The Korn Ferry Tour – the pre-qualifier for golfers wanting to one day play on the PGA Tour – is currently hosting Q-Schools all over the country.
Thousands of golfers paid more than $4,000 each to see if they could make the grade. Most were disappoint- ed. At press time, the fields had been narrowed down and the final qualifiers will convene in Savannah, Ga., at The Landings Club – Marsh during the week of Nov. 4.
It all started in August when seven pre-qualifying events were set to begin. Three were held the week of Aug. 25-27, in Georgia, Texas and Mississippi. The follow- ing week, Sept. 1-3, Pre-Qualifiers were held in North Carolina, California, Nebraska and Alabama. At the conclusion of the Pre-Q’s, those who made the grade moved up to First Stage Q-School at 13 different sites across the country.
From those 13 sites the field was narrowed down to the top finish- ers, typically 35 golfers from each site, approximately 455 total. Play began Sept. 14 and concluded Oct. 1 and 13 72 holes tournaments were held.
The field was divided up equally for the remaining five Second Stage Q-School events that were held in New Mexico, Florida (2), California and Alabama. Approximately 360 golfers, 72 at each site teed it up and only 109 qualified for the Final Stage that begins November 4-7.
There were 10 Black golfers attempting to make it to the next level. All have taken advantage of opportunities to play in APGA events across the country. Some have played in PGA Tour, Korn Ferry, Mackenzie and Latino- american Tour events.
For the record, Mulbe Dil- lard IV, pre-qualified in Brunswick, Ga., but failed to make the grade in Maricopa at Ak Chin after rounds of 70-67-72-87-296 dropped him to T56. Marcus Byrd pre-qualified but missed the First Stage by two shots.
He posted rounds of 71-69-70-68-278 (-6), 276 was needed. Kevin Hall decided to withdraw and not play at all in Semmes, Ala. Rovonta Young pre-qualified but ran into trouble in First Stage. He posted rounds of 75-70-71-71-287 (-1) T49. Ryan Alford pre-quali- fied before being knocked out in First Stage.
He posted rounds of 71-70-71-73-285 (-3) T26. Ka- maiu Johnson pre-qualified but also missed moving up from First Stage. He posted rounds of 73-80- 71-73-=297 (+9). Willie Mack III was in the hunt and was the most promising golfer.
He was exempt through pre-qualifier, made it through the First Stage after rounds of 71-69-66-67-273 (-11) put him in the house at T8. He moved to Second Stage in Florida and posted rounds of 68-75-68- 70-281 (-7), he missed by two shots. Sebastian Crampton made it through First Stage and moved to Second Stage in New Mexico. He posted 74-71-75-66-286 (+2) T43 and missed by a gazillion. Wyatt Worthington II, the club pro from Ohio, made it through the pre-qualifier and First Stage but just couldn’t pull it together in New Mexico. He posted rounds of 75-83-70-77-305 (+21).
The big surprise was Nyasha Mauchaza who pre-qualified, finished T13 in First Stage after rounds of 70-69-66-70-275 and posted 71-70-71-70-282 (-2) in New Mexico during Second Stage. Now it’s on to Final Stage.
All Final Stage qualifiers will have some playing privileges on the Korn Ferry in 2022.
Until Next Time… Keep On Strokin’