First Stage Recap

Four of the 15 first stage Q-school sites finished Friday and a total of 87 players advanced to the second stage. The changes to Q school this year included the medalist (and ties) from each first stage site earning exempt status for the first part of the season on the new Americas Tour (the LatinAmerican and Canadian Tour combined, read my article on it here). 

Arizona

‍Course: AK-Chin Southern Dunes

Par: 72

Yards: 7,546

Slope: 138

Rating: 75.2

‍Medalists- Tanner Gore/Jonathan De Los Reyes, -17

‍Notables to get through

‍Brendon Jelly- The former Oklahoma State Cowboy finished 107th on the points list this season on KFT.

Joseph Winslow- In eight events as a conditional KFT member, Winslow made just three cuts.

Alistair Docherty- Made 12 cuts in 24 events this year on the KFT. A late season charge got him to 86th in points, earning Docherty conditional status for next year. 

Patrick Flavin- Finished 106th on KFT points list this season and looks to regain status via Q school.

Andre Metzger- The mini-tour legend has advanced through the 1st stage countless times. No surprise to see him play well. 

KK Limbhasut- The former All-American at University of California lost his KFT status in 2022 and spent this season overseas on the Asian Development Tour and others.

‍Notable Misses

‍Andy Zhang- The childhood phenom was once the youngest player to ever play in the men’s U.S. Open at 14 and has struggled since turning pro in 2018. 

Jin Jeong- Jeong won on the European Tour in 2013 at the age of 23 but struggled with injuries for numerous years. He stopped playing for a few years but made a comeback recently, playing on the Asher Tour. 

Kyle Maze- Founder of the social media accounts Cart Barn Guys, Maze struggled in the opening round and couldn’t recover. 

‍Clutch Performance

‍Jared Nelson- After a stellar season at UConn, Nelson was named Big East Player of the Year. Nelson shot a final round 65 at Southern Dunes, the best score of the day, and advanced by two. He was six strokes off the number entering the final round.

‍Heartbreak

‍Carson Schaake- The former University of Iowa star shot a final round 66, the second best round of the day, but fell one stroke short of getting through.

Full Field Scores

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Florida

‍Medalist- Mike Sweeney, -18. (Sweeney has an amazing story, ready my story on him here) 

‍Course- ChampionsGate Golf Club - International

Par: 72

Yards: 7,243

Slope: 138

Rating: 75,5

‍Notables to get through

‍Taylor Funk- Son of eight-time Tour winner Fred Funk, Taylor finished 47th on the PGA Tour Canada points list this year. 

Julian Suri- The former Duke All-American and European Tour winner has struggled of late but played very well and breezed through.

Braden Thornberry- While the former NCAA Champion lost KFT status after the 2022 season and played just one KFT event in 2023, he coasted through the first stage. 

Marcus Byrd- The former Middle Tennessee standout has won four times so far on the APGA Tour this year and leads the points list. 

Willie Mack III-  The native of Flint, Michigan has made nine of 20 cuts this year on the KFT and finished 151st in points

‍Notable Misses

‍AJ Crouch- The former Florida Gator finished 102nd on the KFT points list this season

JJ Grey- Grey played in the U.S. Open and is one of my favorite people in golf. I am really bummed to see him miss. 

Kamaiu Johnson- The APGA standout had a great opening nine in the final round to get near the qualifying number, but a closing nine of 43 derailed any hope of getting through. 

‍Clutch Performance

‍Michael Bakker- With just three holes left to play Bakker was four strokes outside the number, but it proved no problem for the South African. He finished birdie-birdie-eagle to make it through on the number. 

‍Heartbreak

‍Jay Card III- The opera singer held KFT status last season but will have to go the Monday Q route next season after a final round 77 left him three outside the number. 

Full Field Scores

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Nebraska

‍Course- Wilderness Ridge Country Club

Par: 71

Yards: 7,107

Slope: 135

Ratin: 74.9

‍Medalist- Alex Scott, -14. Scott held conditional status on KFT last season but struggled in his limited starts. He had a runner-up finish at the Windsor Championship on PGA Tour Canada this summer.

‍Notables to get through

‍Tripp Kinney- Kinney had five KFT starts in 2023 and made three cuts. The former Iowa State star made it through all three stages of Q school over the last two seasons. 

Cooper Musselman- The University of Kentucky alum gave himself a chance to keep his KFT card with a late season push, but will need to advance through the second stage of Q school to regain his status.

Jim Knous- Knous has battled injuries for a few years and looks to regain a spot on the PGA Tour where he has 43 career starts. 

Scott Stevens- Some of the greatest hair on the KFT, Stevens lost his status after finishing 132nd in points this season. 

‍Notable Misses

‍Chris Naegel- Although he will have conditional status next season on KFT after finishing 94th in points he was looking to improve his status via Q school.

Cole Hammer- The former University of Texas standout struggled this season on KFT making just four of 16 cuts and finishing 161st in points

Gunn Yang- The 2014 U.S Amateur Champion (beat Floridian Corey Conners) has battled injuries throughout his career and is working on a comeback. 

Billy Tom Sargent- Sargent held conditional status on the KFT the last two seasons but struggled this year, making just three of 16 cuts. 

‍Clutch Performance

Nate Vontz- Coming to the 18th hole–a 463 yard par 4– Vontz knew he needed a birdie to get through. Despite the windy and rainy conditions, Vontz chipped in from left of the green to earn a spot at second stage. 

‍Heartbreak

‍Clay Feagler- The former Pepperdine standout made two of 10 cuts on the KFT this season and had to come back to first stage. Safely inside the number with five holes to play, Feagler bogeyed four of the last five holes to miss by one. 

Full Field Scores

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Oklahoma

‍Course- Muskogee Golf Club

Par: 70

Yards: 6,702

Slope: 136

Rating: 73.4

‍Medalist- Luis Gerardo Garza, -10

‍Notables to get through 

‍Alex Schaake- I am sure Alex is feeling for his brother Carson (Carson missed by one in Arizona) but Alex advances easily to second stage, getting through by five.

Thomas Longbella- After a solid season on PGA Tour Canada, Longbella carried over the good play to Q school. He advanced through the first stage at DP (European) Tour Q school and will have a busy November with two second stages.

Will Grimmer- The former Ohio State alum, who played in the U.S. Open in 2014 when he was 16 years old, looks to get back to the KFT after being a conditional member in 2020. 

Eddy Lai- The former UCLA Bruin holds the 2nd most competitive rounds in Bruin history with 158. Lai Monday Qualified for the undisputed 5th Major, the Barracuda Championship, earlier this year. 

‍Notable Misses

‍Xinjun Zhang- The two-time KFT winner will have to rely on his past champions status after falling one short. 

Quinn Riley- The former Duke University standout withdrew after the second round. On Instagram he posted that he is injured and will possibly need wrist surgery. 

Philip Barbaree- After a decorated career at LSU, Barbaree has struggled as a pro. Those struggles continued at Q school where he missed advancing by 12.

Thomas Lehman- The son of Major Champion Tom Lehman, Thomas has been playing well on the Asher Tour, but fell short at Q-school. 

‍Clutch Performance

‍Denzel Ieremia- The scoring average for the final day was nearly two strokes over par and Ieremia came to the back nine four strokes off the number. He proceeded to make five birdies and no bogeys to finish off a three-under 67 and get through by two. 

‍Heartbreak

‍Wesley Hunter- Wesley is one of the nicest guys there is in golf and I was really pulling for him. He got his Q school entry fee paid for by an NHL player he met by chance on a range last month. He missed by three. 

Full Field Scores