Moving On: 19 Advance To Q-School Finals


November 24, 2008



By David Shefter, USGA

Far Hills, N.J. - Richard Lee burst onto the national scene in 2006 when the precocious teen advanced to the championship match of the U.S Junior Amateur at Rancho Santa Fe (Calif.) Golf Club.

Showcasing prodigious length, especially off the tee, the Canadian-born Lee, who now resides in Chandler, Ariz., gave Philip Francis all he could handle in the 36-hole final, only to come up a little short against his more-polished opponent.

More than two years removed from that loss, the 18-year-old Lee is on the verge of becoming the youngest golfer since Ty Tryon to earn a PGA Tour card. Tryon qualified for the 2002 season in the fall of 2001 at 17 (he turned 18 during the 2002 season).

Lee, who turned 18 last month, advanced to next month's finals of PGA Tour Qualifying School last weekend in Beaumont, Calif., by tying for 14th at a second-stage qualifier at Oak Valley Golf Club. Lee carded rounds of 67-73-69-71 on the 7,003-yard, par-72 layout to earn one of 19 available spots into the finals, which will be held Dec. 3-8 at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif. At worst, Lee will earn conditional status on the 2009 Nationwide Tour.

Last year, Lee qualified for the U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club but withdrew during the second round with a wrist injury. A week later, he turned pro. Some might have chastised the decision, saying he would be better off playing in college before trying his hand in the pro ranks, Lee didn't want to follow that path, telling the East Valley Tribune last year: "College has no appeal for me. I'm just not into school. People say it's the most fun time of your life, but if that's true, how can you be serious about your golf if you're always having fun?"

Lee now finds himself six solid rounds away from possibly teeing it up next year against Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and the rest of the world's best players.

Notah Begay III has already experienced that thrill, having won four times on the PGA Tour. But the 1995 USA Walker Cupper has not been a full-time member of the Tour since 2004. For the last four years, Begay has bounced around the PGA, Nationwide and European circuits. He appeared headed for that route again in 2009 until a final-round 65 at Lantana (Texas) Golf Club last Saturday vaulted the former Stanford University All-American to a share of ninth. The lowest round of the week on the 7,147-yard, par-72 layout put Begay, who posted a 72-hole total of 1-under 287, into Q-School finals and a chance to return to the PGA Tour.

Jimmy Walker was the medalist at Lantana at 8-under 280.

Others with USGA ties advancing out of the Lantana qualifier were former Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cupper Matt Richardson and Begay's 1995 Walker Cup teammate Kris Cox. Another familiar name to advance was Ted Oh, who at 16 qualified for the 1993 U.S. Open at Baltusrol Golf Club. That year, Oh beat out 17-year-old Tiger Woods at sectional qualifying for a spot in the field.

At Oak Valley, Jim Rutledge was the medalist at 15-under 273. James Oh (no relation to Ted), the 1997 U.S.  Junior Amateur champion, shared seventh at 10-under 278.

Notables who failed to qualify for the finals included Clay Ogden (2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion);  Eric Meeks (1988 U.S. Amateur champion);  Nick Flanagan (2003 U.S. Amateur champion); David Gossett (1999 U.S. Amateur champion/1999 Walker Cup); and Charlie Beljan (2002 U.S. Junior Amateur champion).

Champions Tour

The Champions Tour concluded its final qualifying for the 2009 season last Friday at The Tournament Players Club Eagle Trace in Coral Springs, Fla., where 1998 U.S. Amateur runner-up and 1999 Walker Cupper Tom McKnight earned one of the five available fully exempt cards. McKnight vaulted into contention with a 7-under 65 in the third round of the 72-hole event. McKnight finished third at 3-under 285, four strokes behind medalist Robert Thompson.

The next seven players earned conditional cards, while the low 30 and ties are eligible to qualify for open spots at all co-sponsored events on the Champions Tour in 2009. That group included 1993 U.S. Amateur champion and four-time Walker Cupper John Harris and 1977 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Jerry Vidovic, both whom tied for 20th at 6-over 284.

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