Q-School Primer 2023: Prequalifying, Part I (CA, IL, KS)

UPDATE, 13 SEPTEMBER 2023: I stand corrected on the number of players progressing from each site. With 522 total players participating in prequalifying, the mean number of players per site is only about 65. Given this, an average of ~28 players per site advancing to First Stage would normally imply a mean of ~43 per cent advancing per site, and the rules stipulate pro rata cutoffs for progression. However, it would seem, based on past Q-schools, that about eight per cent of the field will overhang the nominal cutoff by tying for the final position, so the mean is closer to 51 per cent of each field. So, the Ironwood CC prequalifying site will have at least 39 places for advancement, while the Bull Valley and Sand Creek Station sites will have a minimum of 23 each.

Okay, now that we've gotten the basics of Q-school out of the way, let's dig into the details of prequalifying. As alluded in my last post, if you aren't exempt on any applicable tour or haven't been of late, among other exemption criteria to skip this stage, odds are you'll be starting at this point.

There are eight sites in prequalifying, and according to the document provided, at least 225 First Stage slots are available across them. That equates to about 28 places per site, provided each has 78 finishers and there are no ties for the last place. Of course, this is subject to variance, so let's detail each site. In particular, I intend to focus on Upper Midwest connections on the player list for each qualifier.

(All tee times are local and for Round 1 only)

California: Ironwood CC, South Course, Palm Desert (par 71; 7274yd)

77 players. No Umcees.

Bull Valley Golf Club may only have 45 entrants for prequalifying, but eight are Umcees.

Illinois: Bull Valley GC, Woodstock (par 72; 7190yd)

45 players. Umcees: Emmet Herb (Middleton, WI), 8:00am on 1; Jack Hiemenz (Blaine, MN), 8:00am on 10; Charles Jahn (Sperry, IA), 8:12am on 1; Eric Regall (Sussex, WI), 8:12 on 10; Blake Jens (Waunakee, WI), 8:24 on 1; Luke Scherf (Pleasant Hill, IA), 8:36 on 1; Tyler Leach (Spring Valley, WI), 9:12 on 10; Austin Kendziorski (Germantown, WI), 9:24 on 1.

Kansas: Sand Creek Station GC, Newton (par 72, 7399yd)

45 players. Umcees: Dawson Wills (Chaska, MN), 8:22am on 1; Austin Rene (Jamestown, ND), 8:34 on 10; Brady Madsen (Raymond, MN), 9:10am on 10.

Edward the Scop