Caleb VanArragon and Derek Hitchner are both former Minnesota State Amateur champions trying to work their way up the ladder and onto the PGA Tour, and they are both in position to take a step in the right direction on Sunday.
Actually, VanArragon is within one final step of getting to the big tour. He's playing on the Korn Ferry Tour, and the top 30 finishers on the KF points list at the end of the year will be elevated to the PGA Tour for 2026.
He came into this week's tournament, The Simmons Bank Open in Franklin, Tenn., in 67th place on the points list. (He's No. 65 on the money list with $117,727 in 21 events.) But he will go into Sunday's final round at the Vanderbilt Legends Club tied for fourth place, four shots out of first with a 54-hole total of 197 (66-63-68). A really high finish at Simmons Bank would do him a lot of good.
The record-holder for lowest winning score in both the State Am and the State Open, VanArragon birdied five ot the first seven holes on Friday in the second round. On Saturday, he got off to a slow start, and was 1 over after 10. He rallied with three birdies in the next seven holes, and escaped with a 2-under 68 So he's still within shouting distance of the leader, Zach Bauchou, a former Oklahoma State All-American.
Bauchou arrived at his 54-hole aggregate of 193 by opening with a 65 and following it with a pair of 64s.
Meanwhile, Hitchner, who is on the PGA Tour Americas -- one level below the Korn Ferry -- was doing his best to avoid making pars on Saturday at Northern Bear GC in Alberta, Canada. He made six of them, along with seven birdies and five bogeys on his way to a 2-under 70.
Not exactly the score he was looking for when he teed off, but it was a tough day for scoring, and Hitchner made up four shots on the 36-hole leader, Michael Brennan, The two of them are tied for first at 201 going into Sundays's final round.
It isn't all that easy to get a promotion from the PGA Tour Americas to the Korn Ferry. Only the top 10 from the final points standings will move up to the KF tour.
Hitchner is currently 21st on the points list, and he's 19th on the money list with $37,085 in 13 tournaments.
KORN FERRY TOUR
Simmons Bank Open
At Vanderbilt Legends Club
Par 70, 7,197 yards
Franklin, Tenn.
Third-round results
1. Zach Bauchou 65-64-64--193
2. Austin Hitt 65-65=67--197
3. Ian Gilligan 69-66=61-196
T4. Caleb VanArragon 66-63-68--197
T4. Johnny Keefer 67-66-64--197
T4. Alvaro Ortiz 65-65-67--197
T4. Rpbby Shelton 64-66-67--197
PGA TOUR AMERICAS
ATB Classic
At Northern Bear Golf Club
Par 72, 7,352 yards
Strathcona County, Alberta, Canada
Third-round results
T1. Derek Hitchner 66-65-70--201
T1. Michael Brennan 61-66-74--201
T3. Beau Breault 70-67-65--202
T3. Luke Gutschewski 65-71-66--292
5. Davis Lamb 65-68-70--203
Missed cut --- 139
Gunnar Broin 73-72--145
Thomas Longbella 77-68--145