Griffin Shoots 63, Claims Q-School Medalist Honors; VanArragon Is T36

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Lanto Griffin has earned more than $8 million on the PGA Tour, $570, 142 of which he made this year. But that didn't put him in the top 150 on the money list, and he was No. 171 on the tour's points list.

So he was at the Final Stage of Q-School this week. Basically, he was trying to keep his job for next year. Only the top five finishers from the Final Stage get PGA Tour Cards for the next year, and Griffin was in eighth place going into the final round on Sunday.

Q-School might be the most pressure-packed test in all of sports. In effect, you're playing for a year of your life.

It helps to get off to a good stat, and that's precisely what Griffin did, hitting a 240-yard 4-iron onto the green at the 555-yard, par-5 first hole at the TPC Sawgrass Dye's Valley course and making the putt for an eagle. The 36-year-old from California with one PGA Tour victory to his credit (the 2019 Houston Open) has had a series of injuries, mainly to his back, during the past three years, but he says he finally feels healthy again, and it showed Sunday. After the eagle on the first hole, he proceeded to birdie each of the other four odd-numbered holes on the front nine for an outgoing 29. He added one more birdie on the back nine, at the 560-yard, par-5 16th, and the resulting 7-under-par 63 propelled him to the top of the leaderboard, giving him a 72-hole total of 274 (6 under) and making him the medalist by three strokes.

What was even more important, it gave him PGA Tour status for 2025.

The top five finishers and ties got their Tour Cards for next year, and that turned out to be six players, because of a three-way tie for fourth. Hayden Buckley, who has been on the PGA Tour for the last three years but finished No. 139 on the points list this year, regained his status by finishing second. He closed with a 67, for an aggregate of 274. Takumi Kanaya, a former No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and 7-time winner on the Japan Golf Tour, was another shot back, at 275, after a 69. And the three-way tie for fourth that included 54-hole co-leader Matt Riedel, who completed his eligibility at Vanderbilt this spring (a year after he got his under-graduate degree). He was feeling the pressure down the stretch at Dye's Valley, and hit some less-than-great shots, but he made a 5-footer for par on the 18th hole for a 72 and a 72-hole tab of 276.

That was the Magic Number.

Also in the tie for fourth were Alejandro Tosti and Will Chandler. They both started the day tied for 10th, but moved up into that tie for fourth by shooting 66.

Alistair Docherty, who was the co-leader with Riedel at the start of the day, couldn't get the putts he needed to fall, and he missed getting his PGA Tour Card by a single stroke -- for the second time in a little over two months. At the Korn Fery Tour Championship in October, Docherty needed a first-place finish to make the top 30 on the points list -- and get the promotion to the PGA Tour that goes with it. But he ended up second, one behind the winner, Braden Thornberry. With that, Docherty ended the season at No. 32 on the KF points list.

On Sunday, he shot 73, and that put him at 277, alone in seventh place -- one out of the top five.

That gives him full status on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour for the first 12 events -- but he already had that.

For those who finished outside of the top 5 (which turned out to be the top 6), and didn't have Korn Ferry status for next year coming into the week, it helps to have finished as high as possible. Those who finished in the next 25 slots and ties (seventh place through the 10-way tie for 26th at 281) will be guaranteed starts in the first 12 KF events of the year. Anyone in the next category -- those who finished in the seven-way tie for 36th (282) or the seven-way tie for 43rd (283) -- will be subject to the second KF reshuffle, but they will be guaranteed starts in the first eight events.

That group includes 2023 Minnesota State Amateur and State Open champion Caleb VanArragon. He turned professional right after graduating from Valparaiso this spring and played well during the summer. Although he didn't win any tournaments, he lost to Carson Herron in a playoff at the State Open (he made $13,000), and he had three seconds on the Dakotas Tour. In eight Dakotas Tour events, he made $24,645. He got into one PGA Tour Americas tournament, the CRMC in Brainerd, tied for 50th and made $2,934. He also played in one Korn Ferry event, but missed the cut.

Now VanArragon will have a chance to play for a lot more money -- and a possible PGA Tour Card -- in 2025, because he tied for 36th in the Final Stage. He is guaranteed at least eight Korn Ferry tournaments, beginning with the Bahamas Golf Classic (Jan. 12-15), which has a first-place prize of $180,000.

He got off to a really bad start in Ponte Vedra, making zero birdies and seven bogeys in a 77 at Sawgrass Country Club (the other course, besides Dye's Valley, that was used for the Final Stage). The 23-year-old from Blaine wasn't even in the top 130 at that point, in a field of 170. But VanArragon fought back, with a second-round 70 and a third-round 69, both at Dye's Valley. He was back at Sawgrass on Sunday and had anything but a ho-hum round -- eight pars, seven birdies and three bogeys -- but It added up to a 4-under 66, and he moved up 39 places into a tie for 36th at 282.

Everyone who finished tied for 50th (284) or lower will have conditional status on the Korn Ferry, but they will also be exempt for all of the events on the Latin American part of the PGA Americas Tour schedule.

Among those in that category are Thomas Longbella and Derek Hitchner.

Longbella, the 26-year-old former Gopher from Chippewa Falls, was on the PGA Americas Tour this year, and had one victory. But he broke his wrist, missed a big chunk of the schedule and was at less than full strength when he did come back, and he wound up No. 16 on the money list, with $49,755 in nine tournaments. In the Final Stage, he had two really costly holes -- a double bogey at No. 18 at Dye's Valley in the first round, and a triple on his next-to-last hole Sunday, the 503-yard, par-4 eighth at Dye's Valley.

If he could have simply bogeyed those two holes, he would have tied for 43d at 283 and been in that same 8-KF-events-guaranteed category as VanArragon. Instead, he finished at 286, tied for 72nd.

Hitchner, 25, is a former Pepperdine All-American from Minneapolis. He finished 30th on the PGA Americas Tour money list this year ($36,217), which didn't earn him any promotions, but he looked as though he had a good chance to improve his status as he came to his last hole in Friday's second round. After an opening 73 at Dye's Valley, he was 1 over through 17 holes in Round 2, and was somewhere around 40th place. But he tripled the 434-yard, par-4 18th at Sawgrass CC, and never really recovered. He shot 76 at Dye's Valley on Saturday and 72 at Sawgrass on Sunday, for a 295 and a tie for 139th, which means he'll be back on the Americas Tour in '25.



2024 PGA TOUR/KORN FERRY Q-SCHOOL

FINAL STAGE

At TPC Sawgrass Dye's Valley (par 70, 6,850 yards)

& at Sawgrass Country Club East/West Course (par 70, 7,054 yards)

Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Final results (the top 5 finishers will receive PGA Tour status for 2025, and everyone else in the field will have at least some limited status on the Korn Ferry Tour; see the explanation below the results)

1. Lanto Griffin 67DV 72SCC 69SCC 63DV -- 271 (-9)

2. Hayden Buckley 68DV 72SCC 67SCC 67DV -- 274

3. Takumi Kanaya 68DV 70SCC 68SCC 69DV -- 275

T4. Matthew Riedel 71SCC 66DV 67SCC 72DV -- 276

T4. Will Chandler 71SCC 72DV 67SCC 66DV --276

T4. Alejandro Tosti 71DV 74SCC 65SCC 66DV -- 276

7. Alistair Docherty 68SCC 69DV 67SCC 73DV -- 277

T36. Caleb VanArragon 77SCC 70DV 69DV 66SCC -- 282

T72. Thomas Longbella 70DV 73SCC 73SCC 70DV -- 286

T139. Derek Hitchner 73DV 74SCC 76DV 72SCC -- 295


Final Stage Performance Benefits (according to the PGA Tour Website)

Top 5 and ties: PGA Tour membership for 2025 (It should be noted that graduates of the 2023 Q-School did not get into a lot of tournaments early in the '24 schedule. None of them played in more than three of the first 10 events.)

The next 40 finishers and ties: Exempt for multiple reshuffles for the 2025 Korn Ferry season

-- The first 25 finishers and ties in this category will be subject to the third reshuffle, assuring them of starts in the first 12 events of the season.

-- Any remaining finishers within the category will be subject to the third reshuffle, assuring them of starts in the first 8 events of the 2025 season.

All remaining finishers outside the aforementioned categories earn conditional status for the 2025 Korn Ferry season, in addition to being exempt through the Latin American swing of the 2025 PGA Tour Americas season.



SECOND STAGE (72-hole tournaments)

Palm Coast, Fla.

At Hammock Beach Conservatory

Par 72, 7,659 yards

Dec. 3-6

The top 15 finishers and ties advance to the Final Stage

(There are four stages to Q-School -- Preliminary, First Stage, Second Stage and Final Stage. The Final Stage will be Dec. 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass Country Club and Sawgrass CC in Ponte Vedra, Fla., and from there the top five fiinishers -- and ties -- will receive PGA Tour Cards for 2025. Those finishing outside of the top five will have varying degrees of status for the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour.)

Final results

T14. Caleb VanArragon, Blaine 74-68-72-69--283 (-5)

What it took: 283 (5-way tie for 14th)

Failed to advance

T43. Angus Flanagan, Surrey, UK 74-69-71-78--292

69. Muzzy Donohue, North Oaks 81-77-79-75--312


Valdosta, Ga.

At Kinderlou Forest GC

Par 72, 7,780 yards

Dec. 3-6

The top 16 and ties advance

T12. Derek Hitchner, Minneapolis 77-70-70-70--287 (-1)

What it took: 287 (6-way tie for 12th)

Failed to advance

62. Gunnar Broin (a), Chanhassen 76-77-77-73--303


Valencia, Calif.

At Valencia CC

Par 72, 7,300 yards

Dec. 3-6

The top 15 and ties advance

13. Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls 69-69-66-76--280 (-8)

What it took: 281 (3-way tie for 14th)

Failed to advance

T46. Ben Warian (a), Stillwater 71-73-73-76--293


Dothan, Ala.

At RTJ Golf Trail @ Highland Oaks -- Highlands/Marshwood

Par 72, 7,632 yards

Dec. 3-6

The top 17 and ties advance

What it took: 280 (5-way tie for 16th)

Failed to advance

T50. Ben Sigel, Minnetonka 71-74-71-73--289

T73. Chris Gilman, Sioux Falls 72-79-75-75--301


Savannah, Ga.

At The Landings - Deer Creek

Par 72, 7,185 yards

Nov. 19-22

The top 20 and ties advance

Final results

What it took: 276 (3-way tie for 18th)

Failed to advance

T65. Derek Chang, Alpharetta, Ga. 68-72-77-71--288



FIRST STAGE (72 holes)

Ocala, Fla.

At Country Club of Ocala

Par 72, 6,920

Oct. 29-Nov. 1

The top 21 finishers and ties advanced to the Second Stage of Q-School

T18. Muzzy Donohue, North Oaks 71-73-69-69--282

What it took: 282 (6-way tie for 18th)

Failed to advance

T47. Evan Long, New Castle, Pa. 75-74-74-68--291


Henryville, Ind.

At Champions Pointe GC

Par 72, 7,174 yards

Oct. 22-25

The top 21 finishers and ties advance

T7. Derek Hitchner, Minneapolis 67-67-69-71--274

What it took -- 277 (3-way tie for 20th)

Failed to advance

T39. Brady Madsen, Raymond, Minn. 69-74-66-74--283


Madison, Miss.

At Lake Caroline GC

Par 70, 6,835 yards

Oct. 15-18

The top 21 finishers and ties advance

What it took -- 273 (5-way tie for 21st)

Failed to advance

T37. Van Holmgren, Wayzata 68-68-73-68--277 (-3)


Albequerque, New Mexico

At The University of New Mexico Championship Course

Par 71, 7, 555 yards

Oct. 15-18

The top 21 and ties advance

What it took -- 286 (3-way tie for 21st)

Failed to advance

T52. Andrew McCain, Mpls./Nashville 74-72-73-76--295

WD -- Austin Vukovits, Fishers, Ind. 79-WD


Maricopa, Ariz.

At Ak-Chin Southern Dunes

Par 72, 7,546 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 21 and ties advance

Final results

T4. Ben Warian (a), Stillwater 66-73-69-70--278

What it took -- 281 (7-way tie for 19th)

Failed to advance

T55. Andrew Israelson, Staples 74-69-72-76--291


Lincoln, Neb.

At Wilderness Ridge CC

Par 71, 7,107 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 25 and ties advance

Final results

T19. Ben Sigel, Minnetonka 72-64-69-72--277

What it took -- 277 (7-way tie for 19th)

Failed to advance

T41. Nate Deziel, East Grand Forks 75-67-69-72--283

T49. Nate Adams, Maple Grove 71-71-71-73--286

T56. Thomas Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz. 72-74-74-68--288

WD -- Jack Ebner, Edina


Broken Arrow, Okla.

At Indian Springs - River Course

Par 71, 6,917 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 20 and ties will advance

Final results

T9. Caleb VanArragon, Blaine 71-69-67-70--277

T16. Angus Flanagan, Surey, England 64-75-70-70--279

What it took -- 280 (2-way tie for 19th)

Failed to advance

T51. Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls 77-71-68-74--290



PRELIMINARY STAGE (54-hole tournaments)


Brunswick, Ga.

At Brunswidk GC

Par 70, 6,802 yards

Sept. 18-20

The top 33 and ties advanced

T3. Muzzy Donohue, St. Paul 66-67-66--199

What it took -- 212 (3-way tie for 33rd)


Newton, Kansas

At Sand Creek Station TC

Par 72, 7337 yards

Sapt. 18-20

The top 33 and ties advanced

T4. Nate Adams, Maple Grove 72-70-71--213

T12. Nate Deziel, East Grand Forks 75-73-68--216

What it took -- 222 (3-way tie for 33rd)


Chardon, Ohio

At Mayfield SRC - Sand Ridge

Par 72, 7277 yards

Sept. 18-20

The top 35 and tties advanced

What it took -- 219 (4-way tie for 33rd)

Failed to advance

T66. Zach Sklebar, Fargo 77-80-73--230


Woodstock, Ill.

At Bull Valley GC

Par 72, 7,190 yards

Sept. 11-13

The top 33 and ties advanced

T28. Jack Hiemenz, Blaine 75-77-76--228

What it took -- 228 (6-way tie for 28th)

Failed to advance

T43. Aaron Wilson,k Chaska 80-72-81--233


Kannapolis, N.C.

At Thr Club @ Irish Creek

Par 71, 7,144 yards

Sept. 11-13

The top 34 and ties advanced

What it took -- 213 (6-way tie for 31st

Failed to advance

T40. Hentry May, Edina 72-70-73--215