Umcees at LPGA Q-Series 2023

 The LPGA season really isn't over until Q-Series has come and gone. To me, it is the "ultimate showdown of ultimate destiny" (with apologies to Neil Cicierega) in tour golf Q-schools. Or at least it was last year, when the ordeal went down across eight rounds over two weeks and as many courses. This year, it's down to six rounds at one site with a cut after four rounds (number making it TBA): the Magnolia Golf Club on the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail near Mobile, Alabama. If that place rings a bell for readers of the Devilish Rake, it's because the site this year hosted First Stage action for the PGA Tour Q-School.

At any rate, the event is still a gruelling affair. The only mainstream Q-school that is remotely this torturous in its final round besides Q-Series is the DP World Tour Q-School, which assures some DPWT status to all who make its 72-hole cut. By contrast, Q-Series offers no such assurances, instead insisting on a top-45 finish (plus ties, of course) to have any LPGA Tour status--and that's for ladies who've made the cut. In any case, it makes the PGA Tour Q-School look like child's play, as its finals are only four rounds in length with no cut, and all who make Final Stage are assured of some decent exemptions on developmental tours like the PGA Tour Americas and have a chance at something bigger--not to mention they get exemptions into Monday qualifiers for PGA Tour events and Korn Ferry Tour events.

Two Umcees are among the 104 players who've made it to Q-Series--namely, Kim Kaufman and Kate Smith. Kaufman, who hails from Clark, South Dakota and went to college at Texas Tech, becoming an All-American, had LPGA Tour status for much of last decade. Unfortunately, she never won on tour and suffered some health problems along the way. She ended back up on the Epson Tour, and this is her second straight trip to Q-Series, having failed to improve her status last year. Can she do it this time, improving on a barely top-70 showing from a year ago?

Smith, by contrast, is a newcomer to Q-Series, having previously failed to advance last year from Stage II. The Detroit Lakes, Minnesota native went to Nebraska for college and has been by far the more impressive of the two Umcees at Q-Series this season, finishing #19 on the Epson Tour's Race for the Card to Kaufman's #68 finish. This sufficed to exempt Smith directly to Q-Series, making this her first action since the Epson Tour Championship in early October. One question: Will there be rust from the layoff? Or will Smith live up to the hype stemming from a good-to-great Epson Tour season and earn her LPGA Tour card the second-easiest way?

Since my Upper Midwest Connection of the Week drops on Wednesdays, and Q-Series concludes next Tuesday (5 December), I will be able to consider Kaufman and Smith for the weekly honour awarded 6 December. Good luck to both at Q-Series!!!

Edward the Scop

Q-School Primer 2023: Second Stage Part II (CA, GA-2)

This is the final batch-style preview for Q-school sites in 2023, as my LPGA Q-Series and PGA Tour Q-School Final Stage primers will take a different format with regards to Umcees participating at each site. That is, I will give more detailed information regarding each Umcee.

Four Umcees have already qualified to Final Stage in the PGA Tour's Q-School. In addition to the three who got in a week ago as of this writing, Frankie Capan III of North Oaks, Minnesota is exempt to Final Stage by virtue of finishing in the top 60 of this year's Korn Ferry Tour points list, while still falling short of the top 30. Potentially six more could follow suit, depending on who cracks the top fifteen or so at their respective sites.

Note: This post will be updated as first and second round tee times become available. A marker of (PQ) means a player started in prequalifying, while (I) means he started in First Stage.

UPDATE: As of Sunday, 26 November 2023, Second Stage week 2 tee times are up. As before, the California site is quoted in Pacific Standard Time, while the Georgia site is in Eastern Standard Time. The first two rounds are given, with each tee time for Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Four of this week's six Umcees will tee off at Valencia Country Club in Valencia, California.

California: Valencia Country Club, Valencia, par 72, 7300yd

71 players. Umcees: Derek Hitchner, Minneapolis, MN (8:48am on 1/10am); Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls, WI (I; 8:12am on 10/9:24am); Ben Sigel, Deephaven, MN (I; 8:24am on 10/9:36am); Matthew Walker, Ottumwa, IA (I; 10:12am on 10/9am)

Georgia: Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, Valdosta, par 72, 7780yd

66 players. Umcees: Hunter Eichhorn, Chattanooga, TN/Marquette University (I; 10:48am on 1/9:48am); George Kneiser, Oconomowoc, WI (9am on 10/10:12am)

Edward the Scop

Top Ten Upper Midwest Connections of the Year 2023 Preview

 The PGA Tour season finally wrapped three days ago, as did the DP World Tour season. And just like that...all quiet on the tour front.

Okay, that's a bit premature. There are still four Q-school events--three for the PGA Tour, as well as LPGA Q-Series--to contest in order to determine placement on professional golf tours under those organizations' umbrellas. And just as the DPWT concludes its season every year, it seems to start the next immediately the following week with a few events in South Africa--the Joburg Open, the South African Open and the Alfred Dunhill Championship--plus the Mauritius Open. All these events are co-sanctioned with the Sunshine Tour, which provides tour golf to southern Africa. Lastly, as far as I know, at least one Umcee--Erik van Rooyen--will be playing the Dunhill. But for the vast majority of tour golfers, both men and women, mid-November is a cutoff point, a time to retreat into unofficial events (if that). About the only truly bigwig event that remains on the calendar is the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, which does carry OWGR points for twenty participants. One of these, of course, will be Tiger Woods, who hosts the event and is playing for the first time since withdrawing from the Masters after making the cut.

It makes sense, then, to start planning a year-end ranking of the top Umcees of 2023. Was this the greatest year for the contingent? No, but there were enough accomplishments among such players (again, both men and women) to fill a top ten, in my opinion. Furthermore, these accomplishments might be increased as a result of Q-school outcomes. As a result of the planning, compilation and ranking of the top ten Upper Midwest connections of the year, coupled with Q-school coverage and work on second-round picks for the FA Cup, it'll be a hectic next few weeks here at the Devilish Rake. I might even consider a poll or two to help select certain entries on the list as the deadline approaches. Stay tuned.

Edward the Scop

Upper Midwest Connection of the Week Ending 19 November 2023

 After the heartwarming stories of the previous fortnight, with Erik van Rooyen prevailing at the World Wide Technologies Championship with his dying BFF Jon Trasamar in mind and Camilo Villegas winning the Bermuda Championship to honour the memory of his daughter Mia, who died of cancer four months short of her second birthday, last week had slim pickings by comparison. That doesn't mean it lacked for storylines.

In Dubai, the race for the Vardon Trophy may have fallen to Rory McIlroy without a shot of the DP World Tour Championship being taken, but the race for ten PGA Tour cards for next year came to a crescendo when Rasmus Hojgaard, hoping to join his successful STM-earning twin brother Nicolai in America in 2024, landed his approach in the water at the final hole of the Earth Course. Where he hoped to make birdie or better to leave no doubt, he settled for par. Adding insult to injury, Matthieu Pavon of France finished his season with four straight birdies to get that card that would have otherwise gone to Rasmus. The Dane will be back, though. Maybe he'll follow his twin brother's lead and convert success in America to STM and, ultimately, membership in 2025.

Before I go any further, I should point out that the DP World Tour's subservience to Ponte Vedra Beach was a long time coming, whether you like it or not. Ever since a guy named Eldrick Tont Woods started winning events right out of Stanford in 1996, the European circuit's independence was bound to be terminally marked. I'm aware that several Umcees like the aforementioned van Rooyen and Angus Flanagan have had scenes on the DP World Tour or its developmental circuits, so I will say that the golf ecosystem needs a long, hard look going forward.

But back to America, where Ludvig Aberg completed a transatlantic double of events at the RSM Classic. The Texas Tech alumnus had already won the Omega Masters in Switzerland, earning himself a Ryder Cup European captain's pick from Luke Donald. (Some say it would've otherwise gone to Adrian Meronk of Poland. Turns out Team Europe didn't need him, I guess. As it is, Meronk is headed to the Players and the Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth the week after the PGA Championship next May as the top points-getter among the ten DPWT grads to the PGA Tour.) He had kicked butt over the following few months, including a respectable two points from as many wins at Marco Simone near Rome. Then, just last week, the Swede polished off Mackenzie Hughes of Canada by four strokes at Sea Island near Brunswick, Georgia.

You're here for the Upper Midwest Connection of the Week, though, so I'll lay off on details concerning external matters. Let's start with the obvious Umcee, Troy Merritt. Heading into the RSM, Merritt was coming off three straight meh finishes after showing up at the Fortinet and the Sanderson Farms prior to Vegas. He was still ranked #123 coming in, so it was possible that he might survive to 2024 with his card without a made cut, but he wanted to make it to be sure. Unfortunately, Merritt missed the cut despite a heroic Friday effort of -6, so he had to sweat out the outcome of the weekend. As good fortune would have it, Carl Yuan of China missed out on ending Merritt's exempt status by less than two points! But rules are rules, and I can't award the plaudits to Troy Merritt, simply because he missed the cut at the RSM.

I can, however, award the honours to the top Umcee at Q-school from last week. You see, as mentioned extensively in this blog, Second Stage of the PGA Tour Q-School began 14 November, with a further two sites next week in California and Georgia. Nine Umcees made it to Second Stage, either by qualification or by exemption, of whom three progressed to Final Stage: Van Holmgren, Andre Metzger and Alex Schaake.

Metzger, as is well-known, is a folk hero on the Dakotas Tour, which is one of the top minitours in North American golf, and he maintains some residence in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (fittingly enough). He seemed headed out of Q-school in Savannah, Georgia after a second-round 74, but rallied to make it with a stroke to spare. Schaake is from Omaha, but went to the University of Iowa, which qualifies him as an Umcee. In Dothan, Alabama, he had an even worse opening-round 77, but he broke par the last three days and 70 the last two to make it with two strokes clear of the number. But it was a guy who tried and narrowly failed to medal in Port St Lucie, Florida for guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts but still advanced with ease--five strokes clear of the cut...

Van Holmgren.

Hailing from Plymouth, Minnesota and a graduate of Wayzata High School, Holmgren narrowly missed out two years ago on Final Stage when it was just for Korn Ferry Tour status when a putt lipped out. Now, with somewhat more on the line, Holmgren is headed to TPC Sawgrass to try his luck at KFT starts...or even one of five-plus PGA Tour cards! I mentioned he missed out on medallist plaudits, as he dropped behind his 54-hole coleaders in the final round. Still, he is gaining comfort in the pro game, and he has PGA Tour Americas starts guaranteed, if nothing else.

Once again, his reign as the Upper Midwest Connection of the Week will last another week, as no Umcees are known to be teeing it up in tour golf this week or next. Nor are there any Q-school stops on the week, as Second Stage (as mentioned before) takes a week off. But next week's honours, which will be awarded the week of 4 December, will go to the top performer between five participants at the remaining Second Stage sites, as well as Kate Smith (exempt) and Kim Kaufman (qualified via Stage II) at LPGA Q-Series.

Also, be on the lookout for an announcement concerning the Top Ten Upper Midwest Connections of the Year sometime over the Thanksgiving holiday. My plan was for it to drop the week of 18 December, the week after Final Stage for the PGA Tour Q-School.

Edward the Scop

Q-School Recap 2023: Second Stage

 This is the third and final dynamic post in this year's series concerning the resurrected PGA Tour Q-School. The next recap, which will drop in December after Final Stage, is not considered dynamic since there's only one site for the finals held at TPC Sawgrass, headquarters of the PGA Tour. At all Second Stage sites, the top fifteen and ties advanced or (in the case of Week 2 of Second Stage at November's end) will advance to finals. As with previous recaps, I list each site with medallist or medallists, as well as a rundown of any Umcees who played each site.

Players marked with (PQ) started in prequalifying. Those marked with (I) started in First Stage.

Week I: AL, FL, GA-1

Highland Oaks Golf Club/Marshwood Course, Dothan, Alabama, par 72, 7632yd

Medallists: Connor Burgess, Richmond, Virginia and Mark Goetz, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, both -19/269 (Burgess 66-68-67-68; Goetz 69-62-71-67)

Burgess played a more defensive game to get to the top billing for this site, leading the field in bogey avoidance (67/72 holes). Goetz, meanwhile, played a more aggressive game, leading in par-breakers with 26 but suffering bogey to share plaudits with Burgess. Both now receive guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts in 2024.

Umcees advancing to Final Stage

T8: Alex Schaake, Omaha, Nebraska/University of Iowa alumnus (I) (-9/77-70-66-66=279)

Despite a ruinous opening 77, Schaake wasted little time in the interests of atonement, carding back-to-back -6 rounds.

Umcees who missed out: Tripp Kinney, Des Moines, IA (I); Brady Madsen, Raymond, MN (PQ); Harrison Ott, Brookfield, WI (I)

The Tesoro Club/Palmer Course, Port St Lucie, Florida, par 72, 7316yd

Medallists: K.K. Limbhasut, Thailand and Danny Walker, Jacksonville, FL, both -11/277 (Limbhasut 72-70-67-68; Walker 69-72-68-68)

Limbhasut co-led the field in bogey avoidance, suffering only six bogeys or worse, and a closing birdie secured his share of the honours. Walker had the best par-5 score (-13).

Umcees advancing to Final Stage

T3: Van Holmgren, Fort Myers, Florida/formerly of Plymouth, Minnesota (I) (-9/72-71-66-70=279)

He failed to hold on to his share of top spot, but he is still headed to TPC Sawgrass with PGA Tour Americas status secured. The key was his third round, which got him into the lead heading into the final eighteen holes, as he had seven birdies against just one bogey.

Umcees who missed out: Angus Flanagan, Woking, Surrey, UK/University of Minnesota '21; Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls, SD/University of Minnesota '21

The Landings Club/Deer Creek Course, Savannah, Georgia, par 72, 7185yd

Medallist: Bryson Nimmer, Okatie, South Carolina (-15/72-71-68-62=273)

He saved his best for last, as he was just -5 heading to the final round. Then he went a bogey-free -10/62, finishing with six birdies on the back nine. This included a birdie at the last, which entitled him to the only outright medal of the week.

Umcees advancing to Final Stage

T9: Andre Metzger, Sioux Falls, SD (part-time resident) (I) (-9/72-74-68-65=279)

A second-round +2/74 seemed to render him toast, but the next day, he got under par with a -4/68 before surging in the final round enough to advance. He had the third-most birdies of the week with 22.

Umcees missing out: Zach Burry, Appleton, Wisconsin (I); Jack Ebner, Edina, Minnesota (PQ)

Week II: CA, GA-2

Valencia Country Club, Valencia, California, par 72, 7300yd

Medallist: Jeffrey Kang, Los Angeles, California (-11/66-71-67-73=277)

Despite an underwhelming +1 final round, Kang led in all major scoring metrics with the most par-breakers and best bogey avoidance of anyone at the site. Now, despite making only six starts on this year's PGA Tour Canada--which probably cost him exemption into Final Stage off the bat--the USC alumnus can look forward to guaranteed starts on next year's Korn Ferry Tour.

Umcees advancing to Final Stage

T2: Thomas Longbella, Chippewa Falls, WI/University of Minnesota '21 (-8/73-71-66-70=280)

One of only three players to finish in 280 or fewer strokes (along with Kang and Christian Banke of Scottsdale, Arizona), Longbella keyed in on progression in particular during the third round. He tied for the most par-breakers on that round with seven--six birdies and an eagle--and was the only Umcee to advance to finals on week 2 of Second Stage, a year after missing out. Not bad for a guy who actually regressed in the final Fortinet Cup standings relative to last year!

Umcees missing out: Derek Hitchner, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Ben Sigel, Deephaven, MN (I); Matthew Walker, Ottumwa, IA (I)

Kinderlou Forest Golf Club, Valdosta, Georgia, par 72, 7780yd

Medallist: Aldrich Potgieter, South Africa (-13/67-69-68-71=275)

His 23 par-breakers were the most of any player at this site, and he also had the lowest score on par-5s (-10).

No Umcees made it to Final Stage from this site. Those missing out: Hunter Eichhorn, Chattanooga, TN/Marquette University (I); George Kneiser, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

Umcees making it to Final Stage: Frankie Capan III (exempt); Van Holmgren (I); Thomas Longbella (I); Andre Metzger (I); Alex Schaake (I)

Best Friends Forever

In case you're wondering if this is my Upper Midwest Connection of the Week for last week's golf, it's not. I didn't feel there was anybody worthy of the plaudits after Troy Merritt struggled in Bermuda (he did make the cut, but didn't do all that well and fell to #123 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings) and O.J. Farrell, former Wisconsin Badger from England, faltered at DP World Tour Q-School finals, missing the top 70 and ties cut that is made four rounds (of six) in. Rather, this is a follow-up piece on the context surrounding the life of the most recent Umcee to be so honoured.

When I last reported on these matters, I noted that Erik van Rooyen was BFFs with University of Minnesota teammate Jon Trasamar; the two had played together at the U from 2009-2013. As such, they kept in touch often, though their paths diverged. Erik became a fairly big-time golfer, while Jon toiled on minitours like the Dakotas Tour, where he won five times. I also mentioned that last year, Jon started to suffer melanoma. It became stage IV; and though it went into remission, enabling him to resume competitive golf, it came back with a vengeance, afflicting his entire body. What I didn't mention was that a family friend named Bailey Haley set up a GoFundMe page to help fund treatments for Jon's cancer back in February of this year. As of this writing, the goal of $150K has been surpassed, and the total levied is now nearly $156K.

I also failed to mention in the first piece that it was thought Jon Trasamar would live another six to ten weeks, according to van Rooyen in his presser following the third round of his World Wide Technology Championship triumph in Mexico. This would have seen Jon through to maybe shortly after New Year. But I did mention that, if van Rooyen got enough FedEx Cup points to skip the Bermuda Championship as a result of his performance at the WWT, he would visit Jon at the Mayo Clinic. Indeed, he did that two days later as he had promised, along with his caddie (and other college teammate) Alex Gaugert. I saw pictures of Erik arriving at the place on his Instagram that day, as well as a Golf Channel interview later on after he had visited his bestie.

It was the last time he saw Jon alive. On Veterans Day (or Armistice/Remembrance Day, as EVR would more likely call it), 11 November 2023, Jon Trasamar died at the age of 33. A few days later, his widow Allie wrote on the aforementioned GoFundMe page:

It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share the news of Jon's passing. Over the past few weeks, Jon was surrounded by an outpouring of love as friends and family reached out to him and travelled from all over the country to be with him. The joy he found in those moments with his loved ones are memories I will forever hold close to my heart.

Throughout his diagnosis, Jon showed unwavering strength, grace and humility, confronting any challenges he faced without complaint. He was, and continues to be, an inspiration to many and has left an indelible mark on those who knew him.

Thank you for praying for my husband--reaching out to him, thinking of him--and for your incredible generosity. I will forever be grateful for the kindness you've shown us during this immensely difficult time....Whenever you encounter a sequence of ones--be it the time or another numerical pattern--I encourage you to think of Jon--a life well-lived and full of love.

It is thought that a memorial of some sort will be held at the weekend following the Thanksgiving holiday, according to Ryan French of Monday Q Info.

As for me, I froze in my chair as I ate breakfast upon hearing the news of Jon's death. Though I didn't know Jon personally, what I wouldn't do for a chance to console Erik van Rooyen and other Gopher teammates of his from that part of last decade. It was because of them that my interest in golf persisted, even when other sports like football, basketball and hockey (to say naught of soccer) held sway in my mind.

Every night until the memorial/funeral arrangements for Jon Trasamar are finalized and implemented, I will meditate--maybe with a prayer, maybe with soft music, maybe just the dark silence--at 11:11pm. It is my way, however insignificant, of remembering one of the reasons I follow Umcees in tour golf.

May Jon Trasamar live in the hearts of Umcees in tour golf.

May he live in the hearts of all who labour in, and are heavy-burdened by, the grind toward professional glory.

May he live in the hearts of college golfers who have an eye toward said grind, which to many of them is its own excuse.

May he live in the hearts of high-school golfers who seek for a leg up on other grinders, that the road may not feel so long or dark.

May he live in the hearts of all who, though having ruled out playing careers, have taken it upon themselves to teach the next generation of players.

May he live in the hearts of fans who, regardless of their interest in playing or teaching golf, are nonetheless supportive of those who have made it their vocation in some capacity.

May he live in the hearts of those struggling with terminal illnesses like he did, regardless of their interest in or attitudes toward golf.

May he live in the hearts of those who help the terminally ill.

May he live in the hearts of the family and friends of the terminally ill.

May he live in the hearts of those who scoff at the naysayers.

May he live in the hearts of all who live, used to live or go/went to school in the Upper Midwest. He was truly one of us.

Edward the Scop

Q-School Primer 2023: Second Stage Part I (AL, FL, GA-1)

 Because of time constraints, I have decided to just list Umcees at each Q-school site, along with tee times for rounds 1 and 2. As with my First Stage primers, a mark of (PQ) represents golfers who passed through prequalifying. New to this is (I), which represents those who started in First Stage. Those exempt to Second Stage receive no mark.

Alabama: Highland Oaks/Marshwood Golf Club, Dothan

Umcees: Brady Madsen, Raymond, MN (PQ; 6:50am on 10/8am); Harrison Ott, Brookfield, WI (I; 7:20am on 1/8:40am); Alex Schaake, Omaha, NE/University of Iowa (I; 7:30am on 10/8:40am); Tripp Kinney, Des Moines, IA (I; 8:10am on 1/7:10am)

Florida: The Tesoro Club, Palmer Course, Port St Lucie

Umcees: Van Holmgren, Fort Myers, FL/formerly of Plymouth, MN (I; 9:02am on 1/7:56am); Will Grevlos, Sioux Falls, SD (I; 9:13am on 1/8:07am); Angus Flanagan, Woking, Surrey, England/University of Minnesota '21 (I; 9:57am on 10/8:51am)

Georgia-1: The Landings Golf and Athletic Club, Deer Creek Course, Savannah

Umcees: Jack Ebner (PQ; 8:52am on 10/10:06am); Zach Burry, Appleton, WI (I; 9:13am on 1/8:10am); Andre Metzger (I; 9:03am on 10/8am)

Edward the Scop

Q-School Primer 2023: Second Stage Criteria with Commentary

 All aboard for Second Stage of PGA Tour Q-School! So, you thought First Stage was exciting? Well, this is where PGA Tour Americas exemptions (if nothing greater) are finalized, as all players who make it to Final Stage from here are guaranteed as much, along with conditional Korn Ferry Tour status (provided they aren't exempt to Final Stage as it is). Sixteen Umcees are among the 389 who've made it this far, excluding those exempt to Final Stage. This week includes three sites--one each in Alabama, Florida and Georgia--whose details will be revealed in my next post later tonight as of this writing. Two weeks later, a site in California and another in Georgia will play host to Second Stage action.

As with First Stage, those exempt to Second Stage have status on various lesser tours. Unlike First Stage, though, the exemptions are granted to those who have achieved something good on those tours, having met one or more of the following criteria:

1. PGA Tour members in the current season. This requires explanation, as it excludes those who have exemptions for 2024 on the Tour. It also omits the forty leading members who fail to retain or gain full membership this season. Heading into the RSM Classic, at least seven exempt players are close enough to the top 125 so that the bubble boy for Final Stage is Noh Seung-yul of South Korea at #172.
2. Winners of Korn Ferry Tour events the last three seasons. The 2020 and 2021 KFT seasons were merged due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so all winners from both years are exempt to this stage, along with the last two years.
3. Finishers #61 through #85 on the KFT Points List. The majority, but not all, will be exempt to next year's Korn Ferry Tour without having to ponder the reshuffle that occurs every four events or so.
4. Fifty or more career cuts on the PGA Tour by 9 October 2023. The cutoff for this criterion was the Sanderson Farms Championship.
5. Anybody who made the cut this year at a major or at the Players Championship. This is a modification of last year's category, as all cut-makers at those events were exempt to Final Stage a year ago. With the reintroduction of PGA Tour card availability at Q-school, the demotion is understandable.
6. The bottom half of the OWGR top 100 as of 9 October 2023.
7. Finishers #6 to #20 on the PGA Tour University rankings. The first two years (2021 and 2022), only graduating seniors in the top fifteen skipped First Stage. This year, five more got that privilege.
8. Finishers #6 to #25 in the PGA Tour Latinoamerica's Totalplay Cup standings or the PGA Tour Canada's Fortinet Cup standings. Last year, a top-ten finish in either points list sufficed to grant Final Stage entry off the bat. Next year, they'll just take the top ten from the year on the PGA Tour Americas and exempt them to Final Stage, along with five single-segment entrants.
9. The top five WAGR men's golfers as of 4 October 2023. This was the last WAGR ranking for men's amateur golf before the deadline of 9 October.
10. Top five and ties at this year's PGA Professional Championship. Not sure Michael Block, folk hero at this year's PGA Championship (not to be confused with the Professional Championship) will partake of this. He said he's focused on his club career.
11. #2 to #5 on the Japan Golf Tour's order of merit as of 9 October 2023. This is not the final, final OOM for the JGTO, but it includes all results through the ACN Championship, won by Yuki Inamori.
12. #2 to #5 on the most recent final OOMs for the PGA Tour of Australasia, Sunshine Tour and Korean PGA Tour. Since these tours have wraparound schedules--the first two due to their Southern Hemisphere location--it doesn't make sense to base on the current season's OOM.
13. Medical considerations. There are three criteria within this criterion. The first is mandatory, requiring that the player have played five to twelve KFT events this year--no more, no fewer.  The second step is to determine when he stopped playing, as he would need to be between #61 and #85 at the time of his sidelining. The third step revolves around the average points per event played, which must also be within that ranking position. This is ranked against all member players on the tour for purposes of valid comparison.

There is more at stake than PGA Tour Americas membership and conditional KFT status for next year at Second Stage. If a given golfer wins one of the five sites (including ties at the top), he gets to start the first eight KFT events in 2024, regardless of his finish at Final Stage. This includes the Argentine Open, which guarantees its winner a trip to the Open Championship, no questions asked. Good luck to all who have made it to Second Stage!

Edward the Scop

Why an LPGA Tour University? Part II: The Solution

 In Part I of this article, I mentioned that male NCAA Division I golfers get to compete for spots on professional tours when they graduate through a program called PGA Tour University. The system has evolved over time, but has revolved around ranking players based on the World Amateur Golf Ranking, specifically in terms of NCAA, PGA Tour, USGA and R&A events. In the first two seasons, the top five players by this modified metric--AKA the "First Team"--received Korn Ferry Tour status, allowing them to compete in all full-field open events on that tour the rest of the year and received direct entry into Final Stage of what was then Korn Ferry Tour Q-School. The next ten (AKA the "Second Team") gained access to PGA Tour Canada, as well as direct entry into Second Stage of Q-school. The subtle difference between those first seasons was that the inaugural season's Second Team were automatically sent to the Forme Tour, which was cobbled together for U.S.-based players who would've otherwise played in Canada but for Covid-19 shutting down international travel.

For this year's class, the perks got even better. The No 1 player at college season's end--in this case, Ludvig Aberg of Texas Tech--earned a card on the PGA Tour for the rest of this year and next. The remainder of the top five remained the First Team along with Aberg but received the additional perk of unlimited PGA Tour sponsor's exemptions. In other words, they are being treated as Special Temporary Members, in a way. The Second Team--now restricted to the next five--now earned conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour until season's end, in addition to exempt status for PGA Tour Canada's final season before merging with the Latinoamerica and Second Stage entry. The ten after that--Nos 11-20--continued to get the same status as Nos 6-15 the two years prior, and would be referred to as the "Third Team." (Incidentally, no Umcees have finished top-10 yet, but three--Angus Flanagan (Minnesota '21), Alex Schaake (Iowa '21) and Derek Hitchner (Minneapolis Blake/Pepperdine '23) have received lesser developmental exemptions and Second Stage entry in Q-school.) Next year's class will be more of the same, providing the top men's golfers in Division I opportunities to show their stuff--and the motivation to earn those opportunities.

What would an LPGA Tour University program look like?

What would a similar system look like for women's golf? As with the PGA Tour, the LPGA pyramid has three layers: the main tour, the Epson Tour and the Women's All-Pro Tour. The WAPT feeds into the Epson, which in turn feeds the LPGA Tour with prospects. The ranking system would also be similar, except for the use of LPGA pyramid events rather than the PGA Tour pyramid, where applicable. This is how the LPGA Tour University system I propose would work:

• The top finisher would be fully exempt to all open LPGA Tour events the rest of the season and into next. She would also be directly entered into Q-Series if needed during this time.
• Finishers #2-#5, the rest of the LPGA Tour University First Team, would be fully exempt on the Epson Tour and eligible for unlimited sponsor's exemptions to the LPGA Tour. They, too, would enter Q-Series (if needed) for free, but in the same year they finish school.
• Finishers #6-#10, AKA the Second Team, would be fully exempt on the WAPT and earn Category H status on the Epson Tour, which is largely conditional. They would enter Stage II of Q-school for free (again, if needed).
• Finishers #11-#20, AKA the Third Team, would also have full status on the WAPT, but without any Epson Tour status. They would enter Q-school for free but would have to start in Stage I. (This, too, depends on not getting a higher exemption for, say, Stage II.)

In addition to this, the PGA Tour also has a PGA Tour University Accelerated feature whereby underclassmen who achieve success to a certain degree in various aspects can leave school at the end of the academic year to turn pro on the PGA Tour for this year and next, subject to the reshuffle. Vanderbilt junior Gordon Sargent is the only player so far to benefit from this feature, and is expected to leave school following his junior year when it concludes in May at the NCAA Championships. For now, my proposal focuses on women college seniors (eligibility-wise), as the money to sway a woman underclassman golfer is less appealing in light of NIL at various schools than it would have been before 2021's landmark Supreme Court ruling on the matter. That said, the Accelerated feature was implemented two years after the ruling, so I could revisit it as women's golf becomes increasingly lucrative.

In any case, the implementation of an LPGA Tour University program depends on the willingness to fund it, much of which depends on the ability to see women golfers in action. Granted, most LPGA Tour events have some broadcast exposure on the likes of Golf Channel, but that won't be enough. What is needed is a Golf+ streaming service, which could carry many lesser events and out-of-the-way broadcast windows. NBC/Comcast needs to pursue such an effort so that events that don't currently get televised can be seen and taken seriously. They could even provide alternate feeds from overseas, as Comcast owns Sky Sports, which is renowned in the British Isles for its top-tier golf coverage. The point is that eyeballs lead to revenue, which makes extensive sponsorships like what I describe above possible.

All told, it's probably too late for Ingrid Lindblad to take advantage of such an idea. The 2023-24 college season has already gone into hibernation in some parts of the country (including the Upper Midwest generally), which means any implementation would have to wait until next school year at the earliest. But the growth of women's golf at all levels cannot be ignored, and it's high time that it be venerated.

Edward the Scop

Why an LPGA Tour University? Part I: A Dream Deferred...or Denied

UPDATE, 18 NOVEMBER 2023: The deadline has passed to turn pro and participate in Q-Series. Four amateurs--Saki Baba (Japan/no college), Briana Chacon (Oregon), Savannah Grewal (Clemson) and Lilly Thomas (Tulsa) have opted to do so. In addition to Ingrid Lindblad (Sweden/LSU), as detailed below, Charlotte Heath (Florida State), Maddison Hinson-Tolchard (Oklahoma State), Sabrina Iqbal (Colorado) and Jennie Park (Texas A&M) have turned down spots in Q-Series to remain in school, and will accept deferred Epson Tour exemptions for next year.

What happens to a dream deferred?--Langston Hughes 

In seven days (as of this writing) is a most critical deadline for some people in America. So, you might think I'm talking about the government shutting down, right? Well...

If you pay attention to LPGA Q-School, you know that Stage II wrapped last month at a single site--namely, the Plantation Golf and Country Club in Venice, Florida. You probably also know that LSU redshirt senior Ingrid Lindblad from Sweden won the stage, carding a final score of -18/270 across of four rounds. She not only topped the field, but is No 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for women. And next year at this time, she'll be pro, as all Stage II grads are entitled to decent Epson Tour status, if nothing more.

Ingrid Lindblad won LPGA Q-School Stage II...now what?!

But that's where the rewards end for Lindblad. There isn't any hope for her to gain her LPGA Tour card until 2025, barring a win as a sponsor's exemption, qualifier or something thereabouts. For as skilled and successful as she has been and will continue to be, Lindblad's hands have been tied by a Q-School restriction imposed last year that restricts entry into the final stage, AKA Q-Series, to professionals. Since 2018, college players who wanted to finish out their careers had had an option to defer any LPGA status earned via Q-School to after their senior year. It's possible Lindblad would have jumped at the option if offered, as evidenced by what she said after winning Stage II:

"At the beginning of the year, I'm like, I am probably just going to go through the whole Q-Series and, like, peace out. But I was talking to my coaches, and I really like it at LSU. Like, our coaches are awesome. This year we have a really good team, so I just want to give it a chance to get another SEC [title] and maybe a national championship."

 A sweetheart deal, it would have been. Not only would Lindblad have gone straight to the big stage out of university, but she would've had that last chance for those SEC and national titles, as well as one last visit to the Augusta National Women's Amateur. Two birds, one stone! But thanks to this tomfoolery, she doesn't have such a chance, and must settle for the Epson Tour instead come graduation.

In justifying its cockamamie decision, the tour pointed out that, of the sixteen young women golfers who would have been eligible, only two--Jennifer Kupcho and Maria Fassi--accepted deferment, while the other fourteen went pro immediately. The two who deferred did keep their cards, but they had to battle to do so, as their seasons started in June rather than January. The others missed out on spring semester and the NCAA regional and national meets.

Regardless, this begs for a solution. The top women golfers in Division I deserve better than having to either leave school or settle for the Epson Tour out of school. Furthermore, these are relatively heady times for women's golf in general, so a solution is surely in the mix. And as the release hints, the LPGA has shown interest in working with college programs to develop such a solution.

To do so, I suggest taking a page from the LPGA's men's counterpart. There's a program called PGA Tour University. Under it, the top players in D-I men's golf get to play with significant professional privileges right upon graduating, which can range from PGA Tour Americas membership for fringe-elite players to Korn Ferry Tour membership for truly elite players...to an outright PGA Tour card for the top player in the program's metrics!!! What if something similar was in place for the LPGA? I was thinking on these things coming home from a Hallowe'en party in Minneapolis, and I have developed a system to reward the top women collegians with enhanced status in the LPGA pyramid. That system is the next part of my essay.

Edward the Scop

"There's Bigger Stuff in Life than Golf"

 Normally I would preface my rationale for designating my Upper Midwest Connection of the Week with a rundown of Umcees involved in golf on the week, followed by those who missed out on the weekly honours and then my honoree, with an explanation of their accomplishments. I would also normally post this Wednesday, not only to consolidate the information I have regarding Umcees in action but because I run a busy schedule. But not only is this week's honoree an obvious choice, but there is a heartrending story beyond the ropes...as in thousands of miles beyond the ropes.

As I have mentioned several times on this blog, Erik van Rooyen is an Umcee by virtue of having enrolled at the University of Minnesota from 2009 to 2013, turning pro back home in South Africa upon graduation. Van Rooyen was a nineteen-year-old newcomer to Minnesota when he hopped off the plane at Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport back in 2009, and according to his post-World Wide Technology Championship at Diamante presser in Los Cabos, Mexico, the first fellow-frosh to welcome him was a Blue Earth, Minnesota native named Jon Trasamar. As it turned out, Trasamar was also a golfer committed to the Gophers, and the two quickly bonded as roommates. Trasamar was redshirted off the bat as a true freshman, while van Rooyen played right away; but one year later, van Rooyen's future caddie, Alex Gaugert of Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, joined the duo on the team. The year after van Rooyen graduated, Trasamar and Gaugert helped the Gophers win their most recent team Big Ten title.

(Side note: I attended the U the same three years that all of these guys were on the men's golf team. No, I didn't play sports. I was too nerdy at the age at which one must pick sport up to play it competitively at any level, but nerdy in the way that I could understand its statistics and have an appreciation for its stories.)

Erik van Rooyen embraced Alex Gaugert after the final putt dropped.

Meanwhile, van Rooyen got married to a former Gopher hockey cheerleader named Rose, and Trasamar served as best man for the occasion. Even after the U of M, the two and Gaugert kept in touch. Trasamar met a woman of his own named Allie in 2016 and married last year, as he slogged through one failure to translate decent minitour success--including a Dakotas Tour win, three years before van Rooyen broke through at the Eye of Africa PGA--to Q-school after another, whereas his teammate from South Africa progressed from the Sunshine Tour to the Challenge Tour to the European Tour to the PGA Tour--with plenty of major appearances and several cuts made to boot. And then came the great shock:

Jon Trasamar, then aged 31, had melanoma.

At first, Jon put it into remission. He did well enough, in fact, to enter a prequalifying event for the John Deere Classic this summer (he didn't make the main Monday qualifier). But on Halloween in Cabo, as van Rooyen and Gaugert prepared for their latest stage in the quest to retain EVR's PGA Tour card in the FedEx Cup Fall, tragedy struck, as noted in an SMS to the two: The cancer had returned, metastasizing to stage IV and disseminating throughout Trasamar's body.

To be sure, van Rooyen had been battling his own demons during the summer. At one point, he'd missed seven straight cuts and nine of eleven to necessitate FedEx Cup Fall participation. And despite three top-30 finishes to open the fall series, along with a couple good showings on the DP World Tour, he was only #125 in the points list for purposes of eligibility coming into the week--dead last among the fully exempt. But to hear that a teammate, a fellow-professional, a friend was dying all too young...it all mattered not. Erik now knew what he needed to do to see Jon, perhaps for one last time.

At first, it looked like a good-but-not-great showing for van Rooyen and the continuation of the grind at this week's Bermuda Championship, followed by next week's RSM Classic. EVR had six birdies but also two bogeys for an opening -4/68. His hopes of seeing Jon seemed as dead as those people whom Mexicans honoured that day as they do every 2 November. But an opening eagle the next day sparked Erik, and he had two more birdies to climb to -8. It was on the back nine, though, that he found his groove, and he was in the driver's seat heading to the final hole of the round, a fourth straight cut on the FedEx Cup Fall (and sixth straight worldwide) nailed down. Disaster then struck when he shanked his final tee shot into the penalty area, took a drop and, two shots later, landed his fourth shot in the bunker greenside. He tried to get up and down for bogey but missed the bogey putt for a 7. Still, he was in contention when play was suspended, his -12 four adrift of four-time Tour winner Camilo Villegas. (Incidentally, Villegas has suffered heartache in recent times, as he lost a 20-month-old daughter a few years ago. No-one should have to bury their child, ever.)

Van Rooyen started out with an even more promising first six holes for round 3, recording four birdies and, for the second straight day, an eagle--all against his only bogey of the day at the par-4 4th. He then ran into some difficulty afterward, not recording a single score other than par the next nine holes. Meanwhile, nine-time Tour winner Matt Kuchar was cruising along on -24 after a third straight birdie at the par-5 14th. It looked like la decima was Kuchar's to win. And then the fun started.

On the very next hole, Kuch screwed up his tee shot, but that wasn't the worst of it. He then struck the ball into the penalty area, where he tried to get up and down, but he was forced to drop twice afterward before succeeding on the third try for an 8 against a par 4. He also bogeyed the following par-3 to drop into a tie with Villegas, who had made back-to-back birdies to move one clear of van Rooyen. (EVR also had made birdie at 16). Villegas then three-putted 17 to give Kuch a brief solo lead, but then gained back a share to tie on -19--again, one ahead of Erik. Those three would be the final group for Sunday.

The final round started forgettably for van Rooyen. He found the fairway off the tee but then landed in the greenside bunker and needed two tries to get out, losing his birdie putt and then missing his par, while Kuchar and Villegas made birdie. Though EVR would make birdie at the next hole, a par 3, his only other birdie on the front nine was on the par-5 6th, and his playing partners made birdie as well anyway. Game over, right? WRONG!!!

After No 6, Villegas would go ten straight holes without a birdie or better. This included the aforementioned 14th, where he flubbed his own tee shot and was forced to drop. He was lucky to save par. Meanwhile, Erik churned out three straight birdies, followed by one at 14, doing one better than Kuchar. Then, after all three had parred the 15th, Erik copied what Justin Suh had done in the group ahead and hit a birdie from distance at 16. Another long birdie followed at 17, while Kuchar could only muster par on both holes. (Villegas did birdie 17.) When the group reached the final hole, van Rooyen was tied on -25 with Kuchar, with Villegas close behind on -24. Problem was, van Rooyen hadn't broken par at the last all week, and this was the site of his infamous 7. Could he atone, thinking of Jon back in Minnesota?

The answer was a resounding yes! Erik found the fairway for the last time, then drove the approach onto the green at the second asking, eighteen feet away. Only, Villegas did the same, and a one-stroke gain would force a playoff. Kuchar didn't need to gain any strokes, but only maintain pace with van Rooyen. But his approach landed in the bunker, which meant he'd need to at least get up and down to have a chance. He ended up launching it onto the green, but away from van Rooyen and Villegas. Then, in a curious act, he allowed van Rooyen to take an attempt to seal the win with an eagle.

The ball found the cup. Van Rooyen raised his fist in the air and pointed to and embraced Gaugert as the two teared up. It took van Rooyen ten tearful seconds to answer Golf Channel interviewer George Savaricas' question on how he kept his composure through the ordeal of playing for Jon Trasamar. I think van Rooyen put it best: "There's bigger stuff in life than golf...When you're playing for something bigger than winning some silly trophy, it puts things in perspective." This quote might well apply to any sport, whether football, soccer, basketball...whatever. Regardless of what Bill Shankly said about soccer, sport isn't a matter of life or death. (I admit, I need to meditate on that when I watch the Gophers play football or, this season, volleyball.) Cancer or any other potential terminal illness is, wherever and however it afflicts the body.

Most weeks, a post on an Umcee winning a tour event would focus on the status thus earned: job security, access to more prestigious events and so on. And EVR got his share of perks with the win: $1.487 million richer; two more years on the PGA Tour; a jump from #125 to #63 in the FedEx Cup Fall standings; a surge from #189 to #82 in the OWGR; and forthcoming trips to the Sentry, the Players Championship, the Masters and the PGA Championship, none of which he played in this year. Moreover, if he gets a second full-point win through the Memorial Tournament, the week before the U.S. Open, he'll qualify for that major as well. Lastly, a top performance at next week's RSM Classic in Sea Island, Georgia could get van Rooyen to Pebble Beach and the Genesis, too, if he chooses to play. None of that matters now amid the sheer fragility of human life to which he has been privy through being soon to lose his BFF and college teammate to cancer. Erik van Rooyen has already withdrawn from Bermuda to go to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and be with Trasamar in some of his last days.

They say the events that lack for star power on the PGA Tour make up for this absence in terms of humanity. This doesn't mean that big-time events can't bring touching stories to the fore; it's just that the winners have tended to be more assured in their careers as golfers. It truly has put things in perspective for the Upper Midwest Connection of the Week. Perhaps for not only his play, but his wisdom at age 33, even the Upper Midwest Connection of the Year.

"Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these...you did it to me."--Matthew 25:40 (NRSV)

Edward the Scop

FA Cup Picks 2023-24: First Round Part III

 Late Saturday picks

Bromley 1-3 Blackpool (actual 0-2; 10pt)

Mansfield Town 3-2 Wrexham (actual 1-2; 3pt)

Sunday picks

Chesterfield 2-1 Portsmouth (actual 1-0; 10pt)

Kidderminster Harriers 1-3 Fleetwood Town (actual 1-2; 12pt)

Slough Town 2-1 Grimsby Town (actual 2-7/3-8)

Crewe Alexandra 2-2 Derby County (Derby on penalties) (actual 1-3/3-5)

Charlton Athletic 3-1 Cray Valley Paper Mills (actual 6-1/7-2; 10pt)

FA Cup Picks 2023-24: First Round, Part II

 Saturday picks (continued)

Shrewsbury Town 4-3 Colchester United (actual 3-2; 10pt)

Bristol Rovers 3-2 Whitby Town (actual 7-2; 13pt)

Lincoln City 1-2 Morecambe (correct score; 20pt)

Sutton United 4-2 AFC Fylde (actual 2-1; 10pt)

Reading 2-4 Milton Keynes Dons (actual 4-2)

Doncaster Rovers 1-2 Accrington Stanley (actual 2-1/4-3)

Chester 2-1 York City (actual 1-2, replay)

Scarborough Athletic 2-1 Forest Green Rovers (actual 2-4/3-5)

Notts County 3-1 Crawley Town (actual 3-2; 14pt)

Stockport County 5-1 Worksop Town (correct score; 26pt)

Yeovil Town 3-2 Gateshead (correct score; 24pt)

Stevenage 2-0 Tranmere Rovers (actual 4-3; 10pt)

Chesham United 4-2 Maidstone United (actual 0-2; 3pt*)

AFC Wimbledon 2-1 Cheltenham Town (actual 5-1; 12pt)

Cambridge United 2-1 Bracknell Town (correct score; 20pt)

Ramsgate 4-2 Woking (actual 2-1; 10pt)

(Late Saturday and Sunday picks in next post)

FA Cup Picks 2023-24: First Round, Part I

 In keeping with my increasingly busy schedule, I have opted to break up my picks for the forty ties of the first round proper into batches as time allows. For each pairing, the predicted score is for the entire tie, whether it is decided on the day or in a replay ten days or so afterward.

UPDATE: I have decided to list the actual scores as they are finalized so that you can see how I did with each tie. Included are the point values for the final scores.

Friday picks

Barnsley 3-1 Horsham (actual 3-0/6-3; 10pt)

Sheppey United 1-2 Walsall (actual 1-4; 12pt)

Saturday picks

Northampton Town 0-3 Barrow (actual 1-3; 14pt)

Curzon Ashton 2-4 Barnet (actual 0-1; 10pt)

Alfreton Town 3-2 Woking (actual 2-0; 10pt)

Bolton Wanderers 2-0 Solihull Moors (actual 4-0; 11pt)

Exeter City 0-3 Wigan Athletic (actual 0-2; 11pt)

Leyton Orient 1-0 Carlisle United (actual 3-1; 10pt)

Hereford 1-0 Gillingham (actual 0-2)

Oxford United 4-1 Maidenhead United (actual 2-0; 10pt)

Newport County 3-4 Oldham Athletic (actual 2-0)

Swindon Town 2-1 Aldershot Town (actual 4-7)

Marine 4-3 Harrogate Town (actual 1-5)

Port Vale 1-2 Burton Albion (actual 2-0)

Peterborough United 2-1 Salford City (actual 4-4/6-6; Peterborough on penalties; 10pt)

Eastleigh 2-2 Boreham Wood (Boreham Wood on pens) (actual 5-1)

Bradford City 2-1 Wycombe Wanderers (actual 1-2)

(To be continued)