Holmgren's Final-Round 65 Propels Him into 2nd Stage of Q-School

Zander Winston had a good summer. The 30-year-old mini-tour veteran, who is from Dallas but now calls Scottsdale home, played in nine tournaments on the Dakotas Tour, won two of them (at Moccasin Creek in Aberdeen, S.D., and at Hillcrest in Yankton) was second in two others and earned $60,658. As summer has turned into fall, he hasn't exactly cooled off. Last week, he torched the course at Lake Caroline Golf Club in Madison, Miss., shooting scores of 67, 63, 67 and 60, and the resulting 72-hole total of 257 (23 under par) was good enough to claim medalist honors in the First Stage of PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School. He finished three strokes ahead of Canadian Thomas Giroux, the 54-hole leader, who closed with a 67 and got lapped by Winston.

Peyton Shore, who is from Georgia, and Nic Cassidy, who's from South Carolina, tied for third at 262.

Basically, Winston, Giroux, Shore and Cassidy are all halfway to where they want to be in 2024 -- on the PGA Tour.

There are four stages to Q-School. It began with Pre-Qualifying in late September. Those who survived that or were exempt from it are playing in 13 First Stage qualifiers this month, and the top 20 finishers plus ties from each (or top 19 and ties) will move on to the Second Stage, which will be contested at five sites, beginning three weeks from Tuesday. The Final Stage will be played in Ponte Vedra, Fla., in December, and after all of the work they will have had to do to get that far, the players who make it to Ponte Vedra will be playing for only five spots on the 2024 PGA Tour.

But everyone who plays in the Final Stage will have at least some status next year on the Korn Ferry Tour, the feeder tour for the PGA Tour. They will also be exempt through the Latin America portion of the new PGA Tour Americas season. (The PGA Tour Americas is a merged version of the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica and PGA Tour Canada.)

There were several Minnesotans and players with Minnesota connections who made it out of thef First Stage during the four tournaments/qualifiers that ended Oct. 13th. But Van Holmgren, 24, was the only Minnesotan moving on from the five Q-School tournaments that were played during the past week. The 6-foot-8-inch former Minnesota state high school champion, State Amateur champion and State Open champion was, like Winson, playing at Lake Caroline in Mississippi, and even though he was 7 under after 54 holes, he wasn't iin the top 20 in the standings. In fact, he wasn't even in the top 25. But he got off to a great start in his fourth round, with an eagle 2 at the 402-yard first hole and birdies on the second and third holes on the way to a 5-under 65. That gave him a 72-hole tab of 268 (12 under), and he made the top 20 with one stroke to spare, tying for 15th place.


PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School

FIRST STAGE (13 sites, Oct. 10 through Oct. 27)

The top 20 finishers and ties -- or in a couple of cases the top 19 and ties -- will advance from each of the 13 First Stage sites to the Second Stage, which will be played at five sites, beginning Nov. 14. The Final Stage will be played in December in Ponte Vedra, Fla., at the TPC Sawgrass Valley Course and Sawgrass CC. From there, the top five finishers will get PGA Tour status for 2024.


Madison, Mississippi

Oct. 17-20

At Lake Caroline GC

Par 70, 6,835 yards

Final results

1. Zander Winston, Scottsdale, Ariz. 67-63-67-60--257 (-23)

2. Thomas Giroux, Canada 66-64-63-67--260

T3. Peyton Shore, Saluda, S.C. 66-62-68-66--262

T3. Nic Cassidy, Athlens, Ga. 67-64-66-65--262

5. Ryan Hall, Knoxville, Tenn. 67-66-65-66--264

T15. Van Holmgren, Wayzata 66-71-66-65--268

What it toook -- 269 (3-way tie for 18th)

T27. Andrew Israelson, Staples 68-68-69-67--272


Rockwall, Texas

Oct. 17-20

At Rockwall G&CC

Par 72, 7,414 yards

Final results

1. Luke Long, Fayetteville, Ark. 69-69-66-63--267 (-21)

2. Matthis Besard, Belgium 68-70-67-69--274

3. James Swash, Ruston, La. 68-73-70-64--275

4. Chad Sewell, Conroe, Texas 72-68-69-67--276

5. D. Armstrong, Jacksonville, Fla. 70-68-69-71--278

What it took --284 (6-way tie for 19th)

T46. Derek Chang, Dallas 73-73-73-71--290

T59. Trey Fessler, Hanover 73-75-72-72--292


Florida 2

Lake Worth, Fla.

Oct. 17-20

The Falls Club

Par 71, 6,735

Final results

1. Jimmy Hervol, Lake Worth, Fla. 66-67-64-64--261 (-23)

2. Shunyat Hak, Lake Mary, Fla. 68-65-66-66--265

3. Dan McCarthy, Palm Beach Gdns. 69-69--65-63--266

4. Logan Sowell, Bluffton, S.C. 68-68-66-65--267

What it took -- 273 (7-way tie for 16th)

T66. Evan Long, New Castle, Pa. 75-69-74-73--291


Albequerque, New Mexico

Ocdt. 17-20

At University of New Mexico Championship Course

Par 71, 7,555 yards

Final results

1. Matthew Walker, Ottumwa, Iowa 67-68-67-68--270 (-140

T2. Andrew Gibson, Angus, UK 71-69-66-67--273

T2. Spencer Tibbits (a), Vancouver, Wash. 70-69-67-67--273

T2. Brandon Tsujimoto, Pamona, Calif. 67-72-66-68--273

5. David Timmins, Sandy, Utah 72-65-69-68--274

What it took -- 281 (6-way tie for 20th)

T26. Austin Vukovits, Noblesville, Ind. 70-67-71-74--282


Lincoln, Nebraska

Oct. 10-13

At Wilderness Ridge CC

Par 71, 7,107 yards

Final results

1. Alex Scott, Traverse City, Mich. 69-62-70-69--270 (-14)

2. Tripp Kinney, Des Moines 64-66-68-76--274

3. Emilio Gonzalez, Charlotte, N.C. 67-68-68-74--277

T4. Ben Sigel, Minnetonka 68-69-74-67--278

T4. Jason Thresher, West Suffield, Conn. 70-70-69-69--278

T4. Cooper Musselman, Louisville 66-68-73-71--278

T7. Jack Ebner, Edina 67-64-73-75--279

T10. Brady Madsen, Raymond 68-68-69-75--280

What it took -- 281 (5-way tie for 16th)

T64. Jack Hiemenz, Blaine 71-72-74-76--293

T66. Ross Miller, Maple Grove 74-72-75-75--296


Maricopa, Ariz.

Oct. 10-13

At Ak-Chin Southern Dunes

Par 72, 7,546 yards

Final results

T1. Tanner Gore, Farmers Branch, Texas. 66-67-66-72--271 (-17)

T1. Jonathan De Los Reyes, Ripon, Calif. 70-69-72-70--271

3. Brendon Jelley, Scottsdale, Ariiz. 70-64-71-68--273

4. Blake Hathcoat, Fresno, Calif. 68-70-68-68--274

T5. Daniel Robertson, St.. Petersburg, Fla. 71-65-68-71--275

T9. Angus Flanagan, Surrey, UK 72-71-65-69--277

T16. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls 68-74-67-72--281

What it took -- 281 (6-way tie for 16th)


Muskogee, Okla.

Oct. 10-13

At Muskogee GC

Par 70, 6,702 yards

Final results

1. Luis Gerando Garza, Guanajuato, Mexico 69-68-63-70--270 (-10)

T2. Wil Gibson, Jonesboro, Ark. 67-68-68-68--271

T2. Tyson Reeder, Edmond, Okla. 71-66-67-67--271

T4. Brayden Garrison, Franklin, Tenn. 69-71-62-72--273

T4. Alex Schaake, Omaha 67-68-68-70--273

T4. Blaine Hale, Richardson, Texas 64-71-67-71--273

T7. Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls 68-71-69-66--274

T12. Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls 70-66-69-71--276

T18. What it took -- 278 (5-way tie for 18th)

T46. Thomas Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz. 71-71-74-70--286


Florida 1

Champions Gate, Fla.

Oct. 10-13

At Champions Gate GC

Par 72, 7,107 yards

Final results

1. Michael Sweeney, Port St. Lucie, Fla. 71-63-72-64--270 (-18)

2. Taylor Funk, Jacksonville, Fla. 69-65-69-68--271

3. Hunter Eichhorn, Chattanooga, Tenn. 69-69-67-68--273

T4. Julian Suri, Ponte Vedra, Beach, Fla. 69-66-73-67--275

T4. Juan Guerra, Orlando, Fla. 73-66-69-67--275

T4. Tom Adrounie, Montverde, Fla. 72-63-69-71--275

What it took -- 279 (6-way tie for 19th)

T72. Taylor Sundbom, Duluth 73-76-74--223


PRE-QUALIFYING STAGE

Chardon, Ohio

Sept. 20-22

At Mayfield Sand Ridge Club

Par 72, 7,275 yards

39 qualifying spots

Final results

1. Andrew O'Leary, Norfolk, Mass. 68-67-74--209 (-7)

T2. Tyler Jones (a), Westerville, Ohio 69-68-73---210

T2. Reid Martin, Columbus, Ohio 72-70-68--210

T8. Jack Ebner, Edina 72-73-69--214

What it took -- 220 (5-way tie for 35th)


Newton, Kansas

Sept. 13-15

At Sand Creek Station GC

Par 72, 7,339 yards

24 qualifying spots

Final results

1. Andres Acevedo,m San Antonio 68-67-67--202 (-14)

2. Wil Gibson, Jonewboro, Ark. 68-68-67--203

3. Michael Bakker, Sanford, Fla. 71-71-65--207

T5. Brady Madsen, Raymond 76-68-79--212

What it took -- 219 (3-way tie for 22nd)

T42. Dawson Wills, Chaska 80-77-80--237


Woodstock, Ill.

Sept. 13-15

Bull Valley GC

Par 72, 7,190 yards

23 qualifying spots

Final results

1. Matthis Besard, Belgium 68-68-73--209 (-7)

2. Andrew Walker, Holt, Mich. 74-72-67--213

3. Spencer Tibbits, Vancouver, Wash. 73-70-71--214

T10. Jack Hiemenz, Blaine 76-68-79--223

What it took -- 228 (2-way tie for 22nd)


Brunswick, Ga.

?Sept. 20-22

At Brunswick CC

Par 70, 6,802 yards

37 qualifying spots

Final results

1. Erik Edwards, Louisville, Ky. 66-67-67--200 (-10)

T2. Kyle Sterbinsky, Jupiter, Fla. 67-72-66--205

T2. Brent Hamm, Warner Robins, Ga. 67-70-68--205

T2. William Hartford, Palm Beach, Calif. 67-69-69--205

T20. Aaron Wilson, Chaska 73-71-69--213

What it took -- 216 (7-way tie for 33rd)