PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament Updates  

Updates from the first week of the PGA Tour's Qualifying Tournament as 52 EGOLF Tarheel Tour players managed to successfully navigate their way into the second stage.

FLORENCE, SC

EGOLF Tarheel Tour players John Elliott, Bryant Odom and Stephen Poole shared medalist honors at Florence Country Club as the threesome finished at 14-under 266, a full four shots ahead of fellow tour player Fernando Mechereffe, who finished in solo fourth at 10-under 270. In total, the EGOLF Tarheel Tour had 21 of its current and past players claim a spot among the top 24, who all advanced to the second stage of the PGA Tour's annual Qualifying Tournament. In fact, the entire top 10 was represented by EGOLF Tarheel Tour players, with none other than 2008 leading money winner David Robinson finding his usual spot near the top of the leaderboard with a T6 finish. Hometown boy Gregg Jones, who grew up at Florence Country Club, did not have to rely on any member bounces as his T18 finish was good enough to put him through to the next round. The comeback of the day came from EGOLF Tarheel Tour player Chris McCartin of Arlington, VA, who birdied two of his first three holes en route to a final-round 66 that put him in a tie for 22nd, just barely inside the number.

Florence Country Club
Florence, SC

T1 John Elliott
T1 Bryant Odom
T1 Stephen Poole
4 Fernando Mechereffe
5 Chris Baker
T6 Scott Brown
T6 Frank Adams
T6 David Robinson
9 Brennan Webb
10 Kevin Kisner
T11 Bryce Ledford
T11 David Sanchez
T14 Peter Karmis
T14 Justin Walters
T14 Michael Welch
T14 Jim Lemon
T18 Gregg Jones
T18 Chris Rogers
T18 Brian Carroll
T22 Chris McCartin
T22 Mark Harrell

ST. AUGUSTINE, FL

S&K Fall Finale Series winner Jeff Curl continued his torrid streak at St. Johns Golf & Country Club this week with rounds of 72-67-69-70—278 to finish T5 and advance to second stage. The 2008 Walnut Creek Open champion was one of 14 players to survive difficult conditions and earn another week on the road towards the dream of playing on the PGA Tour. Matt Borchert of Windermere, FL built a comfortable 54-hole lead and was able to card a final-round 72 and still claim medalist honors by a stout four shots over fellow EGOLF Tarheel Tour players Josh Teater and Russell Knox. Former PGA Tour player and current EGOLF Tarheel Tour player Dan Olsen carded the day's low round with a 5-under 67 that vaulted him from well outside the number to just inside the number and a T19 finish. Olsen, who lives in nearby Ponte Vedra Beach, birdied four of his first eight holes and finished with zero bogeys on the day as Mother Nature wreaked havoc with wind and rain on Florida's “First Coast.” David Denham of St. Simons Island, GA survived a final-round 76 to advance on the number after righting the ship with one birdie and six pars over his final six holes.

St. Johns Golf & Country Club
St. Augustine, FL

1 Matt Borchert
T2 Josh Teater
T2 Russell Knox
4 Dane Burkhart
T5 Jeff Curl
T5 Chip Deason
7 Don Carpenter
T8 Major Manning
T13 Jesse Hutchins
T15 Brad Quiri
T15 Jeffrey Corr
T19 Dan Olsen
T21 Ramon Bescansa
T21 David Denham

KEY BISCAYNE, FL

Longtime developmental-tour player Bobby Collins outlasted a field that was treated to arguably the most difficult first stage site in Key Biscayne, FL as he finished at 5-under 283 without a single round in the 60s. His four-day total was good enough to eclipse EGOLF Tarheel Tour player Joey Lamielle by four shots. Collins and Lamielle were two of an impressive four tour players to finish in the top five on the week – the others were Jhared Hack and James Vargas. Jason Dillard began his week with a 1-under 71 and played one-shot higher each day to finish in solo 11th with rounds of 71-72-73-74—290. A quartet of EGOLF Tarheel Tour players barely survived the cut, which fell at 8-over 296. Braxton Wynns, Derek Lamely, Jay McLuen and Del Ponchock each finished T23 and just inside the line that divides the hopefuls from the hopeless. Wynns managed to birdie the par-5 18th in order to live to see another week, while Lamely came up big at the par-3 17th with a birdie to give him a one-shot cushion heading to the last – where he would eventually make par to survive and advance.

Crandon Park Golf Course
Key Biscayne, FL

1 Bobby Collins
T2 Joey Lamielle
T5 Jhared Hack
T5 James Vargas
11 Jason Dillard
T23 Braxton Wynns
T23 Derek Lamely
T23 Jay McLuen
T23 Del Ponchock

KINGWOOD, TX

While the EGOLF Tarheel Tour might not have had the overall representation in Houston that it had on the east coast, the top of the leaderboard was loaded with players as three of the top six at The Clubs of Kingwood have ties to the tour. Bermuda's Michael Sims, who quickly became a favorite of staff and players on the EGOLF Tarheel Tour in 2008, shared medalist honors atop a loaded field with Ryan Vermeer. Sims, who played his college golf at the University of Rhode Island, got off to a hot start in round four and was able to survive a late double-bogey to post a final-round 77 and finish at 11-under 277. Rounding out the top six was Daniel Fox of Euless, TX and Brian Duncan of Mount Pleasant, SC. Duncan, playing in the day's final pairing with Sims and Vermeer, double-bogeyed the par-3 fifth but quickly offset it with two birdies in his next eight holes to right the ship and coast into second stage. South African Dawie Van der Walt found himself three over through nine holes in the final round, but carded a back-nine 34 to finish T14.

The Clubs of Kingwood (Forest)
Kingwood, TX

T1 Michael Sims
T3 Daniel Fox
T6 Brian Duncan
T14 Dawie Van der Walt

BEAUMONT, CA
Long hitting Canadian Scott McNeil advanced with a final-round 72 which was easily good enough to advance to second stage as his one-over par total left him tied for seventh. Todd Vernon also finished in the coveted top-23 and earned a trip to second stage.

East Valley Golf Club (Champions)
Beaumont, CA

T7 Scott McNeil
T18 Todd Vernon

DAYTON, NV

Wil Collins, the only native South Dakotan to ever compete on the Tarheel Tour, advanced to second stage as his four-day total of 14-under par was good enough for a solo sixth place finish.

Dayton Valley Country Club
Dayton, NV

6 Wil Collins
T19 Billy Whalen

For scores from all first stage sites, please click below.

PGA TOUR - Q School
Week ending Oct 25, 2008

East Valley Golf Club - Beaumont, CA
Dayton Valley Country Club - Dayton, NV
Florence Country Club - Florence , SC
Crandon Park Golf Course - Key Biscayne, FL
The Clubs of Kingwood (Forest) - Kingwood, TX
St. Johns Golf & Country Club - St. Augustine, FL