Warian, VanArragon, Sigel & Flanagan in Position to Advance from First Stage of Q-School

The people who run golf aren't always great at using the English language. A prime example of this is the term "foursomes," a label that tells you nothing about the game it refers to, a game more accurately called "alternate shot." Then there's "four-ball," a game for two, not four, players. That's why most people call it "best ball," although if you wanted to be strictly grammatical, you'd call it "better ball."

So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the second stage of the PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School that's beginning this week is called the First Stage. The real first stage, which was played in September, is called the Preliminary Stage.

In any case, some of the most successful Minnesota amateurs from recent years have turned professional, and are in it. And at least three of them look as though they're going to make it through to the Second -- really the Third -- Stage.

The reigning State Amateur champion, Nate Deziel, isn't in a great position, however, and he's going to have to hustle if he wants to make it to the next stage, having shot 75 in the first round of the First Stage tournament at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln, Neb. But the former NDSU star (he won the 2022 Summit League championship) has battled back with a 67 and a 69. The resulting 54-hole total of 211 (minus 2) has him tied for 34th, and the top 21 -- plus ties -- will advance. The Magic Number is currently minus 6 (an eight-way tie for 19th at 207); so Deziel could definitely use another 67 in the final round on Friday.

Ben Sigel, the former Minnesota state high school champion from Minnetonka, is also in Nebraska, but he's on the good side of the Magic Number, at 205. He was tied for 44th Tuesday night, after starting off with a 72, but he solved that problem with a 64 on Wednesday and added a 69 on Thursday.

Last year's State Am champ, Caleb VanArragon is in a considerably stronger position. The winner of the 2023 State Open by nine shots -- and the State Am by 12! -- is playing the River Course at Indian Springs in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, and after a third-round 67 (4 under), he's at 207 and tied for sixth. Two behind him, in a tie for 12th at 209, is former University of Minnesota star -- from Surey, UK -- Angus Flanagan. He won the State Open as an amateur in 2020 and won the first tournament he played as a professional, the 2021 Tapemark, then won it again in 2022. Twenty and ties will go on from Indian Springs, and there's a three-way tie for 20th at 212 going into the final round.

Ben Warian, the 2024 Gopher All-American (honorable mention), hasn't actually turned pro yet. You can play in the Q-School even if you're still an amateur, but it looks as though the lefty from Stillwater will be moving on to the Second Stage; so the temptation to turn pro will get stronger. He is in Maricopa, Ariz., at Ak-Chin Souithern Dunes, and he's tied for fourth at 8-under 208 after three rounds. He was tied for the lead after opening with a 66. A second-round 73 didn't help his cause, but he followed it with a 69, and he will go into Friday's final round four strokes clear of 21st place. (There is a seven-way tie for 18th at 212.)

Andrew israelson, on the other hand, needs to make up a few shots at Southern Dunes. The 2024 Tapemark champ is tied for 42nd at 215, but he's only three shots out of the top 20, and a 68, or maybe even a 69, would probably do the trick for him.

There are four stages of Q-School in all. The First Stage will continue next week at another five sites (there are four this week), and the last four of the 13 First Stage qualifiers will be played Oct. 22-25. The Second Stage will start at one site Nov. 19-22 and will continue at another four sites Dec. 3-6. Then the Final Stage, Dec. 12-15 at TPC Sawgrass in Ponte Verde, Fla.

The number of PGA Tour cards awarded at the conclusion of the Q-School process has varied over the years. In the old days, 25 players would get PGA Tour status, but there were also recent years when no PGA Tour cards were granted, only status for the next year on what is now the Korn Ferry. (It has also been known as the Ben Hogan Tour and the Nationwide, among other labels.) This year, the top five finishers in the Fiinal Stage of Q-School will gain status for the 2025 PGA Tour, and the rest of the qualifiers for the Final Stage will get varying degrees of status for the Korn Ferry.


PGA TOUR/KORN FERRY Q-SCHOOL
FIRST STAGE (72-hole tournaments)


Maricopa, Ariz.

Ak-Chin Southern Dunes

Par 72, 7,546 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 21 finishers and ties will advance

Third-round results

T4. Ben Warian, Stillwater 66-73-69--208

T42. Andrew Israelson, Staples 74-69-72--215


Lincoln, Neb.

Wilderness Ridge CC

Par 71, 7,107 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 21 and ties will advance

Third-round results

T10. Ben Sigel, Minnetonka 72-64-69--205

T34. Nate Deziel, East Grand Forks 75-67-69--211

T43. Nate Adams, Maple Grove 71-71-71--213

T63. Thomas Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz. 72-74-74--220

WD -- Jack Ebner, Edina


Broken Arrow, Okla.

Indian Springs - River Course

Par 71, 6,917 yards

Oct. 8-11

The top 20 and ties will advance

Third-round results

T6. Caleb VanArragon, Blaine 71-69-67--207

T12. Angus Flanagan, Surey, England 64-75-70--209

T39. Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls 77-71-68--216



PRELIMINARY STAGE (54-hole tournaments)


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 fiinishers and ties advanced

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

Failed to advance

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


Brunswick, Ga.

Brunswidk GC

Par 70, 6,802 yards

Sept. 18-20

The top 33 and ties advanced

T3. Muzzy Donohue, St. Paul 66-67-66--201

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


Newton, Kansas

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