Fisher: #winning

The atmosphere at Q-school finals is indescribable. I mean, I can try my best to convey it, but it’s something you have to experience, especially because there’s nothing else like it. So it’s truly a shame this is the last year of the current system which started in 1965.

The vibe of the week is a mixture of nerves, excitement, uncertainty, agony, and camaraderie amongst the players and caddies. It’s also a bit frantic and overwhelming because there’s so much going on and most guys are on kind of on edge in a way (though they try not to show it). Still, it’s my favorite tournament. Before the six-day marathon starts, it’s somewhat chill, but obviously, with each day, it becomes more pressure-packed and you see less smiles and more grim faces. (continue reading…)

Wheeeeeeee!

20-year-old South Korean Meen Whee Kim rolled in a tricky 15-footer to save par after he pushed his 7-iron into the greenside bunker on the 9th at the Stadium Course (he started on no. 10) to cap off a bogey free nine-under 63 in the second round of PGA Tour Q-School.

Kim tied the course record and set a personal best, his lowest score in competition. Which he admitted crossed his mind as he stood over his putt for par. He said he knew what it meant, and as expected, he felt some nerves, but made the putt which wasn’t exactly the easiest in the world because of the pin placement and green contour. (continue reading…)

I took videos of two players hitting balls on the range at PGA Tour Q-School (the last one ever!). Turns out they’re both young international rising stars that you should keep your eye on. 20-year-old South Korean Meen Whee Kim (who prefers to be called “Whee”) and 21-year-old Frenchman Romain Wattel are making their first start at Q-school finals.

In the spirit of the gossip magazine meme: Who Wore It Best? (Guys, despite your attempt to feign ignorance, I know a lot of you are familiar with it.) So, I ask, who swings it best? Or better? THIS IS LIKE GOLF PORN.

(continue reading…)

Charlie Beljan's Cinderella story started when he earned his card at Q-school finals in 2011

As longtime WUP readers know, Q-school is my favorite tournament to cover all season. (Heck, I even went to second stage this year!–talk about the nerve-wracking atmosphere I’ve ever experienced.) Rather than going to Tiger Woods’ member-guest 22-man invite-only World Challenge in the L.A. area, I drove about three hours east to the desert, more specifically PGA West in La Quinta, for what I consider the most intriguing event of the year. Especially since 2012 is the LAST Q-SCHOOL EVER (as we know it — there will no longer be a direct pathway to the PGA Tour).

Let’s take a moment of silence to celebrate and remember 45 years of the only professional sporting event where you can start at Q-school pre-qualifying with no status and then play up to four different stages (full tournaments with strong fields) in the grueling process, which ends with the six-round finals, to earn full status on the PGA Tour for the following season. Ain’t that great?

Everybody loves a “Rudy” and Cinderella story. (continue reading…)

Tensions and emotions ran high on Friday in the final round at Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club in Plantation, Florida (near Fort Lauderdale), one of the six sites around the country holding the second stage of the PGA Tour qualifying tournament, known fondly as “Q-school.”

There’s always an enormous amount of pressure for players trying to advance to finals, but this year there seems to be even more than usual. Why? The reply was simple: “It’s the last year” or “It’s the last chance.” (Or as I like to call it: “Q-school deathwatch.”) (continue reading…)