How They're Doing: Minnesotans on Pro Tour Money Lists -- March 25
March 26, 2024
WEST ST. PAUL -- Angus Flanagan was 2 for 2 last year when he played against Minnesota's best pros and amateurs. In July, he closed with an 8-under-par 64 at Royal Golf Club to win the State Open with a 54-hole total of 201 (15 under). In October, he shot a final-round of 7-under 66 at Golden Valley G&CC and won the Minnesota Golf Champions with a 207 (12 under).
He was at it again on Friday, except that now he'll get paid.
Flanagan concluded his fourth year with the University of Minnesota golf team in May at the NCAA Regional at Noblesville, Ind., where he tied for 38th. The senior from Woking, England won twice this spring, and he could have returned to play a fifth season for the Gophers -- because Covid 19 wiped out the last part of the 2019-20 season -- but the 2019 Big Ten Conference champion chose to turn professional instead, and he's off to an impressive start.
He parred his first three holes at Southview Country Club on Friday in his first tournament as a pro, and then eagled the 470-yard, par-5 fourth hole. A birdie at the other par 5 on the front nine, the 476-yard sixth, led to a 33 on the front side, and he matched that on the back nine, thanks to birdies at the 16th (442 yards, par 4) and the 17th (490, par 5). The resulting 66 has him two strokes clear of the field going into Saturday's second round of the Tapemark Minnesota PGA Pro-Am.
Eddie Wynne, the head pro at Bolstad/University GC is alone in second place after at 68. Unlike Flanagan, who had a clean card (two birdies, an eagle and 15 pars), Wynne had a little of everything in his round -- 2 eagles, 4 birdies, 5 bogeys and 7 pars.
Beyond him, the leaderboard is pretty crowded. There are five players -- Derek Stendahl, Eric Chiles, Grant Shafranski, Eric Rolland and Mike Flaherty -- tied for third with 69's, and another seven tied for eighth with 70's. Among them is former Tapemark champion Jeff Sorenson, a six-time Minnesota Section PGA Player of the Year.
There is a second gang of seven tied for 15th at even-par 71, including seven-time Tapemark champ Don Berry, a 17-time Minnesota Section Player of the Year.
Flanagan has a busy summer ahead of him. The PGA Tour now has something called the PGA Tour University Rankings, which are designed to help college players gain status on the lower level tours that serve as feeders for the big tour. Those players ranked 1 through 5 at the end of the college season get full status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the rest of the year, and those ranked 6 through 15 will have status on the newly created Forme Tour.
The Forme Tour, sponsored by the Forme wellness technology company, is mainly for Mackenzie (Canadian) Tour players stuck in the United States because of Covid 19 restrictions. But Flanagan will also be out there this summer, as the No. 11 player from the final 2020-21PGA Tour University Rankings. There will be eight Forme Tour events, beginning with the L&J Championship, June 23-26 at Jennings Mill CC in Watkinsville, Ga., and ending with the Forme Tour Championship, Sept. 7-10 at The Ridge at Black Rock in Ringoes, N.J. The top five guys on the Forme money list at the end of the season will gain full status on the Korn Ferry for next year.
Those from the 6-through-15 positions on the PGA University list who don't make the Forme top five will, nevertheless, be exempt into the Second Stage of Korn Ferry Q-School.
For anyone who might be wondering, Flanagan will be able play a full schedule of Forme tournaments and also defend his title at the Minnesota State Open, because there's a gap in the Forme schedule in July, from the 3rd to the 20th. And the Minnesota State Open is in the middle of that gap, July 13-15 at Chaska Town Course.
Tapemark Minnesota PGA Pro-Am
At Southview Country Club
Par 71, 6,138 yards
West St. Paul
First-round results
Professionals
1. Angus Flanagan 66
2. Eddie Wynn 68
T3. Derek Stendahl 69
T3. Eric Chiles 69
T3. Grant Shafranski 69
T3. Eric Rolland 69
T3. Mike Flaherty 69
T8. Jack Wawro 70
T8. Mike Barge 70
T8. Jeff Sorenson 70
T8. Brian Hills 70
T8. Thomas Campbell 70
T8. Dan Callahan 70
T8. Kyle Scanlon 70
Amateurs
T1. Tyler Wood 69
T1. Matt Clark 69
T1. Sam Udovich 69
4. Justin Burleson 70
5. Colin Kinsel 71
6. Jordan Anderson 72
T7. Scott Fenwilck 73
T7. Zachary Owen 73
Teams
1. Flanagan/Lemke/Grimsrud/Clark -22
2. Exsted/Roberts/Schourweiler/Long -21
3. Berry/Irwin/Grausnick/Sullivan -20
2020-21 PGA Tour University Rankings
Final
The top 5 players in the rankings go directly to the Korn Ferry Tour; Nos. 6 through 15 go to the Forme Tour
Name College Points
1. John Pak, Florida State 1331.3009
2. Davis Thompson, Georgia 1177.3244
3. Austin Eckroat, Oklahoma State 1130.8278
4. Chun An Yu, Arizona State 1114.2937
5. Garett Rebamd, Oklahoma 1108.0682
6. Quade Cummins, Oklahoma 1025.3268
7. McClure Meissner, SMU 1017.6133
8. Trevor Webylo, Arizona 991.6680
9. Puwit Anupansuebsai, San Diego St. 986.5885
10. Michael Feagles, Illinois 975.1961
11. Angus Flanagan, Minnesota 969.9011
12. Brenjamin Shipp, North Carolina St. 964.6771
13. Jonathan Brightwell, Oklahoma 958.5380
14. Alex Schaake, Iowa 956.2778
15. Jovan Rebula, Auburn 931.4226
March 15, 2024
March 6, 2024
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