'The Turn': Dillon Board feels love from local crowd at Q-School’s Final Stage

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Dillon Board loves his home region of northeast Florida. The fan turnout Friday at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry’s Final Stage proved that the region loves him back.

After a “forgettable” opening round Thursday in demanding conditions at Sawgrass Country Club, Board rallied with a second-round 70 at TPC Sawgrass’ Dye’s Valley Course. It’s his first trip to Final Stage, and Board has no plans of laying down – two strong closing rounds could improve his status on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour. By advancing through Second Stage, he has secured conditional Korn Ferry Tour status at minimum – a massive step in his golf journey.

To that end, he’s embracing the moment at Final Stage, no matter the outcome.

“Just too many mistakes yesterday and it was difficult to rebound as they added up,” said Board. “But today was better, didn’t get as many birdies as I would’ve liked but felt good about limiting my mistakes.”

After seven bogeys, a double bogey and triple bogey contributed to a 12-over 82 on Thursday, the biggest difference in Board’s second-round 70 was limiting the mistakes.

“He has grown so much; that’s really what I have seen over the years,” said Dillon’s brother Dalton, who flew in from Denver, Colorado late Thursday night and walked all 18 holes Friday.

“I caddied for him a few times when he first started out and really enjoyed it. But I do remember one time on the golf course, at Bent Creek (a local public golf course on Jacksonville’s Westside), I believe it was, he wasn’t too pleased with a shot and snapped a 9-iron over his leg. I told him I was not going to caddie for him if he acted like that on the golf course. So yeah, seeing the progression of growth over the years is evident.”

Board was a multi-sport athlete at Baldwin High School on Jacksonville’s Westside. With that comes a lot of lessons, a lot of discipline and high internal expectations. On the golf course, there is nowhere to hide, it’s you and the course.

“He played soccer, baseball, basketball along with golf in high school,” said Dillon’s mom Kim, who walked alongside Friday at Dye’s Valley Course. “He won Athlete of the Year in high school, and you know, he was a really good baseball player. He excelled at team sports and this, an individual sport. Dalton went the baseball route; Dillon went with golf after high school.”

Board made the turn on Friday at 1 under after a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole. It was a bogey-free front nine, an impressive bounce-back from his struggles on Thursday. The familiar scenery and faces may have helped with his change in fortune.

“I have played here a few times,” said Board of Dye’s Valley Course. “Growing up in Jacksonville, it’s a known course in the community and it’s fun to be able to play out here at this high of a level. The signs, the leaderboards and TV towers, it’s a really cool experience.”

Added to that experience was the large crowd of family and friends following him through his round. Along with his mom and brother, cousins, former teammates and coaches were among those out in support.

“You know, the Jacksonville golf community is really such a tight-knit group and I think any time someone has a chance to do something special on the course, the community really rallies for them,” said Dalton, the younger of Kim’s two sons.

Board was steady throughout the day but a bogey at the par-4 12th moved him back to even par.

“Wedge play was rather disappointing today … you can’t be taking four-plus shots to finish a hole from 100 to 130 yards out,” said Board, referencing his bogey at the 12th that saw him nearly drive the green from 340 yards. His ball hit the downslope in front of the green and rolled back down into a shallow area, creating a difficult chip to a green elevated about 25 feet.

“It was a tight lie,” said Board. “I was tempted to hit a low, skinny one but with the elevation I was worried; I was just worried. So I decided to try and fly it to the flag and just got it a little fat and it rolled back down.”

Weather started to threaten his round down the homestretch, but the wind remained relatively calm as he approached the par-5 16th, a reasonable birdie opportunity given Board’s length off the tee. After his second shot found the rough just short and right of the green, a skillful wedge just over a bunker set him up with a 12-foot birdie putt.

“YES! There you go,” exclaimed Board’s wife Mackenzie after his birdie putt rolled in to get him back to 1 under.

Dillon and Mackenzie have been married for three years after dating for a decade prior.

“I’m really proud of him. There have been some ups and downs, but he has always remained positive,” said Mackenzie. “He has always worked really hard and this is surreal to be playing at this course, at this level, but I know he is ready for this moment.”

While the week might not result in the storybook ending Board and his family may have hoped for, it is a moment for him and his wife to reflect on the journey that got them to this point and what may lie ahead.

“He has his timeline,” said Mackenzie. “PGA TOUR or Korn Ferry Tour by 29- or 30-years-old goal and by him getting here and maybe getting some starts on the Korn Ferry Tour next season, it’s a chance for us to evaluate what is next. But this is a great step.”

As for Kim’s outlook, she just enjoys watching her son do what he enjoys.

“It’s all in God’s hands,” Kim said. “He wanted to be here by 30 years old, and he just turned 30 on Nov. 11, a few weeks before advancing to Q-School’s Final Stage.

“It’s been a long few years of making it work, travel and figuring out how to budget for certain events. But he is making it work … To be honest, I couldn’t care less about sports but if my son is playing, I care more about that than anything in the world.”

Catch the full all-access docuseries starring Board when "The Turn: Q-School presented by Korn Ferry" hits streaming Dec. 20 on PGATOUR.COM and YouTube.