Update: The final round of Q-School was postponed to Monday due to heavy overnight rain on both golf courses.
For those seeking the last full PGA Tour cards for next season, it’s come down to the final round.
The PGA Tour’s Qualifying Tournament, or Q-School, the first in more than a decade to award PGA Tour cards, will come to a close Sunday with the fourth and final round at TPC Sawgrass (Dye’s Valley Course) and Sawgrass Country Club.
The top five players and ties will earn PGA Tour cards when it’s all finished Sunday, with the top 40 players (and ties) being exempt on the Korn Ferry Tour and the following 20 exempt on the Latin America swing of the PGA Tour Americas. Every player in the field earns conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Americas.
Through three rounds, Harrison Endycott, a PGA Tour rookie in 2023 who finished 139th in the FedEx Cup Fall standings, leads the way by two at 12 under. After him, Blaine Hale Jr. is two shots clear of third at 10 under. However, right around the cut for the top five (which is currently seven under, with six golfers at that number or better) things get a lot more bunched.
The host courses have been hit with bad weather all week, but forecasted totals of 2-3 inches of rain overnight along with 46 mph winds leading to 20-28 mph winds Sunday could throw things into chaos.
A total of 23 golfers enter the final round within five shots of the current cut. Among those are some familiar names to avid golf fans.
Here are the six most intriguing pros with a shot at getting a PGA Tour card Sunday.
Spencer Levin
T3, -8
Happy Gilmore-imitating pro makes first cut in 5 years in very Happy Gilmore style
For the better part of two decades, Levin has developed a reputation as one of the more colorful and entertaining players in professional golf. Unfortunately, that character has been absent from the PGA Tour since 2017. He made headlines late last year when he Monday qualified for the Shriners Children’s Open using a Happy Gilmore-esque putting technique, and then again when he played his way into the Farmers Insurance Open. He’s putting *somewhat* more conventionally this week (claw) but it’s got him in good position to re-earn playing status on the big Tour for the first time in seven years.
Kyle Westmoreland
T7, –6
Westmoreland went the wrong direction Saturday with a 71 after holding the 36-hole lead with Endycott, but he’s still just a shot outside the cut. The Air Force veteran made 37 starts as a PGA Tour rookie last season but wasn’t able to maintain even conditional status. However, a good round Sunday and he’ll have a chance to for a rebound year.
Wesley Bryan
T10, -5
One-half of the viral Bryan Bros Golf trick shot artists, Wesley Bryan has had the most successful career of the duo, picking up a win at the 2016 RBC Heritage. However, Bryan has struggled, both with injuries and his form since then and has been playing out of the past champion category the past few years. He’s two shots out of a Tour card to begin the final round.
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Harry Higgs
T13, -4
Higgs became a cult hero in 2022 and he and Joel Dahmen authored one of the more “memorable” moments at TPC Scottsdale’s Stadium Hole 16th. However, he lost his full status after that season and played as a conditional member last season and is set to do so again in 2024 unless he can make up three shots Sunday.
Fred Biondi
T19, -3
Biondi just turned pro this spring after winning both the individual and team Division I National Championship at Florida. The Brazilian actually had more success in four starts on the PGA Tour after turning pro than nine stars on the Korn Ferry Tour, but he currently holds no status for next year. He must put together at least a solid round Sunday to stay in the top 40 to earn Korn Ferry status.
Erik Compton
T19, -3
Compton has been a feel-good story on the PGA Tour as the recipient of two heart transplants, but he hasn’t held a Tour card since 2016. He played just two PGA Tour events this past season in the Dominican Republic and Fort Worth, but has a chance for a whole lot more with a good round tomorrow.