Monday qualifiers: Shriners Children's Open

One of Vijay Srinivasan’s jobs in recent years: delivering adopted dogs to their new owners across California. It was a side gig, but one that not too many aspiring golfers on record have undertaken.

He also holds a master’s degree in business administration from San Jose State – another point of differentiation from the standard pro.

Srinivasan has an eclectic resume, which will now include a PGA TOUR start. The 24-year-old earned a spot at this week’s Shriners Children’s Open via Monday’s open qualifier, carding 7-under 64 to earn one of four available spots in the field. Srinivasan joins PGA TOUR pro Andrew Novak and Korn Ferry Tour pros Isaiah Salinda and Tim Widing as players to earn tee times at TPC Summerlin via the four-spot Monday qualifier.

The other three are seasoned pros, while Srinivasan is a newly minted pro – the Shriners qualifier was his first start as a registered professional. Last month, he failed to advance from pre-qualifying at PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry; he carded a three-round total of 6-over 219 at the California site. Forty-one players advanced at 5-over 218 or better.

Despite that setback at Q-School, adversity is nothing new for Srinivasan. After playing six events at San Jose State as a freshman in 2017-18, he redshirted in 2018-19 and then missed nearly two years of competition due to injury. When COVID-19 first struck in 2020 and classes were moved online, he found a silver lining in extra income through dog delivery. He returned to competition in spring 2021, finished his master’s degree this past spring and has now turned his attention to the full-time pursuit of professional golf.

On a TPC Summerlin range littered with recent college standouts and seasoned veteran pros, Srinivasan might stand out as one of the more unlikely nameplates and caddie bibs. But he made it here on his own merit – the qualifying score speaks for itself – and he looks forward this week to proving that he belongs.

“It has just been a lot of emotions,” he said Tuesday. “Obviously it’s what I’ve been dreaming about for so long. This year I’ve had a lot of close calls, and it’s nice to get a result going in my favor. The emotions are all over the place; controlling the heart rate was a big thing, even after the round was done.

“I feel like I can belong out here.”

Srinivasan earned his business degree as a strong backup plan. If he never needs it, though, he won’t mind.

Click here for all scores from the Shriners Children's Open's Monday qualifier, contested at Spanish Trail Country Club in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Here’s a capsule look at this week’s four Monday qualifiers for the Shriners Children’s Open:

Andrew Novak (9-under 62)
Age: 28
Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina
Alma mater: Wofford College
PGA TOUR starts: 56
Cuts made: 30

Notes: Novak bogeyed his second hole of the day – the only blemish on his card before going on to birdie 10 of his final 16 holes en route to medalist honors Monday at Spanish Trail Country Club. The Shriners will mark his 57th TOUR start (he’s made 30 cuts in 56 starts), with his most recent being a missed cut last week at the Sanderson Farms Championship. Novak, a winner on the Korn Ferry Tour at the 2020 LECOM Suncoast Classic, turned pro in 2017 and has two top-10 finishes in his career, both coming this season at the Valero Texas Open (ninth) and the RBC Canadian Open (T9). This will be Wofford College product’s second start at the Shriners, where he missed the cut in 2019 by three strokes after a valiant second-round 65 effort.

Isaiah Salinda (8-under 63)
Age: 26
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Alma mater: Stanford University
PGA TOUR starts: 8
Cuts made: 4

Notes: The 26-year-old Salinda went bogey-free Monday at Spanish Trail Country Club, shooting an 8-under 63 that featured a run of four straight birdies on Nos. 7-10. This will mark his second PGA TOUR start this season, after missing the cut at the U.S. Open. He’s made 21 starts on the Korn Ferry Tour this season, making 10 cuts with five top-25 finishes including a T9 at the AdventHealth Championship in May. The Stanford alum counts current TOUR stars Maverick McNealy and Brandon Wu among his Cardinal teammates.

Vijay Srinivasan (7-under 64)
Age: 24
Hometown: Fremont, California
Alma mater: San Jose State University
PGA TOUR starts: 0
Cuts made: 0

Notes: Made five birdies and an eagle Monday, against zero bogeys, to earn his first career TOUR start. … Began his collegiate golf career at San Jose State in 2017-18, but redshirted in 2018-19 and was then slowed by injury until spring 2021. Made a handful of starts for the Spartans in 2021 and 2022, including a T11 at the 2021 Wolf Pack Classic. … Earned a Master of Business Administration from San Jose State in 2023.

Tim Widing (7-under 64)
Age: 26
Hometown: Jonkoping, Sweden
Alma mater: University of San Francisco
PGA TOUR starts: 1
Cuts made: 0

Notes: Made five birdies and an eagle in Monday’s qualifying round, against zero bogeys. … Finished No. 46 on 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Points List as a rookie, notching eight top-25 results. Maintains full Korn Ferry Tour status for 2024 and will earn direct access to Final Stage of PGA TOUR Q-School presented by Korn Ferry, which offers five TOUR cards and ties. … Posted a final-round 67 at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance on Sunday for a 19th-place finish, then flew from southern Indiana to Las Vegas for Monday’s qualifier. … Played hockey for about 10 years as a kid; younger brother Charlie plays competitive table tennis.