A Year Later, Miller Makes It through Q-School Pre-Qualifying

September 11, 2019 | 4 min.



In 2018, Ross Miller won the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am in June, and in July he nearly won the Minnesota State Open, finishing second to Andrew McCain. A few weeks after that, he had his only really bad tournament of the year at the wrong time, as he shot 224 (74-78-72) at Wilderness Ridge in Lincoln, Neb., in the Pre-Qualifying Stage of what was then the Web.com Tour Q-School. He bounced back in late September, going wire to wire and winning the Minnesota Golf Champions. 

This year, Miller made amends for that one poor performance last year, posting a 54-hole total of 212 at Wilderness in the Pre-Qualifying of what is now the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School. That was good for a ninth-place finish, and the 26-year-old former Minnesota State (Mankato) star will advance to the First Stage of Q-School, which will be played at various sites, beginning Sept. 24. His ultimate goal for this year is to make it to -- and through -- the Final Stage, Dec. 12-15 in Winter Garden, Fla. (In all, there are four stages of Korn Ferry Q-School -- Pre-Qualifying, then First, Second and Final.) 

Daniel Wetterich, an amateur from Cincinnati, was the medalist in Lincoln. (If he doesn't earn a spot on the 2020 Korn Ferry Tour, he can retain his amateur status.) He shot 207 and finished two strokes ahead of runner-up Luke Gannon. After 36 holes, Wetterich led with an aggregate of 137 (70-67), and Gannon was one behind. Miller was tied for third, two back at 139 (70-69) on a crowded leader board. Wetterich then closed the deal with a 1-under-par 70, and Gannon held on to second with a 71. But Miller's 73 cost him six places in the final standings. 

Also making it out of Lincoln and into the First Stage was Dave Schultz, 36, a former North Dakota state high school champion from Fargo and the winner of the 2002 Pine to Palm. An honorable mention All-American at TCU, he made it onto the Nationwide Tour (which became the Web.com Tour in 2012, and then turned into the Korn Ferry Tour this summer) and finished 34th on the Nationwide money list in 2009. In other words, he missed moving up to the PGA Tour that year by nine places, because the top 25 from the Nationwide/Web.com/Korn Ferry money list gain PGA Tour status for the next season.

Shultz eventually gave up life as a tournament player, and he has been the head pro and general manager at the Maple River Golf Club for the last three years. But he decided to take one last shot a tournament golf this summer, and he squeaked through Pre-Qualifying with a 218 (71-75-72) at Wilderness. Forty-one players advanced, and it took an overall score of 219 to make it.  


KORN FERRY (FORMERLY WEB.COM) TOUR Q-SCHOOL 

Pre-Qualifying 

Lincoln, Neb. 

At Wilderness Ridge

Par 71

Final results (the top 41 players advance to the First Stage of Q-School, which will begin Sept. 24)


1. Daniel Wetterich (A), Cincinnati                     70-67-70--207

2. Luke Gannon, Bel Aire, Kansas                  70-68-71--209

T3. Mitchell Mather, Lebannon, Md.                74-68-68--210

T3. Ryan Schmitz, Greenwood Village, Colo.  70-69-71--210

T9. Ross Miller, Osseo                                   70-69-73--212

T34. Dave Schultz, Fargo                               71-75-72--218

What it took: 219 (4-way tie for 38th)

 

Woodland, Calif. 

At Yolo Fliers Club

Par 72

Final results (the top 41 advance)


T1. David Kim, Buena Park, Calif.                    67-63-68--198

T1. Brady Calkins, Chehalis, Wash.                  64-66-68--198

3. Colton Yates, Scottsdale, Ariz.                     68-69-66--203

T7. Jack Elliott, Fargo                                    67-68-71--206

What it took: 216 (4-way tie for 38th) 


Lantana, Texas

At Lantana GC

Par 72

Final results (the top 39 advance)


1. Ian Snyman, Denton, Texas                           64-69-67--200

T2. Blake Caldwell, Ponchatoula, La.                 64-72-69--205

T2. Garrett May, Texarkana, Texas                    69-65-71--205

What it took: 219 (3-way tie for 37th) 

WD -- Rodney Hamblin, St. Paul                       75-74--149





  

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