PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – When Roberto Diaz stood over putts this summer, he couldn’t tell if they were going uphill or downhill.

It wasn’t for a lack of feel or skill. Diaz, 39, had been a good putter before. He gained strokes on the field in each of his two seasons on the PGA TOUR from 2017 to 2019.

It had everything to do with a pterygium that developed in his left eye. And it took a chance visit to an eye doctor to realize it.

“My dad had to go get his eyes checked,” Diaz said, “and when I went with my dad, the doctor told me that he really wanted to see what I had in my eye, and he checked it and told me you need to have surgery.

“I didn't have any depth perception,” he added.

That’s not an ideal recipe for good golf. Still, Diaz finished 55th on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List this season, guaranteeing him full status for 2024. With a newly fixed left eye, he might just guarantee himself full status on the PGA TOUR.

Diaz shot 2-under 68 at Dye’s Valley in the first round of Q-School presented by Korn Ferry. He is currently tied for 10th. The top five and ties after 72 holes earn full TOUR status in 2024.

“I feel great,” said Diaz, two shots back of the top five. “'I’m happy with 2 under. I think that it's not going to get any easier, so it's going to be a grind all week.”

Though clear vision will surely help during what’s expected to be a blustery and rainy weekend. He had noticed a callus developing in the corner of his left eye, but never thought anything of it until the doctor visit. The doctor showed Diaz that the pterygium had slowly grown closer to his cornea, which caused the vision problems. Diaz had surgery to remove the pterygium last month after earning a spot start at the World Wide Technology Championship.

“I lost quite a bit of sight in my left eye that I didn't even notice,” said Diaz, noting it has been a night-and-day difference. He can see clearly again and notices subtle nuances in slopes and the coloration of greens that he couldn’t before.

He spent three weeks recovering before starting prep for Final Stage. And through one round, he has an opportunity to return to the PGA TOUR after four years on the Korn Ferry Tour. Diaz first earned TOUR status in 2017. He spent two seasons on TOUR but never finished better than 155th in the FedExCup.

Projected TOUR cards

The top five and ties after 72 holes will earn full status for the 2024 PGA TOUR season. Through 18 holes, here’s who would earn a TOUR card.

T1. Harrison Endycott (-5) – The Australian has conditional status for 2024, courtesy of his 139th finish in the FedExCup Fall. That allowed him to play aggressively Thursday: “A sixth-place finish does nothing for me this week,” he said. So far, so good. He carded the only bogey-free round of the day.

T1. Tano Goya (-5) – Another rookie from last year, Goya finished 155th in the FedExCup Fall, leaving him only conditional Korn Ferry Tour status for next season. He’s on pace for much more. “It won't change anything for me whatever happens this week," he said. "I'll still be the same person, I'm going to be enjoying myself. Whatever is my situation and wherever I get to play, I'll do it 100 percent."

T3. Max McGreevy (-4) – He’s the lone golfer in the top five to play at Sawgrass Country Club on Thursday, which was just over two shots harder. That gives him an opportunity to separate during his second round at Dye’s Valley on Friday.

T3. Hayden Springer (-4) – He finished No. 1 in PGA TOUR Canada, which exempted him into Final Stage. Springer is playing with a heavy heart. His young daughter Sage passed away last month at age 3 after battling Trisomy 18.

T3. Doc Redman (-4) – It’s a comfortable week for Redman, who resides in Ponte Vedra Beach and regularly plays TPC Sawgrass. It showed with five birdies to just one bogey. He finished outside the top 150 in the FedExCup Fall, so he needs a top-five finish to get PGA TOUR starts in 2024.

Korn Ferry Tour bubble

The next 40 finishers and ties will earn exempt status through multiple reshuffles of the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour season, with the first 25 finishers and ties being subject to the third reshuffle (12 guaranteed starts) and any remaining finishers within the category being subject to the second reshuffle (eight guaranteed starts).

Through Round 1, 51 players are at even par or better, making that the current cutoff for Korn Ferry Tour status. Among the notable names of the group:

Bryce Hendrix (-3, T6) – After playing on the GPro Tour for much of the year, Hendrix has already locked up the best status of his career by making Final Stage. His journey has been “a bit of a roller coaster,” he said. “When I graduated college, COVID hit, so I couldn't have a chance to get out here right away. Just kind of kept plugging along.”

Isaiah Salinda (-2, T10) – The Stanford alum showed his potential this fall, finishing T7 at the Shriners Children’s Open and playing his way into the World Wide Technology Championship. He just hasn’t shown it frequently enough. He spent 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour and only retained conditional status for 2024. He’s on track to comfortably earn better status and is only two shots out of the top five and ties.

Van Holmgren (E, T32) – Holmgren lipped out his final putt of Second Stage two years ago, which cost him a spot at Final Stage. He saved a video of the putt as motivation. After two years of having nowhere to play, Holmgren has locked up at least conditional Korn Ferry Tour status and is on the cusp of more.

Ryan Gerard (+1, T57) – Gerard narrowly missed out on PGA TOUR status through Special Temporary Membership. Now, he could enter 2024 with only conditional Korn Ferry Tour status. He’s one shot out of improving that status and five shots from getting another taste of TOUR golf.

Notables

Keita Nakajima (-1, T20) – No. 1 in the Japan Golf Tour Order of Merit, Nakakjima, 23, is in position to earn full Korn Ferry Tour status. Nakajima spent 87 weeks at No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking before turning pro in 2022.

Sam Bennett (-1, T20) – From the Masters to Q-School, Bennett’s journey illustrates the winding road of pro golf. He spent the summer pursuing TOUR status through sponsor exemptions, which has left him with minimal status for 2024. His last shot of the season comes at Final Stage this week.

Harry Higgs (-1, T20) – Higgs is squarely in the Endycott-zone. With conditional TOUR status locked up, he can play free this week, knowing only a top five can improve his status.

Wesley Bryan (E, T32) – Looking to improve his Past Champion status, Bryan endured the tougher Sawgrass Country Club conditions, leaving him in a solid spot for Round 2.

Aldrich Potgieter (+8, T156) – The 19-year-old South African had plenty of hype coming into the week. He played the harder of the two courses on Thursday, but he faces an uphill battle to improve his status.