Tag: Q School

Who’s competing in the PGA Tour Q-School? Here’s the full list

Among the veterans are multiple Tour winners Nick Watney, Sean O’Hair and Martin Laird.

The chase for the cards has come down to four days on the First Coast.

The PGA Tour Q-School, presented by Korn Ferry, will be Dec. 12-15 with the field competing in two rounds at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley and two at the Sawgrass Country Club.

Among the veterans who have had to return to the qualifying process are multiple Tour winners Nick Watney, Sean O’Hair and Martin Laird, other Tour winners such as Lanto Griffin of Ponte Vedra Beach, Austin Cook, Tyler Duncan, Tommy Gainey and Garrick Higgo; and rising stars Christo Lamprecht, Pierceson Coody and Sam Bennett.

The tournament rounds at Dye’s Valley are open to the public. The free tickets must be downloaded by visiting the Q-School ticketmaster page at am.ticketmaster.com/pgnt/buy/buy2024.

Local players will take their best shots

The Jacksonville area will be heavily represented in the Q-School field:

  • Travis Trace, a Sandalwood High and University of North Florida graduate, made a 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole of a second-stage qualifier at Kinderlou Forest in Valdosta, Ga., to clinch the final spot from that event. He was making his fifth attempt in a second-stage qualifier to reach the Q-School finals.
  • Nick Gabrelcik, the first three-time ASUN Player of the Year at UNF, earned a Korn Ferry Tour card through the 2024 PGA Tour University college rankings. He made six of 13 cuts and finished 118th on the final points list.
  • Raul Pereda, a Jacksonville University graduate, earned his PGA Tour card at the 2023 Q-School. However, he made only four of 25 cuts and had to return to second-stage qualifying. He tied for fourth at the Valencia, Calif., qualifier.
  • Marcus Plunkett played high school golf at Nease and Ponte Vedra and then earned an appointment to Army West Point, where he was the Patriot League Player of the Year in 2014. He finished solo fourth in the Dothan, Ala., qualifier.
  • Two area residents who played golf in the Big Ten, Sam Anderson and Luke Guthrie, were the medalists in their second-stage qualifiers. Anderson, who played at Wisconsin, won the Valdosta, Ga., qualifier by six shots and Guthrie, who played at Illinois, won by two at the Hammock Beach qualifier.
  • Other area residents in the Q-School field are Tyson Alexander, Derek Bard, Cody Blick, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Doc Redman, Thomas Walsh, Tom Wilkinson and Carl Yuan.

PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry field

Players who qualified directly to Q-School

Tyson Alexander, Matthew Anderson, Matt Atkins.

Paul Barjon, Erik Barnes, Wilson Bateman, Zach Bauchou, Sam Bennett, Barend Botha, Joseph Bramlett. Ryan Brehm, Hayden Buckley, Bronson Burgoon, Ryan Burnett.

Will Cannon, Davis Chatfield, Pierceson Coody, Austin Cook, Patrick Cover, Myles Creighton, Brandon Crick, Trace Crowe.

MJ Daffue, Roberto Díaz, Alistair Docherty, Kevin Dougherty, Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Tyler Duncan.

Clay Feagler, Wilson Furr.

Nick Gabrelcik, Tommy Gainey, Emilio Gonzalez, Tano Goya, Austin Greaser, Lanto Griffin.

Garrick Higgo, Harry Hillier, Kensei Hirata, Austin Hitt, Ian Holt.

Yubin Jang, Carter Jenkins.

John Keefer, S.H. Kim, Frederik Kjettrup.

Martin Laird, Christo Lamprecht, Nelson Ledesma.

Ryan McCormick, Matthew NeSmith, Seung-Yul Noh, Pontus Nyholm.

Sean O’Hair, Alvaro Ortiz.

Trent Phillips, Scott Piercy.

Chez Reavie, Doc Redman, Seth Reeves, Matthew Riedel.

Sandy Scott, Robby Shelton, Roger Sloan, Austin Smotherman, Hayden Springer, Ross Steelman, Justin Suh.

Callum Tarren, Ben Taylor, Alejandro Tosti, Shad Tuten.

Thomas Walsh, Dalton Ward, Nick Watney, Joe Weiler, Richy Werenski, Kyle Westmoreland, Tom Whitney, Tim Wilkinson, Brandon Wu.

Norman Xiong.

Carl Yuan.

Second-stage qualifiers

Savannah, Ga.

Marcelo Rozo, Zack Fischer, Cooper Musselman, Christopher Crawford, Tain Lee, Rhein Gibson, Zach James, Jake Scott, Spencer Ralston, Ryan Blaum, Charles Huntzinger, Rayhan Thomas, Ben Carr, Cameron Huss, Bryson Nimmer, Derek Bard, Grant Hirschman, Luis Garza Leon, Brandon Berry, Jake Hall (a).

Dothan, Ala.

Ashton Van Horne, Owen Stamper, John Augenstein, Marcus Plunkett, Chase Sienkiewicz, Evan Brown, John Houk, Jacob Bergeron, Blake McShea, Connor Howe, Jack Maguire, Callum McNeill, David Longmire, Billy Tom Sargent, Will Chandler, Jin Chung, Ryan Davis, David Perkins, Sam Choi, Gavin Cohen.

Hammock Beach

Luke Guthrie, Mateo Fernandez de Oliveir, Brandon Hoelzer, Andi Xu, Runchanapong Youprayong, Zecheng Dou, Dan McCarthy, Hank Lebioda, Cody Blick, Brendon Jelley, Drew Doyle, Dawson Jones, Lance Yates, Charles Reiter, Caleb VanArragon, Davis Shore, Jeremy Gandon, John Houchin.

Valdosta, Ga.

Samuel Anderson, Aman Gupta, Blaine Hale, Chris Korte, James Nicholas, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Dawson Armstrong, Bryce Lewis, Ryan Hall, Kyle Cottam, Brett White, Cole Sherwood, Steffen Smith, Derek Hitchner, Sebastian Szirmak, Luke Gifford, Travis Trace.

Valencia (Calif)

Petr Hruby, Takumi Kanaya, Raul Pereda, David Gazzolo, Corey Shaun, Riley Lewis, Nate Stember, Jonas Baumgartner, Sangmoon Bae, Thomas Longbella, Tanner Napier, Dylan Menante, Nicolo Galletti, Jeffrey Kang, SeungTaek Lee, Johnnie Greco.

These 78 golfers are vying for one of the 5 PGA Tour Champions tour cards up for grabs at Q-School

There will only be five tour cards for the 2025 season doled out.

The PGA Tour Champions is already one of the most difficult tours to keep status on. Only the top 36 finishers at the end of the year are guaranteed a spot for the next season.

At the final stage of Q-School, set for Dec. 3-6 at TPC Scottsdale’s Champions course, there will be five more golfers who earn a coveted tour card for the 2025 season. Those five will come out of a field of 78 after the first stage of the grueling qualification events.

More: These are the top 20 in PGA Tour Champions career prize money payouts

Some of the notable names teeing it up this week include Angel Cabrera, Eric Axley, Boo Weekley and Omar Uresti. There are also eight amateurs teeing it up this week.

  • Felipe Aguilar
  • Tim Ailes
  • Robert Andrews (a)
  • Sam Arnold
  • Arjun Atwal
  • Eric Axley
  • Scott Barr
  • Dominic Barson
  • Cameron Beckman
  • Kris Blanks
  • Jason Bohn
  • Craig Bowden
  • David Branshaw
  • Michael Brown (a)
  • Gordon Burns
  • Angel Cabrera
  • Jim Carter
  • Ho Sung Choi
  • Bobby Collins
  • Bob Conrad (a)
  • Matthew Cort
  • Brian Davis
  • Jeremy DeFalco (a)
  • Chris Devlin (a)
  • David Drysdale
  • Brad Elder
  • Scott Fawcett (a)
  • Stephen Gallacher
  • Rick Garboski
  • Mathew Goggin
  • Jeff Gove
  • Dennis Hendershott
  • J.J. Henry
  • Steve Holmes
  • Freddie Jacobson
  • Raphael Jacquelin
  • Andrew Johnson
  • Brendan Jones
  • Jay Jurecic
  • Brad Kennedy
  • Danny King
  • Soren Kjeldsen
  • Cliff Kresge
  • Rob Labritz
  • Jeff Martin
  • David Mathis
  • Alan McLean
  • Matt Mitchell (a)
  • Katsumasa Miyamoto
  • Alan Morin
  • John O’Leary
  • Scott Parel
  • Britt Pavelonis
  • Tracy Phillips
  • Steve Pleis
  • Dicky Pride
  • Ted Purdy
  • Tag Ridings
  • Chris Riley
  • Roger Rowland
  • Robert Russell
  • Jason Schultz
  • Scott Shingler (a)
  • Wes Short, Jr.
  • Bob Sowards
  • Andre Stolz
  • Joe Summerhays
  • Shannon Sykora
  • Mario Tiziani
  • Esteban Toledo
  • Bobby Tracy
  • Jerod Turner
  • Omar Uresti
  • Bo Van Pelt
  • Brett Waldman
  • Mark Walker
  • Boo Weekley
  • Tim Weinhart

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Laetitia Beck, Israel’s first touring pro, earns LPGA card for first time in five years

“I feel like with what’s happening now, I’m prouder and I want to be louder, too.”

Laetitia Beck’s sister wasn’t quite sure about the new hats she had made for LPGA qualifying school. With antisemitism rising across the U.S., was it really a good idea to publicly display Jewish symbols?

But Beck, 31, wasn’t backing down. In fact, she kept adding more – wearing the Israeli flag and Star of David on her hat, necklace, belt buckle, bracelet and shoes.

“I know the Israeli government sends warnings when we travel not to wear the Jewish symbols, but again,” said Beck, “I made those hats because I wanted to wear it. … That’s very important for me, to show my identity.”

Eight years ago, Beck became the first Israeli player to earn an LPGA card. On Wednesday in Mobile, Alabama, she earned back full LPGA status for the first time in five years, carding a final-round 5-under 67 to finish in a tie for 10th at Q-Series, earning the highest category of status available.

Her family’s past has always played a big role in driving Beck to make history for her community and for her country. Her maternal grandparents endured the unimaginable at Auschwitz, while her paternal grandparents moved around in hiding during World War II. Beck and her mother talk almost daily about the Holocaust.

2023 LPGA Q-School
Laetitia Beck of Israel plays her shot from the third tee during the sixth round of LPGA Q-School at Magnolia Grove Golf Course on December 06, 2023 in Mobile, Alabama. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

It’s been two months now since southern Israel was attacked by Hamas militants, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking more than 240 people hostage.

“I didn’t try to put too much pressure,” she said of getting the Israeli flag back on the LPGA, “but I knew that it was pretty big for me, knowing what was going on.”

Since the war began, Beck’s family Whatsapp conversation includes updates from Tel Aviv on who’s in what bomb shelter at any given moment. Missle sirens have become an everyday occurrence for her parents and siblings.

Even so, Beck said that when she checks in on loved ones, they’re often out having coffee with friends or headed to the beach.

“It just shows you that my family – we are obviously devastated with what happened on the seventh,” said Beck, “but day to day we are trying to still live our lives.”

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After picking up presents for her nieces and nephews, Beck will head back home to Israel for two weeks. She wanted to be there months ago, but after finishing 20th on the Epson Tour money list (top 10 earn LPGA cards) she still had work left to do.

“Sometimes I feel guilty to be where I am,” said Beck of living in the U.S., “but I try my best to make everyone there proud.”

Beck’s family moved from Belgium to Israel in 1998 to get away from rising antisemitism. She grew up within walking distance of Israel’s only 18-hole golf course, Caesarea Golf Club. A five-time Israeli Open champion, Beck played collegiate golf at Duke and helped the Blue Devils win the 2014 NCAA Championship. That summer, she became the first Israeli woman to turn professional, debuting at the Ricoh Women’s British Open at Royal Birkdale.

Morgan Pressel played a round of golf with Beck at Caesarea Golf Club back in 2011 while on a tour of Israel with her grandmother, Evelyn, and younger sister, Madison.

“(Laetitia) is definitely a figure in golf within the Jewish community,” said Pressel, a major champion turned analyst for Golf Channel and NBC. “And it’s a small-knit group. She has so many people cheering for her that I’m sure she will never even meet.”

The difficulty of getting back to the LPGA after losing status for several years isn’t talked about enough, said Pressel, calling it one of the game’s toughest feats, both mentally and financially.

“The Epson Tour is a wonderful launching pad to the LPGA,” said Pressel, “but it’s not a tour where you can really make enough money to earn a living.”

Now that Beck is back on the LPGA, there’s no doubt, Pressel noted, that the 2016 Olympian will have Paris on her mind.

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At the beginning of the year, Beck wondered if this might be her last season. After the Oct. 7 attacks, she connected with performance coach Julie Elion, who works with Ryder Cup players Justin Thomas, Max Homa and Wyndham Clark. Beck only had two sessions with Elion before Q-Series but felt that having a new voice in her head helped her comfort levels in Mobile.

These days, people often ask Beck how they can help, and she points to organizations that are aiding the Israeli communities that have lost so much as well as the thousands of IDF soldiers who struggle with PTSD.

What’s been the most shocking for Beck, a player who was a college student in the U.S. a decade ago, is the rise of antisemitism in America, particularly among the most educated. The Anti-Defamation League reported that in the two weeks after Oct. 7, antisemitic incidents in the U.S. rose by nearly 400 percent.

“The conflict is very complicated, but the hate toward the Jewish people, there’s no reason really for that,” said Beck. “That’s the scary part.

“I always wear a Star of David necklace, but that’s the reason why I also decided for the past month to wear a big Star of David on my hat. I feel like with what’s happening now, I’m prouder and I want to be louder, too.”

So now what? Here’s all the pro golf that’s left on the 2023 calendar

The big-ticket golf events have come and gone but there is still plenty of pro golf to watch in 2023.

The 2023 calendar is winding down with just about five weeks left before 2024 arrives.

The big-ticket professional golf tour events have all come and gone, but there is still plenty of pro golf for fans to watch before the new year is here.

There is nothing going on this week as we all prepare for the long Thanksgiving weekend but on the horizon are a couple of what many call “silly season” events: a new team competition, a mixed-team event featuring PGA Tour and LPGA stars and the popular family tournament.

But it’s not all fun and games, as there are two Q schools and a promotion event where the stakes are high for those clinging to their professional golf aspirations.

MLB Hall of Famer John Smoltz earns spot in Final Stage of PGA Tour Champions Q-School

Smoltz hadn’t finished better than T-54 in three prior appearances at the first stage of PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

From the mound to the golf course, John Smoltz is proving to be a heckuva athlete.

The Major League Baseball Hall of Famer earned a spot into final stage qualifying through PGA Tour Champions Q-School after finishing T-14 at this week’s first stage at Buckhorn Springs in Valrico, Florida. Smoltz posted scores of 71-73-74-71, finishing at 1-over 289 for the week, to earn one of 18 spots into final stage qualifying.

Smoltz hadn’t finished better than T-54 in three prior appearances at the first stage of PGA Tour Champions Q-School.

Smoltz, 55, will be in the field of 80 next month at TPC Scottsdale’s Champions Course, where final stage will be contested Dec. 5-8. Only five cards are up for grabs.

Slowly, Smoltz has been making a name for himself on the golf course after his illustrious baseball career. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, won a Cy Young Award and earned eight National League All-Star team selections.

Smoltz hasn’t competed on PGA Tour Champions since 2021, but he has competed in nine events overall. He also competed in the 2018 U.S. Senior Open.

See which amateurs just turned pro for chance to earn LPGA card, and which ones are staying in school

The deadline for players to sign up for Q-Series as a professional was Nov. 17.

NAPLES, Fla. — Savannah Grewal picked a fine time to be playing the best golf of her life. The Clemson fifth-year senior took a share of first at Stage 1 of LPGA Qualifying school and then promptly won her first college tournament at the Cougar Classic. Over the past year, she’s dropped four strokes off her scoring average.

After sailing through the second stage of Q-School last month, Grewal has decided to turn professional to compete in the upcoming LPGA Q-Series.

“It feels kind of surreal so far,” she said what lies ahead, “something I’ve been dreaming about since I was 8 years old.”

The second stage of LPGA Q-School wrapped up in Venice, Florida, Oct. 20 and of the 188 who started the week, 41 advanced. Among those 41 were nine amateurs, including Grewal (T-6) and LSU’s Ingrid Lindblad, who topped the field by four strokes with an 18-under total.

Lindblad, a fifth-year senior who is currently No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, shot 67-66-70-67 at Plantation Golf and Country Club’s Bobcat and Panther courses.

The deadline for players to sign up for Q-Series as a professional was Nov. 17. Lindblad was one of five amateurs who decided to forgo Q-Series and keep their Epson Tour status.

Clemson coach Kelley Hester offered Grewal an opportunity to come back for a fifth year knowing that she’d sign up for Q-School. Hester viewed whatever happened as a win-win situation.

“It was ultimately her decision,” said Hester, “but we knew that if she maLast year, the LPGA changed its Q-Series criteria, requiring players to turn professional before they can compete for an LPGA card.de it to the third stage, there’s no guarantees you get back there. So go for it.”

This year’s LPGA Q-Series takes place Nov. 30 to Dec. 5 in Mobile, Alabama, at the Magnolia Grove Golf Course.

Grewal credits her success so far at Qualifying school to her steady approach – not to high and not too low.

She has tidied up her wedge play over the past year and improved her speed control on the greens, cutting down on the number of three-putts. The pre-med major also saw a dramatic dip in her course load as she began pursuing a second degree in French.

For as long as she can remember, Grewal has enjoyed warming up with a 9-iron. In fact, she hits so many 9-irons in a practice session that she had to get a second 9-iron just to use on the range.

It’s no wonder that ball-striking is the best part of her game.

From a personal growth standpoint, Hester said Grewal reminds her of Stacy Lewis in terms of how she has blossomed during her time at Arkansas.

“The only other player I know who developed that much and become that confident in themselves over time is Stacy,” said Hester.

High praise for a player as she prepares to play for chance to compete against the best in the world.

Take a look at which players decided to turn pro, and after those, see which players are joining Lindblad by going back to school:

Texas Tech’s Ludvig Aberg finishes first in 2023 PGA Tour University standings, earning a PGA Tour card through the 2024 season

Ludvig Aberg made PGA Tour history on Monday evening. 

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Ludvig Aberg made PGA Tour history on Monday evening.

He became the first player in the Tour’s history to earn his PGA Tour membership via PGA Tour University. And it became official as soon as stroke play ended Monday at the 2023 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.

The third PGA Tour University rankings were finalized Monday, and the top 20 golfers secured status on varying professional tours. But it was Aberg taking home the top prize, a new perk to PGA Tour U this year.

Players who finished Nos. 2-5 in the final PGA Tour U rankings earned fully exempt Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2023, as well as an exemption to final stage of 2023 PGA Tour Q-School.

Golfweek/Sagarin rankings: Men’s team | Men’s individual
NCAA Leaderboard: Team | Individual | Photos

Players who finished Nos. 6-10 earned conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership for 2023, fully exempt membership on PGA Tour Canada for 2023, as well as an exemption to second stage of 2023 PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

Then, Nos. 11-20 earned fully exempt membership on PGA Tour Canada for 2023, as well as an exemption to second stage of 2023 PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, and conditional status through the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season.

The program is designed to streamline the process for college players to advance to the professional level while also rewarding those who honor their college commitments. Players must play on the NCAA Division I level and complete a minimum of four years in college to be eligible for PGA Tour U.

Living out of his car in a Walmart parking lot and rapping on Spotify, this player just Monday qualified for this week’s Korn Ferry Tour event

Sweeney is doing whatever he can to pursue his dream.

(Editor’s note: This story originally ran on Aug. 2, 2022, but was updated after Sweeney qualified for a Korn Ferry Tour event on April 24.)

Playing great golf is only half the battle when trying to make it to the PGA Tour. Every tournament comes with a steep entry fee, airfare, rental cars, food, hotels, equipment and more.

If you don’t have a steady sponsor or some type of financial aid, it is very difficult to pay your way to the Tour on your own.

Michael Sweeney, an aspiring PGA Tour player, has been fighting to live out his dream. Sweeney doesn’t have a traditional background in collegiate golf, but hasn’t let that stop him from grinding to the top.

To save up for tournaments and travel expenses, Sweeney decided to not rent an apartment but live out of his car.

“I was originally parking in a little rest stop off of 95 and then I got the boot from one of the security guards,” said Sweeney. “So, I ended up sleeping in the Walmart parking lot most nights … which you know is a classy spot to be.”

Photo of Michael Sweeney
Photo of Michael Sweeney. (Michael Sweeney)

Sweeney attempted to qualify for the 2022 U.S. Open and lost his spot in a playoff in Purchase, New York.

“I ended up shooting back-to-back rounds of 69 in the 36 holes and that got me into an eight-way playoff for three spots,” said Sweeney. “Unfortunately, I went par-par in the playoff, but it was an awesome day.”

He finally broke through this week, and will get a start in the Korn Ferry Tour’s Huntsville Open. We go to well-respected scribe Monday Q to pick up the story.

This week Sweeney again spent most of his savings to pay the $500 entry fee for Korn Ferry Monday at the Huntsville Open. He drove up from Florida with another pro. This was Sweeney’s 12th Monday qualifier between the PGA and KFT tours, but he had never made it through. He came to the par-4 18th hole at Huntsville Country Club at 5 under par and thought he needed at least a birdie. Most players lay up on the 366-yard dogleg-right, but Sweeney figured he needed to be aggressive, so he hit a big slice around the corner. His ball ended up in the front bunker about 35 yards short of the green. Thinking he had to get up and down, Sweeney did one better, holing the shot for an eagle. Come to find out, he needed to make that deuce.

The 65 earned him a spot in the playoff, and he advanced with a par on the second hole. On Thursday, Sweeney will tee it up in his first event on any of the tours under the PGA Tour umbrella.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that money for the rest of the week is tight. Sweeney has almost reached the $800 limit on his credit card, so he can’t book a rental car. As of Monday night he still wasn’t sure how he was going to get around for the week. His dad paid for his hotel room, which has the kind of amenities you’d expect for a place with a weekly rate of $500. The Google reviews are littered with complaints of bed bugs, customers being charged for nights they didn’t stay there and drug dealers and sex workers frequenting the parking lot.

In addition to his love for golf, Sweeney raps in his free time. He doesn’t advertise it, but his beats and rap lines are almost as impressive as his golf game. You can find him on Spotify here.

Listen to a full interview with Sweeney and Averee here.

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Here are 15 of the most successful LPGA players to graduate from the Epson Tour since 1999, including two Hall of Famers

The Epson Tour is set to begin its 2023 season this week.

As the Epson Tour sets to begin its 2023 season this week in Winter Haven, Florida, it’s a good time to look back on some the great champions who have earned their LPGA cards through the official qualifying tour.

Just last Sunday, Epson Tour alumna Lilia Vu broke through with her first victory at the Honda LPGA Thailand. The former UCLA standout won three times in 2021 to earn her LPGA card.

A total of 172 players have graduated from the Epson Tour since 1999. From 1999 to 2002, a total of three cards were handed out each season. That jumped to five in 2003 and beginning in 2008, that number increased to 10, which is where it currently stands.

Here are 15 players who graduated from the Epson Tour and found success on some of the biggest stages in golf:

PGA Tour Q-School to be hosted in 2023 at TPC Sawgrass and neighboring Sawgrass CC

Golfweek has learned the site of the tournament PGA Tour pros will be doing everything in their power to avoid.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – Much of the PGA Tour’s schedule for next season, including the fall portion of the schedule, are still in flux, but Golfweek has learned the site of the tournament PGA Tour pros will be doing everything in their power to avoid.

The Tour’s Q-School, which will offer five cards to the big leagues for the first time in more than a decade, will be held in mid-December and be hosted at Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass and nearby Sawgrass Country Club.

The latter was the home of the Players Championship from 1977-1981 until TPC Sawgrass, sister course to Dye’s Valley, became the long-term home of the Tour’s signature event in 1982. Sawgrass Country Club is a 27-hole layout designed by Ed Seay and regularly hosts a collegiate event, The Hayt, and also will be familiar to former contestants of the AJGA’s Junior Players, which hosted the popular junior invitational while TPC Sawgrass conducted a renovation in 2016.

Last year, Korn Ferry Tour Q-School was held at The Landings in Savannah, Georgia. For several years, the venue alternated between PGA West in Palm Desert, California, and Orange County National in Winter Garden, Florida. The latter recently was announced as the site of a LIV Golf event ahead of the Masters.

The PGA Tour hasn’t made an official announcement, but Golfweek obtained a letter from Sawgrass club president Dan Cavey, dated Jan. 30, to the membership that detailed how it will serve as one of the two courses to be used.

It noted that, “The PGA Tour approached the Club to be a partner in hosting the PGA Tour Qualifying School or ‘Q School.’”

TPC Sawgrass Dye's Valley
The 18th hole at TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley during the final round of the 2015 Web.com Tour Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Photo by Chris Condon/PGA Tour

It continued: “The PGA (Tour) is elevating Q-School to be a featured televised event and is very interested in holding it in Ponte Vedra Beach near their headquarters. They want to structure it as a split field with 85 players daily at our course and 85 at the Valley Course.”

In recent years, the top 40 and ties at Q-School earned full status for the first eight events on the Korn Ferry Tour, the development circuit for the PGA Tour. But beginning this year, the top five finishers and ties will earn PGA Tour status for the following season, creating a pathway for collegiate stars to go straight to the big leagues and bypass spending a year on the Korn Ferry Tour. This marks the first time since 2012 that Q-School will provide a direct path to the PGA Tour.

“I think it’s a good opportunity for guys. I think it’s something that you deserve. I mean, it’s pretty grueling to go through Q-School, especially if you start at first stage like I did,” said reigning Masters champ and PGA Tour Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler earlier this month. “It’s a long few months.”

“I think more opportunities for guys to get out here is better,” he said. “Because you want to reward good golf wherever it is. If it’s at Q-School or on the Korn Ferry or PGA Tour Canada, Latin America, wherever it is, you want to reward good golf.”

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