Holmgren Ties for 3rd in 2nd Stage, Advances to Final Stage of Q-School

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- Van Holmgren didn't win the Second Stage of PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School on Friday, but he accomplished his main mission, which was to advance.

The 24-year-old former Florida Gulf Coast University star from Wayzata started the day in a three-way tie for first and shot a 2-under-par 70 at the Tesoro Club's Palmer Course. That was two strokes too many as far as medalist honors were concerned. He finished in a three-way tie for third place with a 72-hole total of 279. But his primary purpose this week was to earn a place in the Final Stage of Q-School by finishing in the top 15 (the top 15 and ties advanced), and Holmgren did that with five shots to spare.

KK Limbhasut and Danny Walker were the two guys tied with Holmgren going into the final round, and they stayed tied with each other by shooting matching 68s. That put them both at 277, and made them co-medalists.

Walker, is a former Florida state high school champion who migrated north to play golf for the University of Virginia. He was 3 under for the day after nine holes and led Limbhasut by one as they made the turn. The 28-year-old from Bradenton went 2 up with a birdie at the par-4 10th, and also birdied the 610-yard, par-5 11th. But so did Limbhasut, and after Walker bogeyed the par-3 12th and the par-4 13th, they were tied once again. They both made birdies at the par-5 16th, and then Walker pulled ahead once again when Limbhasut bogeyed the 225-yard, par-3 17th. But Limbhasut, a 27-year-old who grew up in Thailand but went to college at Cal, where he was an All-American, followed the bogey at 17 with a birdie at the 401-yard, par-4 18th.

There are no playoffs for first place at Q-School.

Holmgren, a former Minnesota State Amateur and State Open champion -- and before those victories, he had won the state Class AAA high school championship -- was one behind Limbhasut and two behind Walker after 12 holes Friday. But he, like Walker, bogeyed the 13th; so he was two behind both of them with five holes remaining. In the last regular season tournament of his college career, in April of 2021, Holmgren won the Atlantic Sun Conference individual championship by making birdies on the last two holes, a 567-yard par 5 and a 488-yard par 4. He was in a position to do something similar when he birdied the 16th at Tesoro. But that birdie just kept him two behind the co-leaders, and that was where he ended up, after making pars on each of the last two holes.

Nevertheless, by fiinishing in the top 15 this week, he reserved his spot in the Final Stage, which will be played Dec. 14-17 in Ponte Vedra, Fla., at two sites, TPC Sawgrass Valley and the Sawgrass Country Club's East-West course. The top five finishers from there will gain membership for the PGA Tour during the 2024 season. That seems like an excessively difficult standard to meet, considering that there were roughly 1,400 players, almost all of them with impressive credential, who have been involved in this lenghthy Q-School process. (It started in mid-September.) It wasn't like that in the old days. In 1971, for example, 23 players graduated from Q-School, including Tom Watson, Lanny Wadkins, John Mahaffey and David Graham, a foursome that combined to win 12 major titles during the next 12 years. Wadkins tied for second in that '71 Q-School, and Watson finished solo fifth. But Mahaffey, who was seventh, and Graham, who was 10th, wouldn't have gotten their tour cards under this year's format.

Two former Gophers came close but didn't quite qualify for Ponte Vedra. Will Grevlos, a left-hander who won five State Junior championships and two state high school titles in South Dakota before he came to Minnesota, was tied for 13th after three rounds, and he posted a 1-under 71 on Friday. But his four-day aggregate of 285 was one too many. It put him in a six-way tie for 16th. Dylan Meyer of Evansville, Ind., and Shunyat Hak of Lake Mary, Fla., both finished at 284, tied for 14th -- and got the last two spots. Meyer needed a 66 to do it, and Hak a 68.

Angus Flanagan, the two-time Tapemark Charity Pro-Am champion, and winner of the 2020 Minnesota State Open, was tied for 43rd after he opened with a 75 at Tesoro. But he moved up into a tie for 36th with a second-round 72, and into a tie for 23rd when he shot 70 on Thursday. That, however, was as close as he got to the top 15, even though he shot another 70 on Friday. Despite being 2 under, he actually lost ground and ended up tied for 26th at 287.

Andre Metzger, a peripatetic mini-tour veteran who has made a lot of money on the Dakotas Tour (he was the leading money winner in 2017 with $57,345) and has listed Sioux Falls occasionally among his many addresses, needed a big finish in the Georgia Second Stage qualifier, and he got it. Having been tied for 45th after two rounds at The Landings' Deer Creek course in Savannah, the 41-year-old Metzger shot himself back into contention with a 4-under 68 in the third round, which lifted him into a tie for 30th, and he followed that with a 65 on Friday. That catapulted him into a three-way tie for ninth, and he made it into the Final Stage with one stroke to spare.


PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School

SECOOND STAGE

There are five Second Stage qualifiers being played from Nov. 14 to Dec. 1, and the top 15 finishers from each -- plus ties -- will advance to the Final Stage, which will be played in December in Ponte Vedra, Fla., at the TPC Sawgrass Valley Course and Sawgrass CC. Only the top five finishers from there will get PGA Tour status for 2024, but everyone who makes it to the Final Stage will have status on the Korn Ferry Tour next year.

Port St. Lucie, Florida

Nov. 14-17

At The Tesoro Club - Palmer Course

Par 72, 7,316 yards

Final results

T1. K Limbhasut, Phoenix 72-70-67-69--278

T1. Danny Walker, Jacksonville, Fla. 69-72-68-69--278

T3. Van Holmgren, Wayzata 72-71-66-70--279

T3. Davis Shore, Sarasota, Fla. 69-73-70-67--279

T3. Kristoffer Ventura, Palm Bch., Fla. 71-70-69-69--279

6. Brendon Jelley, Scottsdale, Ariz. 75-69-66-70--280

What it took -- 284 (2-way tie for 14th)

T16. Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls. 72-72-70-71--285

T26. Angus Flanagan, Surrey, UK 75-72-70-70--287


Savannah, Georgia

Nov. 14-17

At The Landings -- Deer Creek

Par 72, 7,185 yards

Final results

1. Bryson Nimmer, Okatie, S.C. 72-71-68-62--273

T2. Luke Long, Fayetteville, Ark. 67-73-72-62--274

T2. Brandon Crick, McCook, Neb. 66-71-70-67--274

T9. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls 72-74-68-65--279

Magic Number -- 280 (6-way tie for 12th)

76. Jack Ebner, Edina 78--76-73-71--298


Dothan, Alabama

Nov. 14-17

At Robert Trent Jones Trail at Highland Oaks

Marshwood Course

Par 72, 7,632 yards

Third-round results

T1. Connor Burgess, Richmond, Va. 66-68-67-68--269

T1. Mark Goetz, Greensburg, Pa. 69-62-71-67--269

3. Steven Fisk 69-71-63-67--270

What it took -- 281 (3-way tie for 13th)

T77. Brady Madsen, Raymond 74-78-78-72--302



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 -- advanced from each of the 13 First Stage sites to the Second Stage.


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)