All 6 Coloradans competing in the first week of pre-qualifying tournaments advance to first stage of new-look PGA Tour Q-school
By Gary Baines – 9/15/2023
So far, so good for the Colorado contingent at PGA Tour Q-school presented by the Korn Ferry Tour.
In the first tournaments of the new-look Q-school that eventually will result in at least five players earning 2024 PGA Tour cards, all six Coloradans, plus a former University of Denver golfer from out of state, advanced from pre-qualifying to the first stage.
Making the grade on Friday were former CGA Player of the Year Davis Bryant of Aurora, Roberto Lebrija of Edwards and Cal McCoy of Highlands Ranch in the Palm Desert, Calif., pre-qualifier. And former DU golfer Carson Griggs, along with Cole Howard of Colorado Springs, Ben Lanting of Castle Rock and Tyler Severin of Johnstown advanced from the pre-qualifier in Newton, Kan.
Bryant finished 20th, Lebrija 22nd and McCoy 26th in Palm Desert, where the top 39 finishers and ties advanced. In Kansas, where the first 23 and ties moved on, Griggs placed fourth, Howard eighth, Lanting 12th and Severin 16th.
Five more pre-qualifying tournaments are planned for later this month after three concluded on Friday.
Thirteen 72-hole first-stage tournaments are set for Oct. 10-27. Five 72-hole second-stage events are scheduled for Nov. 14-Dec 1. And the final stage is planned for TPC Sawgrass and Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach Dec. 14-17.
At that final stage, the top five finishers and ties will land 2024 PGA Tour cards. Spots on other tours, including the Korn Ferry circuit, are also at stake during this Q-school.
PRE-QUALIFYING RESULTS
SEPT. 13-15
Palm Desert, Calif. (Top 39 and Ties Advance to First Stage)
20. Davis Bryant, Aurora 73-69-72–214
22. Roberto Lebrija, Edwards 72-71-72—215
26. Cal McCoy, Highlands Ranch 73-70-73—216
Newton, Kan. (Top 23 and Ties Advance to First Stage)
4. Former DU golfer Carson Griggs 76-67-67—210
8. Cole Howard, Colorado Springs 74-69-70–213
12. Ben Lanting, Castle Rock 73-70-72–215
16. Tyler Severin, Johnstown 77-70-70–217
For all the scores from this week at pre-qualifying, click on the following: PALM DESERT, CALIF.; NEWTON, KAN.
About the Writer: Gary Baines has covered golf in Colorado continuously since 1983. He was a sports writer at the Daily Camera newspaper in Boulder, then the sports editor there, and has written regularly for ColoradoGolf.org since 2009. He was inducted into the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2022. He owns and operates ColoradoGolfJournal.com