web.com Q-School: Baker Breezes through 2nd Stage; Polland, Affrunti Both Miss

Chris Baker was in an enviable position at the start of Friday's final round in the Second Stage of web.com Qualifying in Plantation Fla. Having posted a pair of 68's and a 64, he was leading the field of 80 pros, mostly young, who hope to use the web.com as a springboard to the PGA Tour. He could have shot 80 and still earned a spot in the Final Stage, which will be played at PGA National (the Fazio and Champion courses) in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. in three weeks. 

Instead, Baker shot a 9-under-par 62 at Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club and was the medalist by nine strokes. 

So he and the next 23 finishers (the top 21 and ties advanced) will go on to PGA National. Everyone who makes it to the Final Stage will have at least some status on the 2015 web.com Tour.

The goal for all of these guys is to get full status on the web.com and then finish in the top 25 on the money list. That would be worth a promotion to the PGA Tour for the 2016-17 season.

Baker, who turned professional in 2008, gained partial status on the web.com in 2011 (when it was called the Nationwide Tour), but played in only 13 tournaments. He was back out there in 2014, playing in 21 events, and in 2015, playing 15. But he has never finished higher than No. 101 on the money list. Which is why he's back at Q-School again this year.  

The 29-year-old Iowa State graduate got right down to business Friday. He hadn't exactly distinguished himself on the first hole, a 589-yard par-5 that he played in 2 over during the first three rounds (par, double bogey, par), but he birdied it to start his final round. He added three more birdies on the front nine and five on the back on the way to his first bogey-free round of the week.

He concluded 72 holes with an aggregate of 262 (22 under). Charles Wang was a distant second, closing with a 70 to finish at 271. Lucas Kim was another two strokes back at 273, in third place. 

There was one player from Minnesota playing at Plantation. Ben Polland, a 2008 Bloomington Jefferson graduate is now a club pro at a ritzy course in New York. He made news this summer by nearly winning the PGA Professional National (the Club Pro) Championship. But he got off to a less-than-stellar start on Tuesday, opening with a 75. His second round wasn't a lot better, a 73, and even though he played pretty well the last two days (68-70), it wasn't good enough.

His total of 286 was five too many. 

The last of the five Second State tournaments (three last week, two this week) was contested in Beaumont, Calif., at Oak Valley Golf Club.

Jimmy Gunn and Xander Schauffele were the co-medalists with a couple of 275's (13 under), and Brian Campbell shot the best score of the day, a 6-under 66, to claim third at 276. 

It took 285 (five guys tied for 21st at that number) to make it out of Beaumont and into the Final Stage.

Among the casualties was Joe Afrunti, a former Chicago District Amateur champ who was on the University of Minnesota's national championship team in 2002, although he didn't play in the NCAA that year. Affrunti then transferred to Illinois, where he was a regular in the Illini line-up, and after turning pro in 2004, he gradually worked his way up the ladder -- to the Nationwide/web.com and then to the PGA Tour, although his status on the Big Tour was limited (he has never played more than six tournaments in a single season).

Unfortunately, he lost his status on the PGA Tour and the web.com, and he's going to have to wait at least another year to get it back, because he withdrew from the Second Stage of Q-School on Thursday after three rounds (72-73-73--218).  


2015 web.com QUALIFYING


SECOND STAGE

Plantation, Fla.

Nov. 17-20

At Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club

Par 71, 7,290 yards

Top 21 and ties advance (24 in all)

Final results

1. Chris Baker, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.         68-68-64-62--262

2. Charles Wang, Bradenton, Fla.                   70-64-67-70--271

3. Lucas Kim, Canada                                     69-66-68-70--273

T4. Michael Miller, Brewster, N.Y.                    68-70-66-70--274

T4. Ricardo Celia, Colombia                           67-73-66-68--274

What it took: 281 (5-way tie for 20th) 

T37. Ben Polland, Manhasset, N.Y.             75-73-68-70--286


Beaumont, Calif. 

Nov. 17-20

At Oak Valley Golf Club

Par 72, 7,078 yards

Top 21 and ties advance (25 in all)

Final results

T1. Jimmy Gunn, Mesa, Ariz.                       70-68-69-68--275

T1. Xander Schauffele, San Diego               67-69-68-71--275

3. Brian Campbell, Irvine, Calif.                    71-71-67-66--276

4. Denny McCarthy, Rockville, Md.               67-71-71-71--280

What it took: 285 (5-way tie for 21st)

WD -- Joe Affrunti, Crystal Lake, Ill.           72-73-73--218
   

Brooksville, Fla.

Nov. 10-13

At Southern Hills Plantation

Par 72, 7,557 yards

Top 21 and ties advance (22 in all)

Final results

1. Doug Letson, Tampa                                         67-66-64-70--267

2. Mackenzie Hughes, Charlotte, N.C.                 71-65-67-68--271

3. Vince India, Deerfield, Ill.                                  68-68-70-67--273

T4. Clayton Rask, Elk River                                67-68-71-68--274

T4. Russel Surber, Orlando                                   70-68-66-70--274

T4. Jack Maguire, St. Petersburg, Fla.                 68-69-66-71--274

What it took: 280 (5-way tie for 18th)

T23. Donald Constable, Minnetonka                  74-68-70-69--281


Kingwood, Texas

Nov. 10-13

At The Clubs of Kingwood - Deerwood

Par 72, 7,108 yards

Top 21 and ties advance (24 in all)

Final results 

1. Anthony Broussard, Addison, Texas               66-66-70-70--272

2. Jhared Hack, Sanford, Fla.                             68-67-69-73--277

3. Dominic Bozzelli, Pittsford, N.Y.                      68-71-69-71--279

What it took: 285 (5-way tie for 20th place)

T38. Erik Van Rooyen, South Africa                71-68-74-75--288

T22. Thomas Campbell, New Zealand             71-74-68-75--288


McKinney, Texas

At TPC Craig Ranch

Par 72, 7,492 yards

Top 21 and ties advance

Final results  

1. Chris Thompson, Lawrence, Kansas              66-66-62-70--264

2. Adam Crawford, McKinney, Texas                  67-70-65-71--273

T3. Ian Davis, Edmond, Okla.                             69-69-68-68-274

T3. Scott Gutschewski, Elkhorn, Neb.                 68-71-67-68--274

What it took: 281 (5-way tie for 21st)  

T54. Bronson La'Cassie, Austalia                   72-70-73--73--288


FIRST STAGE

Dayton, Nevada

Oct. 20-23

At Dayton Valley Golf Club

Par 72, 7,218 yards

Top 24 and ties advance (26 in all)

Final results

1. Randall Hutchinson, Orlando               72-65-62-70--269

2. Ben Geyer, Arbuckle, Calif.                  69-72-63-67--271

3. Nick Delio, Valencia, Calif.                   71-64-66-72--273

T13. Donald Constable, Minnetonka    74-69-65-72--280

What it took: 284 -- 4-way tie for 23rd

T40. Robert Bell, Pierz                           76-70-72-70--288


Garland, Texas 

At Firewheel @ Garland Bridges - Masters/Champion

Oct. 20-23 

Par 72, 7,027 yards

Top 24 and ties advance (25 in all)

Final results 

1. Phillip Francis, Scottsdale                 69-69-65-67--270

2. Adam Cornelson, Canada                 73-70-64-66--273

T3. Nate McCoy, West Des Moines, Iowa  68-68-69-69--274

T3. Hunter Hamrick, Montgomery, Ala.   71-70-66-67--274

What it took: 282 -- 4-way tie for 22nd

T35. Josh Persons, Fargo                    76-66-71-72--285  


West Palm Beach, Fla.

Oct. 13-16 

At The Beaches - Rees Jones Course

Par 72, 7,104 yards

Top 23 and ties advance (25 in all)

Final results 

1. A.J. Morris, Aspen, Colo.                       71-65-71-66--273

2. Marcelo Rozo, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.  70-68-66-71--275

3. Brad Brunner, Tampa                              72-72-68-65--277

What it took: 285 -- 3-way tie for 23rd  

T34. David Schultz, Fargo                        71-75-70-72--288


Dothan, Ala. 

Oct. 13-16 

Highland Oaks - Magnolia/Highlands

Par 72, 7,591 yards

Top 24 and ties advance (24 in all)

Final results 

1. Chase Parker, Augusta, Ga.                   70-68-72-68--277

2. David Skinns, Suwanee, Ga.                  67-69-70-72--278

3. Scott Strohmeyer, Dadeville. Ala.           71-67-68-73--279

What it took: 287 -- 4-way tie for 21st

T70. Casey Vangsness, Alexandria             77-79-77-81--314


Lantana, Texas 

Oct. 13-16 

Lantana Golf Club

Par 72, 7,147 yards

Top 23 and ties advance (23 in all)

Final results 

1. Jim Knous, Englewood, Colo.    67-65-63-70--265

2. Alex Moon, Dallas                      67-68-67-67--269

3. Zach Cabra, McKinney, Texas   67-68-69-69--273

What it took: 279 -- 5-way tie for 19th 

T52. Chris Meyer, Edina              75-75-66-73--289

T62. Derek Chang, Dallas           70-74-68-80--292



Nebraska City, Neb. 

Oct. 6-9

At Arbor Links

Par 72, 7,190 yards

Top 24 and ties advance (27 in all)

Final results

1. Wil Collins, Albuquerque, N.M.             66-68-68-69--271

2. Seth Fair, Whitestown, Ind.                   68-68-70-66--272

T3. Charlie Winegardner, Lothian, Md.     66-70-70-67--273

T3. David Pastore, Greenwich, Ct.           68-67-69-69--273

T23. Erik Van Rooyen, South Africa      69-77-72-66--284

T23. Thomas Campbell, New Zealand   69-75-70-70--284

What it took: 284 -- 5-way tie for 23rd place

T28. Cam White, Wayzata                       68-68-76-73--285

T62. Jon Trasamar, Blue Earth               74-74-73-77--298

WD -- David Haley, Hilliard, Ohio           76-74--150


Maricopa, Ariz.

Oct. 6-9

At Southern Dunes GC

Par 72, 7,330 yards

Top 23 and ties advance (28 in all) 

Final results 

1. Chris Satterlee, Phoenix                        66-70-67-70--273

T2. Xander Schauffele, San Diego           74-63-70-67--274

T2. Trevor Murphy, Scottsdale                  74-68-65-67--274

What it took: 284 -- 8-way tie for 21st place

T60. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls             69-73-69-83--294

WD -- Rodney Hamblin, St. Paul


PRELIMINARY STAGE 

Lincoln, Neb. 

Sept. 2-4

At Wilderness Ridge GC

Par 71, 7,107 yards

Top 39 and ties advanced (46 in all) 

T1. Cy Stewart, Raleigh, N.C.                  68-70-71--209

T1. Charlie Saxon, Tulsa                         72-67-70--209

T39. Casey Vangsness, Alexandria     75-76-69--220

What it took: 220 -- 8-way tie for 39th place


Woodlands, Calif. 

Sept. 9-11

At Yolo Fliers Club

Par 72, 6,858 yards

Top 31 and ties advanced (38 in all) 

1. Craig McCoy (a), Plano, Texas         66-70-70--206

T2. Justin Kelley (a), Haiku, Hawaii      69-70-68--207

T2. Manau Shah, Bakersfield, Calif.     70-67-70---207   

What it took: 217 -- 5-way tie for 34th

T57. Kyle Scanlon, Stillwater             75-75-74--224