Stuard Dancing on Cut Line at Rocket Mortgage Classic

Napoleon High School graduate Brian Stuard follows through on a drive during the PGA’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club on Thursday. Photo by Jeff Steers, JTV Sports.

By Jeff Steers
JTV Sports

(July 28, 2022 9:36 PM) Thursday’s first round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club may have been a repeat of the last three months for PGA golfer and Jackson native Brian Stuard.

If it’s not one thing, it’s another according to the longtime PGA Tour player.

Stuard shot a 1-under-par 71 despite hitting 83 percent of greens in regulation and a large majority of the fairways.

His putter let him down in his home-state PGA tournament.

Stuard has missed the last 10 cuts in PGA Tour events after a promising start to the 2021-2022 season. 

“It’s like you have a disease that you can’t get rid of it,” Stuard said of his summer months on the PGA Tour. “It has been a tough time playing professional golf lately.”

The Napoleon graduate made 10-of-12 cuts between the beginning of February and the start of May.

On Thursday, Stuard missed four birdie putts within eight feet on the slick greens in Detroit. He three-putted for a par 5 late in the round after hitting the green in two.

Stuard is tied for 79th after the first round of 71 and may need to make a few of those putts to make the cut after play on Friday.

He is currently 146th on the FedEx Cup Series points list. The top 125 earn playing privileges for 2022-2023 season. 

The top 150 have a chance to make tournament starts – especially during the fall season.

“I played okay today, but didn’t get anything out of it,” Stuard said. “Obviously finishing in the top 150 is a secondary goal.”

Stuard is still one of the best drivers on the PGA, currently fourth in driving accuracy hitting nearly 72 percent of fairways. 

But he is 152nd in greens in regulation (64 percent) and 154th in putting (1.77 per hole). 

“The longer you go on a streak like that (missing cuts), it is hard to get it back,” Stuard said. “Hopefully I can have seven solid rounds left (this season).”

The FedEx Cup Series playoffs starts after play next week at the Wyndham Championship.

Stuard said it has been a long summer and looks forward to some time off. 

“I look forward to getting home, taking a break, and getting refreshed,” Stuard said.

Stuard has made more than $650,000 in the current season and nearly $12 million in his career on the PGA Tour.