Aussie success as USPGA Stage Two Q-School continues
BY iseekgolf.com | US PGA Tour | 2004 USPGA Tour Q-School - Stage Two | Wrap | 14 Nov 2004
Australasians Cameron Percy, Steve Collins and Tim Wilkinson have moved one step closer to the dream of a 2005 USPGA Tour card, all successfully making it through second qualifying stage today, to advance to next months final stage of USPGA Tour Qualifying School in California.
Percy and Collins, both Australians, came 9th and 14th respectively at the Stonebridge Ranch course in McKinney Texas, whilst New Zealander Wilkinson finished 11th at Hombre City GC in Panama City, Florida.
Twelve more Australasians will take to the remaining four locations of second stage this week in the hope of joining the final field in December.
Percy shot a 292, four over par on a difficult course which saw first placed D.J Brightman, the lone finisher under par on 286, (2 under). The next best score was 1 over. Collins closed on a total of 293; five over par, to finish one shot clear of the cut of 6 over.
The top 19 finishers, plus ties in Texas advanced through to the Final Stage of qualifying.
Those who missed the cut in Texas included Newcastle’s Nick Flanagan (T47th), Queenslander Stuart Bouvier (59th) and Sydney’s Greg Chalmers (68th).
In Panama City, Tim Wilkinson was the only Australasian to move through to the final stage. Wilkinson, from Manawatu in New Zealand, was one of 20 top finishers closing with a 72 hole total of 285, three under par, to finish two shots clear of the qualifying cut score of one under par.
Melbourne’s David Bransdon missed out, finishing with a total of 290, three shots over the cut.
The second stage will continue this week on Wednesday November 17, with several Australasian contenders looking to join Percy, Collins and Wilkinson for the final stage to be held in California from December 1-6.
Queenslander Adam Crawford and Ryan Haller (NSW) will be teeing off at the Kingwood Golf Club in Texas, whilst New Zealander’s Brad Heaven and Grant Waite are at St John’s Golf & Country Club in Florida.
The biggest Australasian contingent will be at the Black Horse Course at Seaside, California and includes Steven Alker (NZ), Craig Carmichael (ACT), current 2004 Von Nida Tour OOM leader Kim Felton (WA), Matthew Jones (Australia), Richard Moir (Australia), Ewan Porter (NSW) and Andrew Tschudin (SA).
South Australian Jens Nilsson is the lone Australasian competing at the Oak Valley Golf Club in Beaumont, California.
At the end of Second Stage Qualifying, the field will then be reduced to around 170 players for the final stage to be held from December 1-6 at the La Quinta Country Club in California.
The top thirty players (and ties) at the conclusion of the Final Qualifying Stage will receive PGA TOUR cards for 2005. The next (approx) 47 finishers will earn fully exempt Nationwide Tour Cards for 2005 and the remainder of the field, receive conditional Nationwide Tour status.
Source – PGA Tour
