Long Is Co-Medalist in Korn Ferry Q-School Pre-Qualifier

BERMUDA RUN, N.C. -- Evan Long was 8 under par after 37 holes in the Pre-Qualifying stage of Korn Ferry Q-School last week, but he played the last 15 holes at Bermuda Run Country Club in 2 over. In spite of that, he still earn co-medalist honors and advanced to the First Stage of Q-School, which will begin Sept. 14 at various sites. 

Long, a former University of Minnesota golfer from New Castle, Pa., opened with a 3-under-par 68 on Wednesday and added a 69 on Thursday. He started the final round on Friday with three consecutive birdies to get to 8 under for the tournament. From there on, he made four bogeys and two birdies, and closed with a 70, which gave him a 54-hole tab of 207 (6 under). 

That was good enough to overtake the 36-hole leader, Joshua Gibson, who closed with a 75 for 209 and third place. But Canadian Benjamin Thompson rattled off four birdies on the front nine and two more on the back for a 64, the lowest score of the week, and that got him even with Long. Thompson still trailed by two shots with two holes to go, before he birdied the par-5 17th and Long bogeyed the 18th.

The top 35 finishers from a field of 69 advanced to the First Stage of Q-School, and the Magic Number was 220. There was a four-way tie for 32nd at that score. 

First Stage quaifying will begin next week (Sept. 14). There will be 12 sites in all, and the last of the First Stage tournaments will end Oct. 1.

Second Stage qualifying will begin Oct. 12. It will be contested at five sites, and those who advance from there will play the Final Stage Nov. 4th through the 7th at The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga.  


Korn Ferry Q-School 

Pre-Qualifying

At Bermuda Run Country Club

Par 71

Bermuda Run, N.C.

Final results (top 35 finishers advance to First Stage of Korn Ferry Q-School, which will begin in mid-September)

T1. Evan Long, New Castle, Pa.             68-69-70--207

T1. Benjamin Thompson, Canada          71-72-64--207

3. Joshua Gibson, Grandville, Mich.       69-65-75--209

T4. Brent Ito, New Rochelle, N.Y.           71-73-68--212

T4. Kyle Gaines, Oxford, Mich.               71-72-68--212

T4. Kaiwen Liu, San Diego                      72-71-69--212

What it took -- 220 (4-way tie for 32nd)