The champion is making his return to CordeValle Golf Course.
Jonas Blixt, the 2012 winner of the PGA TOUR’S Frys.com Open, will be back on the course for this year’s tournament, held Oct. 10-13 at CordeValle in San Martin. Blixt shot a 16 under par to win the tournament and he’s hoping that history repeats itself in the tour season opener.
The stakes are much higher this year as the tournament is offering full FedEx Cup points — where it offered much fewer in the past — as well an invitation to The Masters for the winner.
“I think with the new setup of the PGA TOUR, the Frys.com is going to grow as a tournament,” Blixt said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I think with getting into the Masters if you win and all the FedEx Cup points, it’s really improved this tournament.
“I think it’s just a great tournament and a great place to host it at — CordeValle. It’s going to be a lot of fun going back to one of my favorite spots in America.”
The defending champ will be joined by a guest caddy from First Tee of the Silicon Valley for the Fry.com Pro-Am on Oct. 9. Blixt said it was his pleasure to be joined by an aspiring golfer out on the greens.
“I’m all for growing the game like the PGA TOUR does,” he said. “I think the more people that get involved in the game, the better. …If I can make that happen, get more people involved in it and have a good day with them, then I’m really looking forward to it.”
Blixt will be joined by Brooks Koepka, who he used to golf with at Florida State, as well as international President’s Cup committees Hideki Matsuyama of Japan, Angel Cabrera of Argentina and Mark Leishman of Australia — just to name a few.
After winning the Frys.com Open last year, Blixt went on to be crowned champion of the Greenbrier Classic (-13) in July to earn his first invitation to The Masters.
With an invite up for grabs much earlier this year, Blixt is hoping to showcase his stellar putting from last year’s tournament that ultimately won him the trophy.
“Hopefully I get to do it again,” he said. “It was absolutely undescribable and unbelievable to share it with my family and friends that week.”
