XU PGA Hopefuls

[joe titan]

FIRST Stage of PGA Q-School:

Jason Kokrak advances but Andy Pope does not; Jason shot +2 to advance "on the number" but Andy shot -4 to miss by three shots.

Good Luck to Jason at Second stage

[Masterofreality]

While everyone sees the guys on PGA Tour and consider it a great life, it is incredibly hard and competitive to get there and about as tough to stay there.

I'm always amused at people who diss players who don't make the top 125 to stay exempt on the big Tour- as if they have totally lost their game. There are, literally, about 300 players in the entire world between the PGA, Nationwide and European tour who actually make enough money in a year to cover expenses. That is out of an entire world golfing population of 60 million.

Good luck to Jason. Hope he makes it.

[joe titan]

You are right, MOR. and my intent was mostly to alert hoopsters to status rather than incite any hopefulness. The list of very notable players who did not advance beyond first stage is quite telling to your point. Just to cite an example Sam Saunders did not advance.

Additionally the pressure at these events is suicidal and only mounts from first stage to second to finals. A good reasonable goal for Jason is simply make final stage, then perhaps play well enough to secure Nationwide Tour status for 2011.

Take dead aim, Jason.

[94GRAD]

This is how Jason did on the EGolf tour in NC this year. Not to shabby.

http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel10/profile/jkokrak3/tresults.htm?

[dubbledxu]

Jason Kokrak advanced to the Final Stage of PGA Q school. Finished T6 in the Murietta, CA location.
Jason Kokrak Scorecard
(http://pgatq.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/pgatq10/event/pgatq1023/contest/1/contestant/4136/scorecard.htm)

Final Stage is Dec 1-6 in FL. Top 25 earn full status on PGA tour. 26-50 earn full status on Nationwide tour. 51-156 earn partial status on nationwide tour.

[chico]

If anyone wants to see just what these guys go through, I highly suggest reading John Feinstein's "Tales from Q School." Great book with isight into just how hard it is to get through Q school.

God luck to Jason.

[GoMuskies]

Looks like he really took the pressure off himself (to the extent that is possible in this event) with that first round 67.

[dubbledxu]

here is the link if anyone wants to follow Jason's progress @ the final stage of Q school this week
http://www.pgatour.com/players/03/09/44/scorecards/2010/r088.html

[GoMuskies]

Thanks for the link. Not a good start for Jason (+2 through 8), but he's got time to make it up. Anyone have a sense of what a player generally needs to shoot over the course of Q school to get your PGA Tour Card? You Nationwide Tour Card?

[joe titan]

Oops: Jason posted 79 in first round T161; they're playing Orange County National in Orlando for those familiar with the 2 courses. the 79 was on Panther Lake course. Still time to make up ground but really needs to go low now.

[dubbledxu]

-2 while making the turn today. not a bad way to settle down and start making up ground

[GoMuskies]

Yeah, he's catapulted himself from last all the way up to a tie for 139th!

Given that it's a six-day event, you never know. Would be one helluva story to go from last after day one to getting your Tour Card. I'm sure he'd settle for Nationwide Tour at this point.

[94GRAD]

Not that it's the same, but one of my partners at Dana's is Caddying for Ryan Armour. They were -1, tied for 25th after the first round. Cheer for them as well.

[Masterofreality]

Jason Kokrak shot a 2 under today, but he's still 6 over and tied for 137th.

By getting to the final stage, however, he will have some conditional status on the Nationwide Tour next year. How many events he can get in will depend on applicants but chances are, he'll be able to play in a number of them- usually around 15-20 if he so chooses. He won't have to Monday qualify.

3 rounds to go. GO LOW Jason!

[joe titan]

After 54-- T-48 is 2 under (top 50 = Nationwide status) so Jason is just 8 shots behind w/ 54 holes to go; very doable

[GoMuskies]

Kokrak is 2 under through 17 today and 4 over through the 5 rounds (almost). He's obviously not getting a PGA or Nationwide card this weekend (unless he shoots in the 50s tomorrow), but it's a fine performance by him to rebound from that terrible opening round that had him in last.

He'll still have some status on the Nationwide Tour next year, so hopefully he will take advantage and have a breakthrough year.

[Masterofreality]

Jason finished tied for 137th at 6 over. He'll have conditional status on the Nationwide Tour next year so he'll get in some events.

All it takes is a couple of hot weeks to establish yourself. Golf is funny like that.

Good luck JK.

[dubbledxu]

Anyone have an update to where our xu golf alums may be teeing it up this year?

[joe titan]

I believe Jason teed it up on PGA Tour Transitions (or at least recent PGA event) but not sure if it was Monday qualifying or sponsor invite to allow him to play. I also think he has only conditional status on Nationwide and otherwise tries to play those events as much as possible; otherwise he defends his money title on EGolf tour.

[94GRAD]

I believe Jason teed it up on PGA Tour Transitions (or at least recent PGA event) but not sure if it was Monday qualifying or sponsor invite to allow him to play. I also think he has only conditional status on Nationwide and otherwise tries to play those events as much as possible; otherwise he defends his money title on EGolf tour.

Jason Monday qualified for that event and yes he has conditional status on the Nationwide. Andy Pope is playing on the Hooter's Tour.

[TPH2011]

Jason Monday qualified for that event and yes he has conditional status on the Nationwide. Andy Pope is playing on the Hooter's Tour.

Shhh. Don't tell John Daly about the Hooter's Tour

[BBC 08]

Just checked and it looks like Jason missed the cut by 5 strokes for Transitions.

[BBC 08]

A friend of mine posted this article on facebook about Jason. Looks like he won another eGolf event: http://www.egolfprofessionaltour.com/kokrak-stares-down-mother-nature-to-collect-third-career-egolf-tour-title