See the 11 players who advanced from pre-qualifying to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Of the 171 players in this week’s field at Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, 80 were automatically exempt to this week’s 72-hole extravaganza that offers PGA TOUR cards to the top five finishers (and ties) in northeast Florida.

On the flip side are 11 players who began Q-School at square one – at the pre-qualifying stage, roughly three months ago. PGA TOUR Q-School is comprised of four stages, beginning at pre-qualifying in September (eight sites), followed by First Stage in October (13 sites) and then Second Stage in November and early December (five sites). A player’s starting stage is determined by various exemption criteria; if a player does not meet any of the criteria for a later stage, pre-qualifying is the starting block. To advance from pre-qualifying to Q-School’s Final Stage, a player must display strong form in three different events, several weeks apart, across a variety of course conditions. It’s one of pro golf’s ultimate tests, and the reward for players who advance to Final Stage is conditional 2025 Korn Ferry Tour status at minimum, with a chance to earn Korn Ferry Tour guaranteed starts (next 40 and ties, after the top five and ties) in addition to the coveted PGA TOUR cards.

Here’s a capsule look at the 11 players who have survived the marathon journey from pre-qualifying to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School, where they’ll start on a level playing field with those who have qualified directly for Final Stage and everyone in between.

Drew Doyle

The LSU alum drained a 60-footer on the final hole of Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida, to finish two strokes inside the number. Doyle, 22, grew emotional afterward when reflecting on recent struggles – just a year ago, he said, he didn’t feel confident in his ability to break 80. Then he embarked on a magical Q-School journey. Doyle advanced through pre-qualifying in Woodstock, Illinois; First Stage in Henryville Indiana; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida.

Luke Gifford

The Pepperdine alum advanced on the number at Second Stage in Valdosta, Georgia, celebrating the moment with former college teammate Derek Hitchner – the duo shared a rental house for the week and sweated out the bubble together as the final groups finished up. Gifford, 24, advanced through pre-qualifying in Brunswick, Georgia; First Stage in Madison, Mississippi; and Second Stage in Valdosta, Georgia. The South Florida native is close with PGA TOUR Champions stalwart Bernhard Langer, whom he considers a mentor.

Jake Hall

Hall played collegiately at the University of Tennessee, finishing No. 39 on the 2024 PGA TOUR University Ranking. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Brunswick, Georgia; First Stage in Bermuda Run, North Carolina; and Second Stage in Savannah, Georgia. Hall wasn’t initially enthused with golf, he reflected after advancing through Second Stage – “I remember the first time I actually went and hit balls; I told my parents I was never going back,” he said. Now he has secured conditional Korn Ferry Tour membership in his first Q-School foray and perhaps more – and he’ll have PGA TOUR veteran Scott Stallings on the bag at Final Stage.

John Houchin

Houchin played two seasons of collegiate golf at Eastern Florida State College before transferring to Stetson for his final two seasons, 2022-24. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Brunswick, Georgia; First Stage in Ocala, Florida; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida. Houchin is a barbecue enthusiast and lists filmmaking as a non-golf talent.

John Houk

Houk began his collegiate career at Tennessee Wesleyan before transferring to the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga for his final two seasons (2022-24). He advanced through pre-qualifying in Greenville, Alabama; First Stage in Semmes, Alabama; and Second Stage in Dothan, Alabama.

Cameron Huss

Huss was named to the All-Big Ten First Team as a University of Wisconsin senior in 2023-24, a season which included two tournament wins and four top-five finishes. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Woodstock, Illinois; First Stage in Lincoln, Nebraska; and Second Stage in Savannah, Georgia.

Dawson Jones

Jones, 27, hails from Howell, New Jersey and played collegiately at the University of Rhode Island; he spent time as a certified public accountant after graduating in 2019. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Kannapolis, North Carolina; First Stage in Bermuda Run, North Carolina; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida. He ran indoor track in high school, and his favorite athlete is Jason Day.

Owen Stamper

Stamper played collegiately at Middle Tennessee State, where he won back-to-back Conference USA Player of the Week awards to begin his senior season (2023-24). He advanced through pre-qualifying in Chardon, Ohio; First Stage in Semmes, Alabama; and Second Stage in Dothan Alabama. He shared medalist honors at Second Stage to secure eight guaranteed starts on the 2025 Korn Ferry Tour.

Andi Xu

Xu played collegiately at the University of San Diego, where he finished runner-up at the 2024 NCAA Rancho Santa Fe Regional as an individual to advance to the NCAA Championship. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Carlsbad, California; First Stage in Murrieta, California; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida. He completed his junior career at No. 20 in the Rolex AJGA Rankings and represented the International Team at the 2019 Junior Presidents Cup. He made headlines last year when he went up against Masters low-amateur Neal Shipley in the U.S.Amateur.

Lance Yates

Yates played collegiately at the University of North Florida before competing for LSU in 2023-24 as a graduate transfer. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Brunswick, Georgia; First Stage in Madison, Mississippi; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida.

Runchanapong Youprayong

Youprayong, 23, was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and played collegiately at the University of South Florida. He advanced through pre-qualifying in Brunswick, Georgia; First Stage in Ocala, Florida; and Second Stage in Palm Coast, Florida.