In a big couple of days for siblings, former CU golfer Jeremy Paul lands exempt status on Korn Ferry Tour; ex-Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland also places in top 20 at final stage of Q-school; Jake Staiano, Kyler Dunkle receive conditional KFT status
By Gary Baines – 11/8/2021
A day after his twin brother Yannik earned his European Tour card, fellow former University of Colorado golfer Jeremy Paul secured exempt status for part of the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season on Monday.
By tying for 11th place — out of a field of 149 — at the final stage of KFT Q-school in Savannah, Ga., Jeremy Paul will be exempt for at least the first eight tournaments of the 2022 season.
Also by placing in the 11-40 range on Monday — in his case tied for 19th — former Air Force Academy golfer Kyle Westmoreland likewise will be exempt for at least the first eight KFT events of 2022.
Meanwhile, former CGA Players of the Year Jake Staiano of Englewood and Kyler Dunkle will have conditional status on the Korn Ferry circuit next year after placing outside the top 40 on Monday. Staiano, the 2021 Sinclair Rocky Mountain Open champion, finished 73rd, while Dunkle, the 2018 CGA Amateur winner, ended up 105th.
Paul, who played at CU from 2013-17, competed on the Korn Ferry Tour for much of 2017. Now the 27-year-old German will be playing his first KFT event since that year.
Paul shot a 1-over-par 72 on Monday, leaving him at 5-under 277 overall, nine strokes behind medalist Zack Fischer, who will be exempt for the entire 2022 KFT season. Had Paul finished a stroke or more better — putting him in the top 10 — he would have earned four additional guaranteed starts next season.
As it was, Paul carded four birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey in the final round to place 11th.
Westmoreland, meanwhile, closed with back-to-back 67s in Savannah, leaving him at 279. The former Broomfield resident posted five birdies and two bogeys on Monday.
Staiano, the 2017 CGA Player of the Year, fired a 69 in round 4 to check in at 284. The former Colorado State University golfer carded three birdies and one bogey on Monday.
Dunkle, the 2016 CGA POY, shot a 67 in the final round, making six birdies, a bogey and a double bogey.
Here are the scores for the local competitors in Savannah:
11. Former CU golfer Jeremy Paul 71-65-69-72—277
19. Former Coloradan Kyle Westmoreland 76-69-67-67–279
73. Jake Staiano of Englewood 69-75-71-69–284
105. Former Coloradan Kyler Dunkle 73-71-77-67—288
For all the scores, CLICK HERE.