After storms wiped out Sunday’s closing round of PGA Tour Q-school, the agonising wait for players to try and secure a PGA Tour card for the 2024 season finally ended on Monday.
The potentially life-changing cards were on offer to the top five and ties at TPC Sawgrass’s Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club, with the next 40 and ties guaranteeing Korn Ferry Tour starts in 2024.
Following three solid rounds of 65, 68 and 65, Australian Harrison Endycott held his nerve brilliantly with a final round of 65 to finish on 16-under and guarantee his PGA Tour place for next year after narrowly missing out on the top 125 for the FedEx Cup standings.
Joining him on the PGA Tour for the first time is American Trace Crowe, who could even afford a bogey on the last to finish on 11 under. Two shots back in third was compatriot Blaine Hale Jr, whose career earnings of $5,079 will increase significantly with confirmation of his first PGA Tour card shortly after playing on the All Pro Tour.
Meanwhile, as Hayden Springer headed into the final hole, he knew he just needed to hold his nerve with a par or bogey to secure his card. However, if he was to drop a shot, it would also have opened the door for 2018 RBC Heritage winner Satoshi Kodaira and Danny Walker to earn their cards as it would have left them T5.
In the end, though, Springer made par to finish level with Mexican Raul Pereda, who secured his card despite a bogey to finish his round. For Springer, the achievement will have been particularly special as it came just a month after he tragically lost his three-year-old daughter after a battle with Trisomy 18.
What a moment for Hayden Springer ❤️On Nov. 13, his 3-year-old daughter, Sage, passed away after battling Trisomy 18.Just a month later, Springer is headed to the PGA TOUR. https://t.co/QcdmHajA33 pic.twitter.com/lNObh2M2lkDecember 18, 2023
While there was delight for the five who made it, there was disappointment elsewhere, albeit with some securing Korn Ferry Tour starts as a considerable consolation.
One player who fell short of a PGA Tour card was Fred Biondi. Earlier in the year, the Brazilian made the agonising decision to miss the Majors to turn pro. While he was clearly focused on earning a PGA Tour card at the earliest opportunity, his efforts weren't quite enough as he finished T10, three shots away from glory. For his efforts, he secured starts in the first 12 Korn Ferry Tour events in 2024.
Elsewhere, Kevin Tway, who won the 2018 Safeway Open, finished T28, along with former World No.18 Russell Knox and 2018 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship winner Brice Garnett.
Former World No.1 amateur Keita Nakajima couldn’t replicate the form that brought him three Japan Golf Tour wins this year with a finish of T45 – still enough, just, to earn him the consolation of eight Korn Ferry Tour starts for 2024.
Another player who missed out on a PGA Tour card is the popular Harry Higgs, who finished T4 at the 2021 PGA Championship. However, like Nakajima, Higgs finished T45 to secure eight Korn Ferry Tour starts along with 2019 Desert Classic champion Adam Long.
Harry Higgs finished T45
Outside the reckoning for guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts was Patton Kizzire. The two-time PGA Tour winner finished T64 after a final-round 74.
There was disappointment for Masters low amateur Sam Bennett, too, who turned professional in May, but finished T82. That was also the finishing position for 2019 Puerto Rico Open champion Martin Trainer, as well as Aldrich Potgeiter, who won the Amateur Championship at the age of 17. Wesley Bryan, one half of YouTube golfing duo the Bryan Bros, also finished T82 after a disappointing final round of 79.
Two-time PGA Tour winner Robert Streb finished T98, while others with Tour victories in the field were Richy Werenski and Charlie Beljan, who finished T54 and T119 respectively.
Spare a thought for Julian Suri, too. Heading into the 18th in T38, he needed par to get eight guaranteed starts on the Korn Ferry Tour. However, he met disaster and managed a triple-bogey to leave him tied for 72nd to leave him settling for conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership.
Just brutal. If Julian Suri made par on 18 he would have gotten 8 guaranteed starts on KftThen this happened. Depending on what he makes it could cost him a chance at any starts. Goodness. 📷 @MichaelHolmes36 pic.twitter.com/GWZsr3wgnKDecember 18, 2023
The Five Players Who Earned A PGA Tour Card At Q-School
- Harrison Endycott
- Trace Crowe
- Blaine Hale Jr
- Raul Pereda
- Hayden Springer
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