Fall 1977 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates
This is a list of the Fall 1977 PGA Tour Qualifying School graduates. The event was held at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. There were 144 players in the event.[1] The top 30 players would earn playing privileges for the PGA Tour.[2] The length of the tournament was reduced from 108 holes to 72 holes.[3] According to the Associated Press, recent two-time NCAA champion Scott Simpson and 1976 U.S. Amateur champion Bill Sander were considered the favorites.[1] In addition, former All-Americans from Oklahoma State University–Stillwater, Tom Jones and Jaime Gonzalez, were also "expected to succeed."[3]
Tournament summary
In the first round Rick Beck of Geneva, Alabama shot a 68 (−4) to take a one-stroke lead over a number of players.[1] After the first two rounds Ed Fiori and Len Mickles held the joint lead at 139.[4] Fiori's round of 66 was the tournament's best so far. It concluded five consecutive birdies.[5] In the third round, playing amidst "cold weather and chilling winds," Fiori and Mickles expanded their lead with rounds of 73 (+1). At 212 (−4), they held a two shot lead over Gary Jacobson.[2] Skeeter Heath was in fourth place at this point, three back, tied with Jeff Hewes and Parker Moore.[6] In the final round, Fiori shot a "steady" even-par 72 while Mickles "faltered" on the final hole ensuring that Fiori was medalist. Fiori finished at 284 (−4), the only player under par, and defeated Mickles by four.[7] Sander failed to qualify. He was at the cut-off point after 16 holes of the final round. However, he shot five-over-par over the final two holes to miss qualifying by five strokes.[7] Simpson also failed to qualify.[8] He was especially hurt by a septuple-bogey 12 on the par-5 12th hole during the first round.[1] Among the players from Oklahoma State, Jones failed to earn playing privileges but Gonzalez was successful.[8]
List of graduates
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Source: [8]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Beck Has Qualifying Lead". The High Point Enterprise. 1977-11-10. p. 21. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Fiori Maintains Share of Lead". The High Point Enterprise. 1977-11-12. p. 9. Retrieved 2021-07-02.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "PGA School: Golf Horror Chamber". The Charlotte Observer. 1977-11-09. p. 30. Retrieved 2021-06-30.
- ↑ "PGA qualifying". Austin American-Statesman. 1977-11-11. p. 72. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ↑ "Fiori Shares PGA Lead". The High Point Enterprise. 1977-11-11. p. 15. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ↑ "Heath Retains 4th In PGA, Finals Today". Daily Press. 1977-11-12. p. 21. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Fiori Only Qualifier To Break Course Par". The High Point Enterprise. 1977-11-13. p. 42. Retrieved 2021-06-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Gould, David (1999). Q-School Confidential: Inside Golf's Cruelest Tournament. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 259–60. ISBN 978-0312203559.