PGA Tour Q-school Wraps Up


December 9, 2008

By David Shefter, USGA

Two former USGA champions and another two Walker Cup players were among the 28 golfers to earn cards for the 2009 season at the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament finals that concluded on Monday at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

Derek Fathauer, one of three amateurs to survive the 36-hole cut at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines and a 2007 U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist, tied for second behind medalist Harrison Frazar, shooting a final-round 70 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course for a 24-under total of 408. Fathauer, an All-American at the University of Louisville who turned professional in September, also was a semifinalist at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.

The low 25 and ties became fully exempt for the 2009 season, with the next 50 players receiving full-exempt status on the Nationwide Tour. The remaining golfers from the 163-player field receive non-exempt status for the Nationwide Tour.

Two-time Public Links champion (1991 and '93) and 1993 Walker Cupper David Berganio Jr. carded a 7-under 65 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course to share seventh place in the six-round event at 21-under 411.

Also sharing seventh was 2007 Walker Cupper Webb Simpson and 1998 U.S. Junior Amateur champion James Oh. Simpson, a former All-American at Wake Forest who was a semifinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur, closed with a 67 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course. Oh, who beat current PGA Tour star Aaron Baddeley of Australia in the '98 Junior Amateur final, carded a 68 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course.

Former Stanford University standout Notah Begay III, a member of the 1995 Walker Cup team and a four-time PGA Tour winner, is headed back to the Tour full-time for the first time since 2005. Begay closed with rounds of 63 (Nicklaus Tournament Course) and 67 (Stadium Course) to share 11th at 20-under 412. For the past four seasons, Begay has played on the Nationwide Tour and part-time on the PGA Tour. He also played on the European Tour in 2007.

Chris Riley, another member of the 1995 Walker Cup team and a 2004 Ryder Cup player, shot a 69 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course to tie for 18th at 19-under 413.

A couple of former Walker Cuppers barely missed finishing among the top 25 and ties, but will have full-time status on the 2009 Nationwide Tour. Kris Cox and Bryce Molder each were a shot off at 18-under 414. Jason Gore, who jumped into the spotlight with his performance at the 2005 U.S. Open at Pinehurst and later that season won three Nationwide Tour titles and one PGA Tour event (84 Lumber Classic) carded a 66 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course, but came up two strokes short at 415. Gore was a member of the 1997 Walker Cup squad. His position on the 2008 PGA Tour money list (No. 134) should get him into a number of 2009 events as a partially exempt player.

Matt Every, a 2005 Walker Cup participant, was three shots off at 416, while 1999 APL champion Hunter Haas finished at 14-under 418. Spencer Levin, the low amateur at the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, finished at 419. Former U.S. Junior champion Willie Wood and 2001 U.S. Amateur champion Bubba Dickerson each carded 420 (12 under).

Former Walker Cuppers Brad Elder, Todd Demsey, Michael Putnam and James Driscoll all earned conditional status on the 2009 Nationwide Tour.

DavidShefteris a staff writer for the USGA Digital Media Department. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.