web.com Tour Pre-Qualifying: 3 Ex-Gophers, Polland & Hamblin Advance

By Mike Fermoyle (mikefermoyle@gmail.com) 

Jon Trasamar, who completed his eligibility with the University of Minnesota golf team this spring and then turned professional, took his first step toward the PGA Tour this week, along with two other former Gophers, as they advanced through web.com Tour Pre-Qualifying in Dallas.

This is the first of the four stages that make up the new version of Q-School. There is no longer a direct route to the PGA Tour. Instead, those who aspire to the Big Tour must go through Q-School to get onto the web.com Tour, and then go from there to the PGA Tour. Tom Hoge, the former Minnesota State Amateur champion from Fargo, has done precisely that this year. He was 65th on the money list during the regular season, but then two weeks ago he tied for third at the Chiquita Classic, the second tournament of the web-com Finals. The $68,000 he earned for that put him well into the web.com top 50 and is, therefore, more than enough to earn him a spot on the 2014-15 PGA Tour, which will begin in a couple of weeks. 

As for the Pre-Qualifying in Dallas, Trasamar got off to a great start with a 4-under 66 in the opening round at The Golf Club of Dallas. He followed it with a 70 and was able to survive six bogeys and a 74 in the final round. His 54-hole total of 210 put him in a tie for 18th, and he was easily among the 41 players who advanced. A cumulative score of 214 was required.

Firrst Stage Qualifying will begin Oct. 7 at various sites and conclude Oct. 24. 

The two other former Gophers who advanced along with Trasamar from Dallas were Derek Chang and David Haley. Chang bounced back from a first-round 74 with a 65 in the second anc secured his spot in the First Stage with a 73, for a 212, which got him through with two strokes to spare.

Haley cut it a little closer, with a 213 (72-71-70).

Roughly 200 miles south of Dallas, at another Pre-Qualifying, this one at Cypresswood GC in Spring, Texas, Rodney Hamblin eagled the 18th hole of the second -- and final -- round to secure his spot in the next stage.

The 2001 Minnesota State Junior Boys champion shot 70-71--141 (3 under) and made it with two strokes to spare. He eagled the 546-yard 18th hole at Cypresswood, and that was the difference between being on the bubble and tying for 18th place.

Weather was a major issue, and the event had to be reduced from 54 to 36 holes.

There were 36 spots available, and the cut was a clean one, because seven players tied for 30th at 143.   

Ben Polland, who made a run at a state Class AAA high school championship in 2008, his senior year at Bloomington Jefferson (he wound up finishing eighth), made it through Pre-Qualifying at Florence Country Club in Florence, S.C. The former Campbell Unviersity star's second-round 65 (5 under) gave him enough of a cushion so that he was able to shoot 77 in the third round and still end up at even par, 210. That was four under the Magic Number, which was the same as it was in Dallas -- 214.

Forty-four and ties (45 in all) made out of Florence. 

The Final Stage of web-com Q-School will be played at PGA National -- the Fazio and Champion courses -- in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., in December.  

web.com TOUR 

Pre-Qualifying (at various sites) 

Dallas

At The Golf Club of Dallas

Par 70, 6,719 yards

Final results (top 41 and ties advance -- 41 in all) 

T1. Logan McCracken, Oklahoma City       70-68-64--202

T1. Chris Worrell, Jenks, Okla.                  70-68-64--202

T1. Ian Davis, Edmond, Okla.                    66-70-66--202

T1. Matthew McMahon, Canada                 68-67-67--202

T1. Case Cochran, Dallas                          68-68-66--202

T18. Jon Trasamar, Blue Earth                 66-70-74--210

T29. Derek Chang, Dallas                         74-65-73--212

T33. David Haley, Hilliard, Ohio               72-71-70--213

What it took -- 214 (4-way tie for 38th)

T66. Eric Johnson, Elk River                   74-83-75--232


Spring, Texas

At Cypresswood Golf Club

Par 72, 7,222 yards

Final results (top 36 and ties advance -- 36 in all) 

1. Tyler Gann, Tombali, Texas                68-66--134

2. Charlie Delsman, Colgate, Wis.           68-69--137

T3. Barrett Edens, Okolona, Miss.          73-65--138

T3. Chase Barnes, Houston                   69-69--138

T3. David Lee, Houston                         67-71--138

T3. Curtis Reed, Castroville, Texas        67-71--138

T18. Rodney Hamblin, White Bear      70-71--143

What it took -- 143 (7-way tie for 30th)

Nick Olsgaard, Moorhead                   79-WD


Florence, S.C. 

At Florence Country Club

Par 70, 6,429 yards

Final results (top 44 and ties advance -- 45 in all)

1. Daniel Stanley, Spartanburg, S.C.            65-65-66--196

T2. Mike Moyers, Standardsville, Va.          65-69-69--203

T2. Eric Cole, Tequesta, Fla.                      65-68-70--203

T23. Ben Polland, Bloomington               68-65-77--210

What it took -- 214 (4-way tie for 42nd)

T46. Kelly Kretz, Eau Claire                     69-74-72--215