The 2011 PGA Tour qualifying school has attracted a 21st-century “who’s who” of Colorado golf.
The First Stage of Q-school will be held at 13 sites across the country over the next two weeks. Five of the tournaments begin Tuesday (Oct. 18).
As usual, Colorado is well represented in the first of three stages that lead to the promised land — the PGA Tour — for a select few. About 25 players with strong Colorado connections will compete in the 72-hole tournaments that will decide who advances to one of the six Stage 2 events that will be held Nov. 15-19.
The Final Stage, where the top 25 finishers and ties will earn their 2012 PGA Tour cards, will be played in La Quinta, Calif., Nov. 30-Dec. 5. The rest of the Final Stage finishers will earn Nationwide Tour status for next year.
Among the Coloradans in the field this week or next are Colorado Open champions Ben Portie (2011, pictured above), Derek Tolan (2009) and Scott Petersen (2000), along with CGA Players of the Year Gunner Wiebe (2010), Steve Ziegler (2009), Pat Grady (2007 and 2008), Tolan (2005), Kane Webber (2003) and Portie (2001).
Also competing are former Coloradan Leif Olson, who once held his PGA Tour card, and ex-University of Denver golfer Danny Wax, a Nationwide Tour player this year.
Five players with local connections had to go through Pre-Qualifying just to get to the first Stage: Wiebe, Ziegler, former Colorado State golfers Riley Arp and Dustin Morris, and former University of Colorado golfer Justin Bardgett.
Eight of the 13 First Stage sites include players with Colorado ties in the field. The number of players who will advance from each site has yet to be determined, though about 20 is typical.
Here’s the rundown on which local players are entered:
Oct. 18-21 in Lakeland, Fla. — Kyle McCarthy of Denver.
Oct. 18-21 in McKinney, Texas — Scott Petersen of Parker.
Oct. 18-21 in Dayton, Nev. — Michael Baird of Castle Rock, former CU golfer Justin Bardgett, Cody Eberl of Lakewood, former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad, former Durango resident Tom Kalinowski, former DU golfer Klinton Krieger, Nick Mason of Denver, Ben Portie of Westminster, Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch, Kane Webber of Denver.
Oct. 18-21 in Kingwood, Texas — Former CSU golfer Dustin Morris, Charlie Soule of Longmont, Steve Ziegler of Broomfield.
Oct. 25-28 in Lantana, Texas — Tom Glissmeyer of Colorado Springs, former Fort Collins resident Drew Stoltz.
Oct. 25-28 in Hollister, Calif. — Former Colorado resident Leif Olson, Gunner Wiebe of Aurora.
Oct. 26-29 in Valdosta, Calif. — Pat Grady of Broomfield, former DU golfer James Love, Blake Moore of Denver, former DU golfer Danny Wax.
Oct. 26-29 in Beaumont, Calif. — Riley Arp of Fort Collins, Zen Brown of Arvada.
