Jason Kokrak wins again

[94GRAD]

He won in his first ETour event last week. This win gets him into the Nationwide event this week in Valdosta. Good luck Jason.

http://tarheel.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/tarheel11/event/tarheel114/contest/1/leaderboard.htm

[joe titan]

Jason is by far the most consistent player on EGolf Tour; he needs sponsor invites to Nationwide events (ie Chiquita & Columbus). His good play is just in time for another US Open qualifying run.

Take Dead Aim Jason

[PMI]

Good luck to Jason. He's a SICK golfer and a great guy to boot. I'm excited he's having success and hope he can keep building on it.

[GoMuskies]

he needs sponsor invites to Nationwide events (ie Chiquita & Columbus)

I thought he was a member of the Nationwide Tour just by making the final stage at Q school. Not a full member, but I thought he had the ability to play some events.

Wasn't Chris Kirk playing these eGolf events a couple years ago? I've seen his name near the top of the leaderboard quite a few times in PGA events this year. Hopefully Kokrak will be there soon.

[Masterofreality]

I thought he was a member of the Nationwide Tour just by making the final stage at Q school. Not a full member, but I thought he had the ability to play some events.

Wasn't Chris Kirk playing these eGolf events a couple years ago? I've seen his name near the top of the leaderboard quite a few times in PGA events this year. Hopefully Kokrak will be there soon.

Jason has "Conditional Status" on the Nationwide Tour which you get when you make the finals of Q school. To recieve full status, you have to finish in the correct ranking in the Final Tournament.

Conditional means that he's eligible to play in a Nationwide Tournament, but that there have to be at least one of a number of things happen for him to get in the field- A) A sponsor exemption, B) Enough players who ranked ahead of him skipping that particular week's tournament, C) Having a very high finish in the event a week prior to the next event. He is at the lowest rung of eligibility so he's gotta get a break or two to play then take full advantage when he gets the shot.

Playing pro golf certainly seems glamorous and the guys on TV on the Big Tour certainly project that, but there are a lot of guys toiling in anonyminity with no TV or any gallery trying to hone their craft. If you don't finish in basically the Top 125 of the Big Tour or the Top 75 of the Euro Tour, you've got to work to make enough to earn a living after all your expenses. The difference between the guys who make it and those who don't is razor thin- maybe one missed putt a round and that's what keeps guys chasing the dream.

There are many thousands of guys who are excellent players who never can get over the hump. That's why I always laugh when some clueless commenatator talks about a guy like Ben Curtis as "having a horrible year" because he's 103 on the money list. Uh, 103 on the full year money list wins you about $800,000 and keeps you exempt. There are plenty of guys who would kill for that.

[dubbledxu]

The south Georgia Classic in Voldosta is actually next weekend april 28 - may 1. I went looking for his progress this morning. This is the same tournament John Smoltz will be playing, but hopefully Jason can put up a good performance.

http://www.southgeorgiaclassic.com/index.html

[stophorseabuse]

I pass the Valdosta course every morning on my way to work. Certainly not PGA tour glamour. Most of the Golfers are staying in little motels off the interstate, throwing their clubs in the back of their pickup as the chase down a contiental breakfast donut with a styrofoam cup of coffee. The event's parking is in a hay field. and you get shuttled to the course in a wagon pulled by 4 wheelers.

Otherwise, the course itself is very nice. I have played it a couple of times. I suck ass at golf, but enjoy the scenery and competing with myself.

[GoMuskies]

Well, the minors aren't supposed to be as glamorous as the big leagues. But the top Nationwide guys actually make a lot of money, so it's not all bad.

Hopefully Jason can beat John Smoltz.

[Masterofreality]

Well, the minors aren't supposed to be as glamorous as the big leagues. But the top Nationwide guys actually make a lot of money, so it's not all bad.

Hopefully Jason can beat John Smoltz.

Well it's just by comparison.

The top guy on the Nationwide Tour last year was this:

Jamie Lovemark (20 events) $419,969

That would have placed Lovemark 156 on the PGA Tour list- not even conditionally exempt if he only was on the Big Tour. He would have gone back to Q school except that the Top 25 on the Nationwide automatically receive a PGA Tour card- but NOT guaranteed Tournament entry.

$419,000 isn't all that much when you consider the travelling expenses, the entry fees and having to pay back sponsors, if you have any. You could probably make a living, but you wouldn't have a house at Lake Nona.

[Masterofreality]

By the way. $419,000 isn't much more than the MLB minimum salary- and that is all guaranteed money to a baseball player.

Nothing much is guaranteed to a pro golfer until you get to the Top 50- Top 75. You have to earn almost every freaking penny, then pay your own expenses too.

[xeus]

Nothing much is guaranteed to a pro golfer until you get to the Top 50- Top 75. You have to earn almost every freaking penny, then pay your own expenses too.

Those guys need a strong union! Nothing guaranteed??? Their rights are being violated! (Sorry, wrong thread?)

[GoMuskies]

Shcokingly Kokrak's round has been delayed by inclement weather in the Southeast (Valdosta). He tees off at the same time as John Smoltz, but they're not playing together (Kokrak is going off #1 and Smoltz off #10).

[Masterofreality]

Unfortunately, Jason missed the cut in Valdosta by one shot. He was 1 over and the cut was even par.

By the way. John Smoltz shot 84, 87 and missed the cut by a mile. As with Jerry Rice and Micheal Jordan, they found out how tough it is to make a living out on the road of golf.

Golf is witchcraft. Answers are sometimes easy, but mostly a frustrating search.

[joe titan]

MOR: Looking at Jason's card for round 2, he had 3 straight bogeys (holes 7-9); I could not determine for sure if those were his 3 finishing holes which would be a pretty good "gag" reflex. He had started off #1 on Thursday which would translate to finishing Friday on #9. Regardless, he had a real chance to make the cut in a very strong field event so he may have gained some valuable experience. The weather delay and necessary re-scheduling was not a good formula, but let him see several more Nationwide starts to gauge his performance at the next level. As you often state, the line is very long and thin to distinguish between pro golf stars and wannabees.

[dubbledxu]

Kokrak won again, marking his 2nd win on the EGolf Tour this year.

http://www.egolfprofessionaltour.com/kokrak-collects-fourth-career-egolf-tour-title-with-runaway-victory-at-pine-needles

[Masterofreality]

Kokrak won again, marking his 2nd win on the EGolf Tour this year.

http://www.egolfprofessionaltour.com/kokrak-collects-fourth-career-egolf-tour-title-with-runaway-victory-at-pine-needles

Well, he's making expenses and a bit more.

It is time for him to move up. Just SO competitive out there, though.

[joe titan]

Keeping your head above water financially is very important b/c the depth of competition, but IMO the best thing is Jason is learning how to WIN tournaments, not simply play well enough to cash a check.

Whatever Jason needs to make sponsors of Oh & Western PA Nationwide stops grant him entries will be major steps.

[GoMuskies]

Kokrak is a bum. He only managed second place last week on the eGolf Tour's River Hills Classic. So far on the year he has two wins and a second in three starts on the tour. He's clearly no good.

[GoMuskies]

Kokrak is in the Nationwide Tour field in Raleigh this weekend. The way he's been playing lately, I'd say he's got a pretty good shot to make a splash.

[GoMuskies]

Kokrak's in the clubhouse at -3 after two rounds in Raleigh. He's tied for 25th and two shots ahead of the projected cut, so he'll be staying the weekend there.

[joe titan]

Sorry GO, but he stands T35 after 2 rounds lost 10 places from being T 25 after 18 holes; Saturday is moving day so needs to make up a few shots. He was ranked 2nd in driving distance at 350 yds. Most Nationwide events are birdie-fests so if you are stacking up pars, you are being passed.

[GoMuskies]

Making the cut in a Nationwide event is a big step, no matter how he finishes (though top 10 would obviously be best). Playing with Ty Tryon today. That's kind of interesting.

[Masterofreality]

Jason shot 2under today and is in the clubhouse at 5 under- tied for 27th after three rounds. Aim and fire tomorrow J!

[dubbledxu]

JK shot 71 today to finish at 279 good enough to T-34. T34 on nationwide earned him a whopping $2600. Glad to see he made the cut and finish in the top half of the field. Hopefully he can get a few more starts there and make some noise.

[GoMuskies]

Kokrak got it to 3 under on the day (8 under overall) on the front, but he couldn't hold it. -8 would have got him a tie for 25th which, I think, would have won him a spot in Wichita's event next weekend (I could be wrong, but I think the top 25 in any event automatically qualify for the next event).