Sigel, Ebner & Madsen All Advance to Q-School 2nd Stage from Lincoln

National

The weather wasn't quite as ugly in Nebraska on Friday as it was in the Twin Cities. They were able to play the final round of the First Stage of the PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School at Wilderness Ridge CC in Lincoln, but it wasn't exactly a great day for scoring. There was some rain -- and a lot of wind. It was in double figures for most of the morning, and over 20 miles per hour by the time the players who were in contention to advance from this stage reached the back nine. All in all, it was a pretty miserable day for golf.

As a result, Alex Scott was able to pick up seven strokes on the 54-hole leader, Tripp Kinney, and claim medalist honors by shooting a 2-under-par 69. That equaled the second-best score of the day shot by a field of 76 players (there were three WDs during the week), and it gave the former Division II All-American from Grand Valley University a 72-hole total of 270. Despite shooting 76, Kinney finished second at 274, three ahead of the third-place finisher, Emilio Gonzalez, who closed with a 74. 

The best score of the day -- by two strokes -- was a 67, and it was shot by Ben Sigel, the former Minnesota state Class AAA high school champion from Minnetonka. He needed a good round, because he started the day tied for 25th place, and only the top 20 finishers and ties are advancing from each of the 13 First Stage qualifiers that are taking place this month. Sigel, who concluded his college career at Kansas and turned professional in 2022, didn't get off to a very good start Friday. He parred the first two holes and then made a double bogey on the par-4 third. But he recovered with birdies on three of the last five holes on the front nine, and he made another three birdies on the back side, all of which enabled him to elevate himself 21 places -- from that uncomfortable tie for 25th into a tie for fourth with an aggregate of 278.

Sigel was one of three Minnesotans who made it out of Lincoln and are moving on to the Second Stage of Q-School, which will begin Nov. 14, and will be spread out over five sites. The ultimate goal is to make it to the Final Stage, which will be played at two courses in Ponte Vedra, Fla., in December, and get one of the five PGA Tour cards that will be available there. 

The other Minnesotans advancing from Lincoln were Jack Ebner and Brady Madsen. Like most of the guys at Wilderness Ridge on Friday, they struggled, and both shot 75. But the 75s didn't cost them all that many places in the standings. Ebner, the 2022 State Amateur runner-up, slipped back three spots, from solo fourth into a tie for seventh at 279, one behind Sigel. Madsen, the 2019 State Open champion, was another shot back, in a tie for 10th at 280. But he made it to the Second Stage with only one stroke to spare, because there were five players tied with him for 10th, and another five were tied for 16th at 281, which made that the Magic Number.

There were also three former Gophers who advanced, although none of them is actually from Minnesota. Nevertheless, Angus Flanagan, who is from England, has won three major titles here. The first was the 2020 State Open, which he won as an amateur. Eleven months later, he won the Tapemark Charity Pro-Am in his first tournament as a pro, and he repeated as the Tapemark champion in 2022, thanks to a tournament and Southview CC course-record 61 in the final round. He moved up into the top 20 in the First Stage qualifier at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes in Maricopa, Ariz., on Thursday with a third-round 65 (7 under). On Friday, he was even through 12 holes of the final round, and only one clear of the Magic Number. He secured his spot in the Second Stage by making three birdies down the stretch, at the 13th, 16th and 18th, which gave him a 69 and a tie for ninth at 277 (11 under).

Will Grevlos, who came to the U of M from Sioux Falls, and Thomas Longbella, who came from Chippewa Falls, were both inside the top 20 pretty much from the start of the Oklahoma First Stage qualifier at Muskogee GC. Having opened with a 2-under 68, Grevlos closed with a 66 and tied for seventh at 274 (6 under). Longbella also turned in a 66, on Wednesday in the second round, and he added a 69 and a 71 for a total of 276, and a tie for 12th.   



PGA Tour/Korn Ferry Q-School 

FIRST STAGE (13 sites, Oct. 10 through Oct. 27)

The top 20 finishers and ties -- or in a couple of cases the top 19 and ties -- will advance from each of the 13 First Stage sites to the Second Stage, which will be played at five sites, beginning Nov. 14. The Final Stage will be played in December in Ponte Vedra, Fla., at the TPC Sawgrass Valley Course and Sawgrass CC. From there, the top five finishers will get PGA Tour status for 2024.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Oct. 10-13

At Wilderness Ridge CC

Par 71, 7,107 yards

Final results 

1. Alex Scott, Traverse City, Mich.                69-62-70-69--270 (-14)

2. Tripp Kinney, Des Moines                         64-66-68-76--274

3. Emilio Gonzalez, Charlotte, N.C.              67-68-68-74--277

T4. Ben Sigel, Minnetonka                         68-69-74-67--278

T4. Jason Thresher, West Suffield, Conn.    70-70-69-69--278

T4. Cooper Musselman, Louisville                66-68-73-71--278

T7. Jack Ebner, Edina                                  67-64-73-75--279

T10. Brady Madsen, Raymond                    68-68-69-75--280

What it took -- 281 (5-way tie for 16th)

T64. Jack Hiemenz, Blaine                           71-72-74-76--293

T66. Ross Miller, Maple Grove                     74-72-75-75--296


Maricopa, Ariz. 

Oct. 10-13

At Ak-Chin Southern Dunes

Par 72, 7,546 yards

Final results

T1. Tanner Gore, Farmers Branch, Texas.         66-67-66-72--271 (-17) 

T1. Jonathan De Los Reyes, Ripon, Calif.         70-69-72-70--271

3. Brendon Jelley, Scottsdale, Ariiz.                    70-64-71-68--273

4. Blake Hathcoat, Fresno, Calif.                         68-70-68-68--274

T5. Daniel Robertson, St.. Petersburg, Fla.         71-65-68-71--275

T9. Angus Flanagan, Surrey, UK                       72-71-65-69--277

T16. Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls                        68-74-67-72--281

What it took -- 281 (6-way tie for 16th)


Muskogee, Okla.

Oct. 10-13

At Muskogee GC

Par 70, 6,702 yards

Final results

1. Luis Gerando Garza, Guanajuato, Mexico   69-68-63-70--270 (-10)

T2. Wil Gibson, Jonesboro, Ark.                       67-68-68-68--271

T2. Tyson Reeder, Edmond, Okla.                    71-66-67-67--271

T4. Brayden Garrison, Franklin, Tenn.              69-71-62-72--273

T4. Alex Schaake, Omaha                                 67-68-68-70--273

T4. Blaine Hale, Richardson, Texas                   64-71-67-71--273

T7. Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls                           68-71-69-66--274

T12. Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls       70-66-69-71--276

T18. What it took -- 278 (5-way tie for 18th)

T46. Thomas Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz.       71-71-74-70--286


Champions Gate, Fla. 

Oct. 10-13

At Champions Gate GC

Par 72, 7,107 yards

Final results 

1.  Michael Sweeney, Port St. Lucie, Fla.          71-63-72-64--270 (-18)

2. Taylor Funk, Jacksonville, Fla.                        69-65-69-68--271

3. Hunter Eichhorn, Chattanooga, Tenn.             69-69-67-68--273

T4. Julian Suri, Ponte Vedra,  Beach, Fla.          69-66-73-67--275

T4. Juan Guerra, Orlando, Fla.                            73-66-69-67--275

T4. Tom Adrounie, Montverde, Fla.                      72-63-69-71--275                       

What it took -- 279 (6-way tie for 19th)

T72. Taylor Sundbom, Duluth                           73-76-74--223 


PRE-QUALIFYING STAGE

Chardon, Ohio

Sept. 20-22

At Mayfield Sand Ridge Club

Par 72, 7,275 yards

39 qualifying spots

Final results

1. Andrew O'Leary, Norfolk, Mass.                    68-67-74--209 (-7)

T2. Tyler Jones (a), Westerville, Ohio               69-68-73---210

T2. Reid Martin, Columbus, Ohio                     72-70-68--210

T8. Jack Ebner, Edina                                    72-73-69--214

What it took -- 220 (5-way tie for 35th)


Newton, Kansas

Sept. 13-15

At Sand Creek Station GC

Par 72, 7,339 yards

24 qualifying spots

Final results 

1. Andres Acevedo,m San Antonio              68-67-67--202 (-14)

2. Wil Gibson, Jonewboro, Ark.                    68-68-67--203

3. Michael Bakker, Sanford, Fla.                   71-71-65--207 

T5. Brady Madsen, Raymond                      76-68-79--212

What it took -- 219 (3-way tie for 22nd)

T42. Dawson Wills, Chaska                        80-77-80--237


Woodstock, Ill.

Sept. 13-15

Bull Valley GC

Par 72, 7,190 yards

23 qualifying spots

Final results 

1. Matthis Besard, Belgium                   68-68-73--209 (-7)

2. Andrew Walker, Holt, Mich.               74-72-67--213

3. Spencer Tibbits, Vancouver, Wash.  73-70-71--214

T10. Jack Hiemenz, Blaine                  76-68-79--223

What it took -- 228 (2-way tie for 22nd)


Brunswick, Ga. 

Sept. 20-22

At Brunswick CC

Par 70, 6,802 yards

37 qualifying spots

Final results 

1. Erik Edwards, Louisville, Ky.               66-67-67--200 (-10)

T2. Kyle Sterbinsky, Jupiter, Fla.             67-72-66--205

T2. Brent Hamm, Warner Robins, Ga.     67-70-68--205

T2. William Hartford, Palm Beach, Calif. 67-69-69--205

T20. Aaron Wilson, Chaska                  73-71-69--213

What it took -- 216 (7-way tie for 33rd)