Johnson Wins Individual Title, and NDSU Wins the Team at Torrey Pines
March 27, 2024
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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