They are (in alphabetical order with their current WAGRs): –
James ASHFIELD (WAL) #65
Jonathan BALE (WAL) #717
Jack BIGHAM (ENG) #77
Archie DAVIES (WAL) #220 – Reserve, added to the field 03/01/24
Josh HILL (ENG) #648
Max KENNEDY (IRL) #73
Luke POULTER (ENG) #416
Calum SCOTT (SCO) #33
In addition to Scott, Ashfield, Kennedy and Bigham there are 37 other players in the WAGR Top 100 who are competing (in rank order): –
Gordon SARGENT (USA) #1
David FORD (USA) #4
Nick GABRELCIK (USA) #8
Caleb SURRAT (USA) #11
Austin GREASER (USA) #12
Luke CLANTON (USA) #19
Michael BRENNAN (USA) #20
Maxwell MOLDOVAN (USA) #22
Jackson KOIVUN (USA) #23
Drew GOODMAN (USA) #26
Matthew RIEDEL (USA) #29
Jackson VAN PARIS (USA) #31
Mats EGE (NOR) #34
Maxwell FORD (USA) #35
Brian STARK (USA) #37
Brendan VALDES (USA) #38
Tobias JONSSON (SWE) #39
Cole ANDERSON (USA) #43
Ian GILLIGAN (USA) #44
Bryce LEWIS (USA) #47
Jackson BUCHANAN (USA) #48
Caden FIORONI (USA) #49
Bartley FORRESTER (USA) #50
Albert HANSSON (SWE) #52
Canon CLAYCOMB (USA) #57
Brett ROBERTS (USA) #62
Neal SHIPLEY (USA) #64
Wells WILLIAMS (USA) #68
Miles RUSSELL (USA) #69
Peter FOUNTAIN (USA) #74 – Withdrew 03/01/24
Jake HOLBROOK (USA) #85
Nathan PETRONZIO (USA) #86
Thomas PONDER (USA) #91
Mac MCCLEAR (USA) #92
Sebastian MOSS (USA) #93
Jack LUNDIN (USA) #94
Algot KLEEN (SWE) #97
Course
Ocean Forest is a challenging course with an exposed seaside links feel. Holes run alongside both the Hampton River and the Atlantic Ocean with marshes and the sea abutting a number of the fairways and greens. The remaining holes are cut through a pine forest.
Natural sand dunes are evident albeit the defining feature is the small undulating greens.
The course plays to 7,308 yards with a standard par of 72. If the wind blows here scores can be unusually high.
The Club was founded in 1995 by Bill Jones III. His family’s Sea Island Company having owned the land since the 1920’s.
Jones invited architect Rees Jones to design a championship course on the site with work commencing in September 1993. Some renovation work was subsequently done by Rees Jones in 2007. Beau Welling Design worked on the course in 2023 refreshing most of the tees, greens and bunkers as well as adding a number of new sandy waste areas.
President George H. Bush, Bill Jones III, former U.S. attorney general Griffin Bell, David Love III and Rees Jones played the opening round in Spring 1995.
The course was awarded the 2001 Walker Cup shortly after opening. At just 6 years old it remains the youngest club to be afforded this honour. Peter McEvoy led GB&I to a convincing 15-9 victory.
Weather Forecast (as at 3rd January)
Generally sunny weather is expected this week albeit the wind is likely to be challenging.
Fri 5th Jan. – Sunny / Wind 15 mph NE / Temp. Min. 15°C, Max. 20°C.
Sat 6th Jan. – Rain AM, Sunny PM / Wind 18 mph SW / Temp. Min. 10°C, Max. 23°C.
Sun 7th Jan. – Sunny / Wind 10 mph NW / Temp. Min. 9°C, Max. 18°C.
2023 Jones Cup Invitational
David FORD (USA) completed a wire-to-wire win at the 19th Jones Cup Invitational in Georgia beating Caleb SURRATT (USA) by 1-shot.
Ford’s 204 (-12) total was the second best in tournament history, 1-shot short of Davis Thompson’s (USA) 203 (-13) total in 2020.
Both players would go on to represent USA in the Walker Cup match at St. Andrews last September.
David Ford (Photo: Jones Cup Invitational)
Michael BRENNAN (USA) finished strongly with a final round of 67 to claim 3rd place on -8. Peter FOUNTAIN (USA), who had been amongst the leading group for most of the tournament, had to settle for 4th place after a 71 on Sunday.
Top 20 Results (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius Scoring)
The best placed GB&I player, of which there were 11 in the field, was James ASHFIELD (WAL) +3 who finished tied 27th. Barclay BROWN (ENG) and Frank KENNEDY (ENG) +4 were tied 33rd and reigning U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion Matthew MCCLEAN (IRL) +5 tied 39th.
GB&I Results (Graphic: Jones Cup Invitational / Golf Genius Scoring)
Please click here to view the – 2023 Jones Cup Invitational Results
Here is a list of the past winners with their finishing scores: –
2023 – David FORD (USA) 204 (-12)
2022 – Palmer JACKSON (USA) 211 (-5)
2021 – Ludvig ÅBERG (SWE) 214 (-2)
2020 – Davis THOMPSON (USA) 203 (-13)
2019 – Akshay BHATIA (USA) 142 (-2) – event shortened to 36 holes due to bad weather
2018 – Garrett BARBER (USA) 212 (-4) – winner of the Jones Cup Junior Invitational in 2016
2017 – Braden THORNBERRY (USA) 212 (-4)
2016 – Beau HOSSLER (USA) 214 (-2)
2015 – Austen CONNELLY (USA) 216 (Ev)
2014 – Corey CONNORS (CAN) 218 (+2)
2013 – Sean DALE (USA) 213 (-3)
2012 – Justin THOMAS (USA) 216 (Ev)
2011 – John PETERSON (USA) 217 (+1)
2010 – Patrick READ (USA) 222 (+6)
2009 – Kyle STANLEY (USA) 217 (+1)
2007 – Luke LIST (USA) 206 (-10) – played at Frederica G.C. due to renovation work at Ocean Forest
2005 – Nicholas THOMPSON (USA) 214 (-2)
2003 – Gregg JONES (USA) 211 (-5)
2001 – DJ TRAHAN (USA) 210 (-6)
Canada’s Corey Connors and Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg are the only non-American winners of the Jones Cup Invitational.
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