First Stage Recap Edition 2

California

Course- Bear Creek

Par- 72

Yards- 7188

Slope- 143

Rating- 75,1

Medalist

Adam Navigato and Riley Elmes

Notable names to get through

Jared Sawada- Sawada made four cuts in 16 events this season on the KFT and looks to reclaim his status via Q-school

Paul Imondi- The long-time grinder held KFT status in 2019 and looks to get back

Tain (MF'ing) Lee- Lee had injury troubles this year on KFT and will have a medical exemption for next year but looks to improve his status via Q-school

Mark Anguiano- I once called him the best player without status, but after losing KFT status last year, he stopped playing and is currently still working full time as a teaching pro at an indoor facility.

Charles Porter- I have highlighted Porter's great story a few times on twitter. He grew up in a family of seven kids and at times the family struggled for basic needs.

Notable misses

Brady Calkins- The mini-tour legend held KFT status last season but struggled and those struggles continued at Q-school.

Dodge Kemmer- The former Stanford Cardinal has played mostly on the Asian Tour of late but struggled back in California missing by four.

RJ Manke- Manke made five of 19 cuts this season on the KFT, finishing 134th on the points list.

Clutch Performance

Alex Chiarella- Sitting well outside the number to start the final round Chiarella ripped off five straight birdies to open the round and hung on to shoot a final round 67 and make it in on the number.

Heartbreak

Alex Lee- It doesn't get much more heartbreaking than this. Lee was well inside the number with seven holes to play but doubled the 13th. He then bogeyed four of the last six holes for a final round 74 that left him one outside of the number need to get through.

Leaderboard

Florida

Course- The Falls Club

Par- 71

Yards- 6735

Slope- 139

Rating- 73.5

Medalist

Jimmy Hervol- Hervol shot back to back 64's in the final two rounds to finish at 23-under

Notable names to get through

Dylan Meyer- The former Illini standout has played really well on the mini-tour grind this year, so it was no surprise to see him get through

Kristoffer Ventura- It is wild to see the two-time KFT winner back at first stage but Ventura finished 87th in KFT points this season and looks to improve his conditional status via Q-school

Matt Hill- The Canadian holds an NCAA record for most wins in a season with Tiger Woods. Although the pro game has been a grind for Hill, there is no doubt he has the talent to get it done

Bryson Nimmer- The former Clemson standout finished 141st in KFT points this season.

Bo Hoag- The veteran Hoag has played nearly 100 KFT events and almost 80 PGA Tour events but made just eight of 21 cuts this season on KFT.

Notable misses

Beau Titsworth- The best name in golf played very solidly but his 10-under was one short of getting through

Jack Sparrow- Continuing with the all-name theme Sparrow, the former University of Indiana standout, finished at five-under, six short of getting through.

Albin Choi- One of my favorite people in golf, Choi had a decorated college career but has yet to find his footing at the pro level.

Clutch Performance

Cal Hoskins- Hoskins was eight outside the number to start the day and made three bogeys in his final round, which would make you think he had no chance of getting through. However, Hoskins also made 11 birdies and an eagle to shoot a final round 61 and get through on the number.

Nathan Cogswell- Although overshadowed a bit by Hoskins final round, Cogswell had his own miraculous finish to his final round. Standing on fifteen tee Cogswell was four outside the number and proceeded to birdie the final four to get through on the number.

Heartbreak

Kyle Sterbinsky- The Wake Forest alum opened with a 62 to lead but played the final three rounds in one-under total to miss by one stroke.

Leaderboard

Mississippi

Course- Randy Watkins- Lake Caroline

Par- 70

Yards- 6835

Slope- 124

Rating- 73.3

Medalist

Zander Winston- His 23-under total included a final round 60.

Notable names to get through

Ryan Hall- The former South Carolina standout is a name to watch. Hall had a stellar amateur career and has played solidly in the few KFT starts he has earned.

Austen Truslow- Known for his one-handed chipping Truslow has battled injuries for the last two years. Finally healthy he qualified for the U.S. Open this year.

Michael Arnaud- The 42-year-old has one career KFT win in his 128 career starts and looks to regain full status.

Alex Rocha- There aren't many tours in the world that the 46-year-old Brazilian hasn't played. The long-time grinder owns two LatinoAmerican Tour wins, has played 51 PGA Tour events, and 124 KFT starts.

Notable misses

Jay McLuen- One of the best stories in golf. McLuen nearly died after going into cardiac arrest while watching TV with his young son. He was revived in the ambulance twice and Monday Q'd for the Sanderson Farms Open just 18 months later.

Stephen Stallings- The former University of Kentucky standout has played really well in his limited PGA Tour starts but struggled this week.

Michael Visacki- "Big Mike" became known to most golf fans after Monday Qualifying for the Valspar Championship in 2021 and getting a check from Justin Thomas to help his continue his career.

Clutch Performance

Matias Dominguez- A seven birdie, one bogey final round 64 was good enough to get through to second stage on the number.

‍Heartbreak

Greyson Huff- After making birdie on the 15th and 16th hole to get comfortable inside the number, Huff finished double bogey-bogey to miss by one.

Leaderboard

New Mexico

Course- University of New Mexico Golf Club

Par- 71

Yards- 7555

Slope- 134

Rating- 75.2

Medalist

Matthew Walker- Walker lost his best friend and father while he was in college and then had kidney failure and needed a transplant, which he got from his mother.

Notable names to get through

Corey Pereira- Pereira basically stopped playing professionally over the last year to take care of his girlfriend who is battling cancer. He did however qualify for the U.S. Open at LACC last year and looks to regain KFT status for 2024

Jared du Toit- The talented Canadian, who as an amateur in 2016, headed into the final round of the Canadian Open just one back of leader Brandt Snedeker looks to gain status on either the KFT or PGA Tour.

Ryan Ruffels- Ruffels lost his KFT status after the 2022 season and looks to get back via Q-school. His sister Gabi had three Epson Tour wins this season and will be a LPGA member in 2024

Joe Neuheisel- The son of former college football coach Rick Neuheisel, Joe struggle the final day, but his final-round 74 was good enough to get through on the number.

Berk Harvey- One of my followers nicknamed him Berkules after he shot 62 in the WM Pre-Q, Harvey snuck through on the number

‍Notable misses

James Hart du Preez- The nearly 7-foot tall South African is considered one of the longest drivers in the world. He shot 5-under on the final nine but fell one short.

Bryan Bigley- Bigley has 77 career KFT starts and was looking to get back for the first time since 2019.

Joel Thelen- Thelen made 9 of 21 cuts this season on the KFT and finished 154th in points

Derek Gillespie- The Canadian legend and Big Break winner WD after struggling the first three days. Gillespie turned pro 23 years ago and of late has been caddying on the PGA Tour for Ricky Barnes

Clutch Performance

John Oda- The forrmer UNLV standout has 58 career KFT events but none in nearly three years needed to birdie the final two holes to have any chance to get through. He did and then had an excruciating wait to finish in a six-way tie for the final qualifying spot

Heartbreak

Charlie Saxon- Saxon has battled injuries for the years but has recently said he was healthy and won an All Pro event earlier this year. Saxon made two double bogeys in the closing nine to finish two outside the number.

Leaderboard

Texas

Course- Rockwell Golf and Athletic Club

Par- 72

Yards- 7414

Slope- 133

Rating- 75.8

Medalist

Luke Long- A final round 63 gave Long a 21-under total to win by SEVEN.

Notable names to get through

Dawson Armstrong- Armstrong struggled this year on the KFT making just five of 23 cuts and looks to regain status via Q-school.

George Cunningham- The University of Arizona alum has 87 career starts on the KFT but lost his status after the 2022 season.

Theo Humphrey- Humphrey had full status from 2020-2022 on the KFT but lost it at the end of 2022.

Fred Wedel- Wedel played two KFT events this season making one cut and looks to get back to final stage after doing so the last two seasons.

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Notable misses

Jordan Hahn- The 6'9" Hahn shot a final round 68 but fell just one stroke short of getting through to second stage.

Cameron Sisk- The former Arizona State star finished 35th on the Canadian Tour points list. A second round 75 was too much to overcome and despite a final round 68, Sisk missed by two

Clutch Performance

Braden Bailey- The former Baylor Bear birdied four of the final five holes to shoot a final round 67 and get through by two.

Heartbreak

Matt Gilchrest and Conrad Shindler- Both Gilchrest and Shindler bogeyed the par-five 18th to miss by one. The hole was playing nearly a half a stroke under par for the week.

Leaderboard

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