PGA Tour: Q-Schools etc: Notes from the Ballwasher

1).Webb Simpson laid down the PGA Tour Money List challenge by declaring for The McGladrey, and Luke Donald answered it by joining Simpson at Disney. The best man won, and it's tempting to say we saw a Lukey that had been kept hidden except in the Ryder Cup and MatchPlay events. His driving throughout the back nine was superb, a stark contrast to what we've become accustomed to as tournaments near their conclusion with Luke in contention. Now, Luke, validate that fine performance by winning some top tournaments in 2012.

2).As for all the Player Of The Year nonsense, Luke Donald calls the belated decision to change the finish line as "sketchy". Not the first sketchy decision by the PGA Tour, and you know it won't be the last. But for those who say it's a mountain out of a molehill, there is probably a lot of sponsor money riding on the vote, and certainly it is a big deal in the way the golf world regards a golfer's legacy.

3).In normal circumstances, Tim Finchem would probably have been thrilled to see the turn out in Asia this week. Until his flunkies provided the bad news: They're playing in the Shanghai Masters (derided by Asia Tour chairman as a "vanity event"), and not his CIMB Asia Pacific Classic, co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour. For every McIlroy, Schwartzel, Furyk or Westwood, Finchem has Ben Crane, Allenby and Appleby and his new best friend Sabbatini. Brandt Snedeker is the only top 30 player in Malaysia, and just Dufner, Van Pelt and defending champion Crane also from the owgr Top Fifty. Brian Davis will be the only entrant from GB&I.

4).Drive for Show:
Final PGA Tour stats (subject to any amendment from Tour HQ to include HSBC Champions) have been published. Some highlights:
~Driving accuracy: Joe Durant
~Driving distance: JB Holmes
~Total driving: John Merrick
~Greens in regulation: Boo Weekley
~Ball striking: Boo Weekley
Final money positions:
Durant: 160th
Holmes: 62nd and brain surgery
Merrick: 119th
Weekley: 180th

5).Putt for Dough:
~Strokes gained putting: Donald
~Putts per round: Kevin Na
~3-Putt avoidance: Donald
Final money positions:
Donald: 1st
Na: 30th

6).The golfer with the biggest cheque last week was Bill Lunde, the third annual winner of the Kodak Million Dollar (winner take all) Challenge for performance against par on a designated hole on most full-field events throughout the year. He follows Kevin Streelman and Troy Merritt as Kodak millionaires, and with the business pages awash with speculation about Kodak's future, Lunde could well be the last.

7).Stage 1 of Q-School features hundreds of golfers who will achieve little or no fame beyond their own clubs, but Stage 1 non-qualifiers last week included Tadd Fujikawa, Bill Haas's brother and sometime caddie Jay, Walker Cup discard John Peterson ("the top 20 or 30 guys in college can beat the top 20 or 30 guys on the PGA Tour" heralded the end of his Walker Cup aspirations), and Swedes Karlberg and Gustafsson. There will be more qualies this week and next.

8).Champions Tour Q-School: There are three Stage 1 tournaments to qualify for "Final Qualifying" in mid-November. Barry Lane, Miguel Angel Martin, Mike Harwood, Mark Mouland and Philip Walton are all off to good starts, and all Q-School will be monitored on this thread.

9).The top thirty Champions Tour golfers contest their season-ending Charles Schwab Cup Championship next week, but thought I'd pass on a fun line from John Huston (quickest player since Lanny Wadkins?), now enjoying success with the old pharts. pgatour.com runs an occasional series on "My Favourite Things" which usually includes George Bush, college football, George Bush, college basketball and George Bush etc. Huston was asked if he collected anything: "Twenty, fifty and hundred dollar bills which I then give to my wife who spends them on things we don't need and have no room for."! Ladies, gentlemen, I'm sure we can all relate!!

10).And the top 60 Nationwide golfers play this week in their season-closing Tour Championship in the (gorgeous) Charleston, South Carolina, area. When their tournament is complete, the Top 25 (including Jonas Blixt, Gary Christian and Russell Knox) of the money-list will have earned "graduation" to the 2012 PGA Tour. Daniel Chopra (24th) and Greg Owen (53rd) need strong results to join the graduates.

kwini

What sort of status will a nationwide grad get on the PGA tour?

I am still finding it hard to see the change of the POTY cut off as a major issue. I think you are probably right to say it may not have changed had simpson rapped up the money list but i would hope the voters can see sense. If not the reward is meaningless anyway and the golfing public will know it.

Mac,
The Nationwide leading moneywinner receives full status and entry into every full-field event, including The Players, run by the PGA Tour until the play-offs.
Beyond that the Nationwide grads and Q-School grads have status in order of the N'wide money position or Q-School placing, alternating N'wide/Q-School as I understand it.
You may find some Nationwide grad's lower than about fifteenth on their moneylist also taking their place in Q-School in a bid to improve their "status".

Low scoring in Malaysia,
Allenby -8
Vegas -7
Jacobson -6

Davis at even par, T33 of a 48-strong (or weak) field.

Barry Lane now with a 3-shot lead in his Champions Tour Q-School qualie, but Philip Walton struggled in with a 76 and is way down the field.
Perspective is tricky as the Champions Tour has yet to determine how many golfers will move forward to the 75-strong field at Final Qualifying. But you'd think about top 16 or 18 will advance from each site.
Others in good position include:
Miguel Angel Martin
Mike Harwood
Forsbrand

While those who need to find improvement include:
Walton
Mouland
Fulton Allem
TC Chen

All PGA Tour Stage 1 qualies are now underway. Will review again later.

Robert Dinwiddie was originally entered into Q-School Stage 1 but I can't find any score for him. I'm assuming he's skipping it? Anyone know any different??

Spain's Lara and Garcia-Heredia are in decent position after one and two rounds respectively.

Canadians Matt Hill and Nick Taylor were the amateur hotshots in the US a couple of years ago, both off to ho hum First Stage starts as is American Walker Cup hero at RCD: Jonathan Moore.

Kwini, I think Dinwiddie was one of a couple of Euro guys who didn't bother making the flight last week; might've got a better offer from the Euro event?

Rominger and Hafthorsson making good runs at being the first Swiss and Icelandic tour members respectively. Rubbish from Alan McLean though.

Makes sense to me, Ned.
Yup, Rominger is a funny one, almost feel as if he has more luck at Q-School here than in Europe! Missed Hafthorsson, and McLean, Ford, Whiffin, Staunton are among some alleged GB&I players about whom I know little or nothing!
Amateur Champ of a few years ago Drew Weaver with a good start.

Good Round 3's at Champions Tour Q-School Stage 1 today for Barry Lane, M-A Martin and Mike Harwood, and a decent final round by each should secure their respective place in the Final Stage field. Not so good for Philip Walton and I'm guessing he's about six or seven shots off the necessary pace.

Good Round 2 for Mark Mouland and Forsbrand and they're now T11 in their qualie - that might be the cut.

Some familiar names now struggling to advance include TC Chen, Fultie Allem and Danny Edwards.

Dissapointed for Walton after taht good start...

Not sure where it came from considering his earlier form, but an excellent round 62 from Overtone in Malaysia, and also absolutely nothing wrong with Freddy, Bo and VJ's rounds either...

Bloody Hell,
Anyone see what Daniel Chopra's been up to? Birdied seven of his first eight holes, seven under par after nine holes and defending a one-shot Nationwide lead. Remarkable.
He's always been a birdie machine, but also been prone forever to whack at tee-shot or five into the cabbage every round. Which is another way of saying: "Watch out for his back nine!"

62 for Chopra.
If it wasn't that he's about as dependable as the weather forecast I'd think he'd sewn up his Tour card for 2012.
Greg Owen making progress but he needs to catch fire, probably a top two finish. He's capable of it physically, but mentally I'm not so sure.

The "physical" capability of Greg Owen shone through today, now in 3rd place. Challenge for the weekend will be the "mental" part.

Champions Tour Q-School Stage 1;
Barry Lane has won his qualie in style, by five shots from M-A Martin.
Mike Harwood and Mikael Hogberg (about whom I know nothing) also made it, but Philip Walton missed out by five shots despite a solid, level par round today.

A lot of 606v2 support for Walton but if his golf is at that level, he's better off taking his act to compete in the European Seniors Tour where he can gain some confidence, and some money.

Champions Tour not for the marginal (everything's relative I know) golfer as Chapman and Mouland discovered this year.

PGA Tour Q-School results later, but Rominger and Garcia-Heredia made it through their qualie; more results still to be published.

PGA first stage results as far as I can tell: Bad news for England and Scotland with McLean, Kieran Staunton and Sean Whiffin all missing out; but Rominger, G-H, Hafthorsson and Fergal Rafferty making it through for Switzerland, Spain, Iceland and Ireland respectively. Still waiting to see if Svanberg makes it two from two for Switzerland - on the cutline with a round to go - and then a few more Europeans playing their final rounds tomorrow.

Appears Overton is showing once again when in contention how poor his short game really is and slowly plays his way out of the lead.

Freddi Jac, hanging in there, hard to get excited over an event that is so meaningless.

Meanwhile over in Shanghai..... Actually who cares its not a sanctioned event. So is Greg Owen back in the hunt! Guess it depends which Greg Shows up now doesn't it

Hi Mav,
Yup, Bo Van Pelt leading the way; almost have to think he and Overton have this event between them if they can just rattle round in, say a 69 tomorrow. But most of those immediately behind them could use a high finish so hopefully it'll be competitive.
Must admit, I find Overton an enjoyable guy to follow, feel he's one of the less "entitled" of the young Americans.

Unproductive trip for Brian Davis, another even par round.

But I agree, a "money for old rope" tournament, one that Finchem definitely got wrong.

Wishing the best for Chopra and Owen this weekend, but not necessarily expecting it.

Hope Chopra will carry on and win it (only 20 putts yesterday!!). Danny Lee is again in contention and he can now even hope for a top 150 in the ranks if he wins this week. Just goes to show, at least based on his talent his place is really on the main tour, but consistency has been his problem... What happened to Knox, did he lose the interest or his form? No top 10 since early July...

Self-destruction for Greg Owen, just racked up a snowman on a par 5, including two penalty shots.
Unfortunately, his golf game these days just can't stand prosperity; gone from a tournament contending position to 15th place, about seven shots adrift of where he needs to be.

Agree about Knox, pd, imagine he could just be worn down; it's his first year of relentless 4-day competition and it's got to grind you down first time round, on the road for a month at a time, etc. All his key stats are good so would suggest he's probably overplayed a little.

Triple bogey from Owen followed by triple bogey from Chopra.
Ever wonder why their Tour careers are so precarious?

Blowing a gale in Charleston for the Nationwide Tour Champo. Chopra should be OK, Owen with it all to do on Sunday.

Jose Manuel Lara missed qualifying for Stage 2 one stroke at Q-School.

Mark Mouland is moving on to Final Stage of Champions Tour Q-School, but Forsbrand slipped back to "2nd Alternate".

Can't work out why the California Q-school results have been arriving earlier than the Florida ones all week...

What do you think Chopra requires Kwini? Without doing any sums I'd guess top 15?

Ned any idea when the fantasy results will be up, I know it takes time to put it all together and it is much appreciated, if you ever need a hand give me a shout.

How is Q School looking at the moment, not been following much of it this time around since the new arrival

Hi Mav,

Well I want to do the WGC, so that thread needs to be up by Monday night, and I'd want the results done before then, so that gives you a rough idea... apologies for this week's delay, been a bit of a hectic week, though nothing on your last few I imagine!

I've only been keeping tabs on the European presence at the Q-school, by my reckoning about 10 or 11 Euros have made it through from 40 or so entrants. No one very notable though, I think Garcia-Heredia and Hafthorsson are the only ones who have ever made it to the Euro tour proper, out of those who got through. The bigger(ish) names all crashed out, Karlberg, Gustafsson, Lara, Ross Bain, Keith Nolan etc. Not been keeping an eye on the non-Euro notables, but Kwini should be able to fill you in. I know Arnie's grandson made it through easily yesterday though.

Cheers Ned. Indeed an interesting week or so, lets hope the dust has now settled and we can look forward to brighter times.

Arnies grandson made it through, always found him to be a little overrated but I guess it doesn't help having to live up to the inevitable of that the old swashbuckling grandad has around him

Hi Mav, Ned,
I'll do a round up of non-European "faces" (more correctly sons or gandsons of faces) when all the results are in. Arnold Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders has finally advanced, though, as has Lanny Wadkins' lad Travis, while Russ Cochran's boy hasn't made it.

Ned,
I'm guessing there could be bad weather in Florida, but really don't know. Martin Lafaeber was another of those who entered, like Dinwiddie, but didn't make the trip. Currently about 40th in Valderrama so made a wise change of plans.
As for Chopra, I'm not quite sure. I'll have a look at the projections later but would think top 15 would be about right, perhaps top twenty.
Biggest loser looks like being Aussie James Nitties; missed his Final Round tee-time last week when almost assured of a $40K cheque at least, now looks like slipping from about #23 out of the top 25. Perhaps to be replaced by Ken Duke who graced the Tour Championship only about four years ago.

Right, Time for some perspective on the race for PGA Tour cards for 2012;
Nationwide Championship:
Daniel Chopra really has to make a Horlicks of his final eight holes to lose his good position.
Greg Owen's chances look completely stuffed, but Sweden's David Lingmerth is making a great last round run. Up to 2nd place in today's Round 4 and that solo second would be enough to propel him to the card-winning Top 25. Eight holes to play.

And I promised to add some names to Ned's excellent update on the Q-School fate of Europeans, (to which I can ad the disappointing news that Matthew Richardson came up one stroke short).

Among those names advancing to Stage 2:
Sam Saunders (Arnie g'son)
Jonathan Moore: Walker Cupper
Ty Tryon: Nike millionaire
Travis Wadkins; son of Lanny
Federico Cabrera: son of El Pato
Edward Loar: One-time European Tour player
Morgan Hoffman, Scott Langley; Walker Cup near misses
Drew Weaver; Amateur champ

Those pondering Plan B:
Top Canadian amateurs of a couple of years ago, Matt Hill, Nick Taylor
Brain surgery survivor; Todd Demsey
Hawaian hotshot: Fujikawa
Silly name; Nicklaus Newcomb
Thinks he's better than he really is and that's why he wasn't in the US Walker Cup Team: John Peterson
Sons of: Olin Brown, Rick Cochran, Kevin Tway, Gunner Wiebe (does his girlfriend call him Rear-Gunner Wiebe?),
Andrew Giuliani (GOOD, Hope we never see his name in golfing circles again).
Nephew of: Josh McCumber,

Ugly finishes for Lingmerth and Chopra then, wind up sharing third between them; more than good enough for Chopra but don't think it will be for Lingmerth - decent first pro season for him though, done well to get so close to a tour card after needing a good finish last week just to keep his Nationwide status!

Russell Knox the lowest of the Europeans at T24, not bad for the 6 of them in a field of 60, and I think 4 "graduates" from Europe will be a record. Good luck to Lingmerth, Owen, RS Johnson and anyone else who joins them at Q-school.

Incomprehensible shot into the water for Lingmerth, where?, 16th? Shame, but no complaints seeing Billy Hurley making it.
He's a good story, went to the Naval Academy (equivalent of Dartmouth), served his stint, then returned to golf to try and live his dream. Hope he does well, sounds a really good guy.

Sure Groanberg will be at Stage 2, not sure who else to expect. Wales's Richard Johnson seems to have vanished as quickly as he appeared. Really sorry to see Matthew Richardson missing out.

Tee times issued for the HSBC; only 16 Americans have bothered to make the trip and two of them are Jim Herman and Bobby Gates.

Very disappointing turn out, but some attractive groupings:

McIlroy, Schwartzel, Watney
Westwood, Bradley, Scott
Kaymer, Molinari, Mahan
McDowell, Jeev Milkha, Lewis
Rose, Bjorn, Toms
Haas, Clarke, KJ Choi

and several more.

Why is Mickelson giving it a miss this year? Is he injured???

No idea, he's certainly down to play in Singapore next week.

The guys who don't care to play three in a row are under pressure to play in Australia (or Singapore in Phil's case) next week, then the Pres Cup, but that doesn't explain all the absentees and begs the question as to whether they might play if this was in Houston, say, instead of China.

Stricker is injured and there's speculation as to whether he'll be fit for Royal Melbourne; if he doesn't play the Aussie Open, my guess is that Keegan Bradley will get the nod.