Weiss & Byrd Are 1-2 in 2nd Stage Korn Ferry Tournament; Holmgren Misses by 1

BROOKSVILLE, Fla. -- Alex Weiss made only one bogey and one double during the first three rounds of the Korn Ferry 2nd Stage Q-School tournament at Southern Hills Plantation. As a result, he led the field by two shots. In the fourth round, however, he followed a first-hole birdie with consecutive bogeys on the second and third holes. Those bogeys turned out not to be early warning signs of an impending collapse. They proved to be merely a couple of outliers, and Weiss birdied seven of the last 15 holes Friday on the way to a 6-under-par 66.

That gave him a 72-hole total of 268 (20 under) -- and a three-stroke victory. 

As a result, the 25-year-old Marshall University graduate will advance, along with 21 others from Brooksville, to the Final Stage of the 2021 Q-School, which will be played Nov. 4-7 at The Landings Club Marsh course in Savannah, Ga. 

This was the second victory in two months for Weiss, who won the Colorado State Open in August. He won the Ohio State Open last year, but has played mainly on the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica since 2019. During that time, he has had four top-10's in 19 starts, including a runner-up finish in 2019. 

Finishing second at Brooksville was Jonathan Byrd, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour. Byrd, 43, may be best remembered for winning the 2010 Shriners Hospital for Children Open with a hole in one on the fourth hole of a playoff with Martin Laird and Cameron Piercy.

Byrd made one bogey in each of the first three rounds, and none in the fourth. While he was at it, he made 18 birdies and an eagle on the 7,531-yard Southern Hills Plantation course. He closed with a 67 on Friday, which put him at 271. Although he played in 15 PGA Tour events in 2021, Byrd wasn't able to crack the top 200 in the final FedExCup standings, and  therefore didn't earn a place in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. That would have given him another chance to regain his PGA Tour status. Those who end up from No. 125 to 200 on the FedExCup standings are eligible to play in the Korn Ferry Finals. 

Michael Johnson, 28, was another stroke behind Byrd, in third place at 272, after a final-round 67. Erik Compton, who has had two heart transplants -- and tied for second in the 2014 U.S. Open -- closed with a 68 and was part of a three-way tie for fourth, along with Brett White and Daniel Wetterich. White shot 65 on Friday, matching the day's low round. Wetterich had a 68.

Van Holmgren, the former Minnesota State Amateur champion who finished in the top three each of the last three years  (1st in 2018, T2nd in '19, T3rd in '20), shot a final-round 69, making four birdies in his last eight holes, but he bogeyed the 483-yard, par-4 18th, and that cost him a place in the Final Stage. The top 19 and ties advanced, and there was a six-way tie for 17th place at 279. So that was the Magic Number. Holmgren ended up at 280, in a three-way tie for 23rd. 

There will be four more 2nd Stage Q-School tournaments next week.

KORN FERRY Q-SCHOOL 

2nd Stage

At Brooksville, Fla. 

Southern Hills Plantation

7,531 yards -- Par 72

Final results (top 19 and ties advance -- 22 in all)

1. Alex Weiss, Pickerington, Ohio                  69-67-66-66--268

2. Jonathan Byrd, Saint Simons Island, Ga.  67-68--69-67--271

3. Michael Johnson, Birmingham, Ala.           69-69-67-67--272

T4. Brett White, Houston                                66-70-72-65--273

T4. Erik Compton, Miami                                70-70-65-68--273

T4. Daniel Wetterich, Cincinnati                      69-69-67-68--273

What it took -- 279 (6-way tie for 17th)

T23. Van Holmgren, Wayzata                        70-72-69-69--280