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Monday qualifiers: AT&T Byron Nelson

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Monday Qualifiers

Monday qualifiers: AT&T Byron Nelson


    Written by Ryan French @acaseofthegolf1

    Michael Visacki Monday Qualifies for the Valspar Championship


    MJ Daffue continued his success in Monday qualifiers, successfully earning a spot in his fifth PGA TOUR start of the season.

    Daffue shot a 64 on Monday that included three eagles. He has made the cut in two of his five PGA TOUR starts this season (he also received one sponsor exemption). His T12 at the Sanderson Farms Championship is the best finish by a Monday qualifier this season.

    His record on Mondays is incredible. In the last two years, Daffue has qualified for 12 events on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR.

    Daffue has earned 60.8 non-member FedExCup points this season. His next goal is to earn enough points to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, where he can compete for a PGA TOUR card. To do that, he’ll have to earn a number of non-member points equal to or exceeding No. 200 in this season’s FedExCup standings at season’s end. Daffue would rank 193rd in the current FedExCup standings if he were a member.

    “It’s a big mental challenge and I have probably thought about it too much in the past,” he said. He hopes having his wife and son will help take his mind away from his pursuit of points this week.

    A tie for third this week would earn him the 227 FedExCup points he needs to earn special temporary membership, which would allow him to accept unlimited sponsor exemptions for the remainder of the season.

    “It’s hard to play once a month, or not know when your next start is coming, especially when I’m so close (to earning a Korn Ferry Tour Finals spot),” Daffue said. “I just have to keep pushing.”

    QUALIERS

    MJ Daffue
    Age: 32
    College: Lamar
    Turned pro: 2012
    PGA TOUR starts: 8
    Cuts Made: 4
    Best PGA TOUR Finish: T12, Sanderson Farms Championship
    PGA TOUR earnings: $211,216
    Twitter: @MJDaffue13
    Notes: His amazing Monday qualifying record continues. This is his twelfth successful Monday in the last two years between the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA TOUR … He opened with a 65 at the Sanderson Farms Championship and finished T12 … At last year’s Workday Charity Open, he birdied the last hole of the second round to make the cut on the number and followed it up with a 65 in the third round to move into the top-10. He finished T22 … Also played events on the European and Sunshine tours in 2020. … Is 695th in the world ranking.

    John Lyras
    Age: 24
    College: N/A
    Turned pro: 2019
    PGA TOUR starts: 1
    Cuts made: 0
    Twitter: @johnlyras
    Notes: Only started playing golf seriously seven years ago, after playing cricket as his main sport … Monday qualified for the 2019 Wyndham Championship as an amateur. After successfully qualifying, decide to turn pro before the start of the event … Has played on the Australasian Tour for most of 2021. His best finish is T4 at the Moonah Links PGA Classic … Is No. 1,153 in OWGR.

    Dylan Meyer
    Age: 25
    College: Illinois
    Turned Pro: 2018
    PGA TOUR starts: 16
    Cuts made: 8
    Best PGA TOUR finish: T7, 2018 Sanderson Farms Championship
    PGA TOUR earnings: $400,733
    Twitter: @DJ_DFunk
    Notes: Finished T20 at the 2018 U.S. Open in his pro debut … Earlier this year, he made three consecutive birdies in a playoff for the last spot in the Puerto Rico Open. Finished T63 in the event … Made an 8-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to advance this week … Defeated Sam Horsefield, 3 and 1, to win the 2016 Western Amateur… Made the cut at the 2018 Valspar Championship as an amateur (T74) … Named to the All-Big Ten first team three consecutive years at Illinois … Has played 20 career Korn Ferry Tour events, making four cuts.

    Tom Lovelady
    Age: 27
    College: Alabama
    Turned Pro: 2016
    PGA TOUR starts: 42
    Cuts made: 21
    Best PGA TOUR finish: T2, 2018 Barbasol Championship
    PGA TOUR earnings: $846,431
    Twitter: @TomLovelady25
    Notes: This will be his first PGA TOUR start since the Barracuda Championship in 2019 … He birdied three of the four holes in a playoff Monday to earn the last spot … Played in one Korn Ferry Tour event in 2020, where he missed the cut … Earned his PGA TOUR card after finishing T3 at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals … Held the ninth-best career scoring average at Alabama … Teammates at Alabama included Justin Thomas, Robby Shelton, Trey Mullinax, Bobby Wyatt and Cory Whitsett. Was in the starting lineup for Alabama’s 2014 NCAA title.

    NOTES

    NOTABLE MISSES: J.J. Killen, Spencer Levin, Peter Creighton, Zach Bauchou, Logan McCracken (All lost in playoff)

    COURSE INFO: Hurricane Creek Country Club, Par 72, 7,053 yards, 74.3 rating, 127 slope

    2020-2021 SEASON MONDAY QUALIFIER STATS
    Average Medalist score: 64.5
    Average last qualifying spot score: 66.9
    Total number of cuts made: 23 of 66 (34.8%)
    Last event: Wells Fargo Championship, Seamus Power T54, Lucas Herbert MC, Patrick Cover MC, Keenan Huskey MC
    Money earned: $634,625
    Best Finish: MJ Daffue (T12,Sanderson Farms Championship)

    NEXT MONDAY QUALIFIER
    Palmetto Championship: Sunday, June 6 (Played on Sunday to not interfere with US Open qualifying)

    NOTES FROM OTHER TOURS:
    17-year-olds Nick Dunlap and Cameron Tankersley both shot 62 and Monday qualified for the Simmons Bank Open. Tankersley made the cut and finished T73.

    The Forme Tour will hold its final Q-school on June 8-11 in Washington. The season will begin later in the month of June.

    Jordan Hahn, who Monday qualified for the Valspar Championship, two weeks ago, Monday qualified for the Visit Knoxville Open on Korn Ferry Tour.