FARGO -- Tom Hoge, the two-time Minnesota State Amateur champion who during the next few weeks will be attempting to reclaim his exempt status on the PGA Tour, got the golf playoff season off to a good start last week by winning the Bobcat North Dakota Open.
The former All-American from TCU opened the tournament with a 3-under-par 69 at Fargo Country Club. He then proceeded to separate himself from the field with rounds of 63 and 64 over the weekend, and the resulting 54-hole total of 196 (20 under par) was good for a four-stroke victory -- and $14,500.
Andrew McCain, who won the Minnesota State Open in 2015 and won consecutive MGA Four-Ball titles with different partners in 2015 and '16, turned professional this summer. The North Dakota Open was one of his first events as a pro, and it was a lucrative one. He shot the second-lowest round on the final day, a 67, and that lifted him into second place at 200. He made $6,000.
Andre Metzger closed with a 71 and finished third, another four shots back at 204. The $5,000 that he earned propelled him back into first place on the Dakotas Tour money list. He has now made $54,245 in 11 events.
Hoge has career earnings of just over $2 million as a professional, most of it on the PGA Tour. This was his second victory as a pro. The first came at the Canadian Players Cup in 2011, a Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour event, not long after he graduated from TCU.
The 28-year-old former Pine to Palm champ made $373,092 in 17 events during the 2016-17 PGA Tour season and finished 167th on the money list. Only the top 125 retain full playing privileges for the following season. Which is why Hoge is competing in the Web.com Finals, a four-tournament series that serves essentially the same purpose as the old PGA Tour Q-School. The top 75 finishers on the Web.com money list are in the Finals, along with Nos. 125 through 200 from the PGA Tour regular season money list. If Hoge can manage to be in the top 25 for the Web.com Finals (not counting the guys who have already secured their PGA Tour Cards by finishing in the top 25 for the Web.com regular season), he will regain his exempt status on the Big Tour.
So far, after one tournament, the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship, which ended Sunday, Hoge is tied for 41st place with $3,700.
If he doesn't get his PGA Tour Card back, Hoge will still have a place to play in 2017. He will be fully exempt for the Web.com Tour.
MEN'S PROFESSIONAL GOLF
Bobcat North Dakota Open
Aug. 25-27
At Fargo Country Club , Par 72
Fargo
Final results
1. Tom Hoge, Fargo $14,500 69-63-64--196
2. Andrew McCain, Mpls. $6,000 68-65-67--200
3. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls $5,000 68-65-71--204
4. Michael Nagy, Manisique, Mich. $4,000 69-69-68--206
T5. Doug Quinones, Sioux Falls $2,500 68-67-72--207
T5. Steven Kupcho, Westminster, Colo. $2,500 70-65-72--207
12. Justin Doeden, Prior Lake $1,400 69-70-70--209
T16. Dave Schultz, Fargo $1,175 74-67-73--214
T16. Hudson Carpenter, Stillwater $1,175 69-71-74--214
27. Bennett Schroeder, Eden Prairie $1,000 70-73-79--222
Missed cut 143 (-1)
Jon DuToit, Chanhassen 73-71--144
Robert Bell, Pierz 74-70--144
Alex Kline, Elk River 75-69--144
Jeff Sorenson, Minneapolis 75-70--145
Jon Trasamar, Blue Earth 69-76--145
Cam White, Wayzata 73-75--148
Julian Ramirez, Maplewood 74-74--148
Dylan Baker, Eden Prairie 72-76--148
Brandon Sletmoen, Hawley 77-72--149
Jake Wherley, Ottertail 77-72--149
Thomas Campbell, Minneapolis 74-75--149
Beau Hanson, Frazee 78-72--150
Sam Matthew, Roseville 74-77-151
Jack Elliott, Fargo 78-76--154
Andrew Benson, Eden Prairie 79-76--155
Andrew Martinson, Henning 81-86--167
Ernie Rose, Maple Grove 77-WD
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