On to Final Stage: 17 PGA TOUR Americas players advance in PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – The dream of spending the 2024 season on either the PGA TOUR or the Korn Ferry Tour is still alive for 17 players who are already exempt for the PGA TOUR Americas inaugural season. Playing at five different venues over the past three weeks, those 17 made it through the always stressful Second Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.

The ones advancing were Ryan Davis, Marcus Byrd, Davis Shore, Alvaro Ortiz, Cooper Dossey, John Pak, Connor Howe, James Nicholas, Sudarshan Yellamaraju, Taylor Funk, Jeffrey Kang, Thomas Longbella, Jared du Toit, Dylan Healey, Stuart Macdonald, Tanner Gore and Raúl Pereda.

All of them have secured 2024 Korn Ferry Tour membership at minimum, with a chance to secure guaranteed starts – and battle for PGA TOUR cards for the top five and ties – at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. A crucial event in their careers, Final Stage is scheduled to run from Dec. 14-17 at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course and Sawgrass Country Club.

Here are the top storylines from the PGA TOUR Americas players who advanced from Second Stage of Q-School:

Kang secures big reward

As the medalist this past week in Valencia, California, where he shot 11-under 277 for a three-shot win, Jeffrey Kang has now secured eight guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts. Such a performance was an extension of his solid play on PGA TOUR Canada, where he closed out the season with four top 10s in a row, including two runner-up finishes and a tie for third. The 32-year-old University of Southern California alum was also coming off a tie for 31st at the PGA TOUR’s World Wide Technology Championship, where he was ranked inside the top 10 through 36 holes as a Monday qualifier only a month ago.

Canadian trio advances

Tied for second at 9-under 279 in Valdosta, Georgia, Sudarshan Yellamaraju was the best of three Canadians who made it through this past week. The other two were Jared du Toit (T4 at 5-under) and Stuart Macdonald (T9 at 2-under) in Valencia. All three of them finished inside the Fortinet Cup standings top 30 this past season, with Macdonald finishing seventh, Yellamaraju 21st and du Toit 28th. Macdonald, who also finished 20th on the 2023 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica standings, is set to make his second consecutive appearance at Final Stage, while the other two will be making their debut.

Trio of 2023 PGA TOUR Canada winners

In addition to Macdonald, who won the Commissionaires Ottawa Open, Osprey Valley Open champion Davis Shore and Elk Ridge Saskatchewan Open champion John Pak make it a trio of 2023 PGA TOUR Canada champions headed to Final Stage. Shore, who was also a runner-up at the Brazil Open on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica, and Pak, who finished first in the inaugural PGA TOUR University class in 2021, secured their berths in Port St. Lucie, Florida, three weeks ago, with Shore tying for third and Pak tying for 11th.

Another PGA TOUR University success story

Following an 18th-place finish on the 2023 PGA TOUR University Ranking with a 20th-place finish in the Fortinet Cup standings, Connor Howe is headed to Final Stage within six months of his debut as a pro. Three weeks ago, the 23-year-old Georgia Tech alum birdied two of his last five holes in Savannah, Georgia, to tie for 12th and make it on the number at 8-under.

Making the APGA Tour proud

Keeping his momentum going after a four-win season that saw him claim 2023 APGA Tour Player of the Year honors and an exemption for the 2024 PGA TOUR Americas Latin Swing, Marcus Byrd made it through with a tie for 13th finish in Dothan, Alabama, three weeks ago. He shot a final-round 71, recording a critical birdie on 17, to make it on the number at 7-under. A pro since 2020, the 26-year-old from Washington, D.C., will be making his first trip to Final Stage.

Ortiz, Pereda come through for Mexico

Alvaro Ortiz and Raul Pereda, who finished 21st and 22nd, respectively, to be the leading Mexican players on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica this past season, were the only two Latin American players to survive Second Stage. Ortiz, 28, made it through in a tie for seventh three weeks ago in Port St. Lucie, while Pereda, 27, punched his ticket with a tie for 13th in Valencia. Ortiz will be playing Final Stage for the second time in his career, while Pereda is set to make his debut playing near Jacksonville, the place he has called home since moving there to attend Jacksonville University in 2014.

Clutch finish by Funk

With his chances of advancing to Final Stage for the very first time slipping away, Taylor Funk kept his composure to birdie seven of his last 11 holes Friday in Valdosta. He managed to advance on the number at 5-under. A Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, native, Funk earned the chance to play in front of a home crowd that will include his father, Fred Funk, an eight-time TOUR winner. Three months ago, the 28-year-old entered the penultimate event of the PGA TOUR Canada season ranked 57th in the Fortinet Cup standings and fired a final-round 60 to tie for sixth and secure a spot in the season-ending Fortinet Cup Championship.

First Stage medalists keep the pedal down

Among the First Stage medalists who secured 2024 PGA TOUR Americas status, James Nicholas and Tanner Gore are hoping for a lot more. Nicholas, a 26-year-old Yale alum, secured his Final Stage berth with a tie for second in Valdosta, where he shot 9-under 279 three weeks ago. Meanwhile, Gore, a 27-year-old from El Paso, Texas, made it through with a tie for ninth in Valencia, where he shot 2-under 286 this past week.

Two down, one to go

Thomas Longbella (T2 in Valencia), Dylan Healey (T6 in Valencia), Cooper Dossey (10th in Port St. Lucie) and Ryan Davis (T4 in Dothan) join du Toit, Byrd, Nicholas, Gore and Funk in a group of nine players who successfully advanced through First and Second Stage.

Final Scores

The following are the final scores and positions for the 17 PGA TOUR Americas players who made it through Second Stage:

Dothan, Alabama – Nov. 14-17 (two players)
T4. Ryan Davis (U.S.) 67-69-70-72—278 (-10)
T13. Marcus Byrd (U.S.) 68-73-69-71—281 (-7)

Port St. Lucie, Florida – Nov. 14-17 (four players)
T3. Davis Shore (U.S.) 69-73-70-67—279 (-9)
T7. Alvaro Ortiz (Mexico) 73-72-66-70—281 (-7)
10. Cooper Dossey (U.S.) 70-69-73-70—282 (-6)
T11. John Pak (U.S.) 72-73-68-70—283 (-5)

Savannah, Georgia – Nov. 14-17 (one player)
T12. Connor Howe (U.S.) 71-70-70-69—280 (-8)

Valdosta, Georgia – Nov. 28-Dec. 1 (three players)
T2. James Nicholas (U.S.) 72-65-73-69—279 (-9)
T2. Sudarshan Yellamaraju (Canada) 70-71-65-73—279 (-9)
T11. Taylor Funk (U.S.) 70-74-73-66—283 (-5)

Valencia, California – Nov. 28-Dec. 1 (seven players)
1. Jeffrey Kang (U.S.) 66-71-67-73—277 (-11)
T2. Thomas Longbella (U.S.) 73-71-66-70—280 (-8)
T4. Jared du Toit (Canada) 70-67-73-73—283 (-5)
T6. Dylan Healey (U.S.) 72-71-67-74—284 (-4)
T9. Stuart Macdonald (Canada) 71-69-74-72—286 (-2)
T9. Tanner Gore (U.S.) 70-70-70-76—286 (-2)
T13. Raúl Pereda (Mexico) 71-73-71-72—287 (-1)