Eight players advance from pre-qualifying to Final Stage of Q-School

SAVANNAH, Ga. – Frankie Capan III sported a purple shirt for player registration at Final Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament. It was strategic.

Capan is a hardcore Minnesota Vikings fan, and registration day at Final Stage means a headshot for one’s PGA TOUR player profile.

Upon hitting the opening tee shot at Final Stage of Q-School, players cement 2023 Korn Ferry Tour membership. The top 40 and ties after 72 holes at The Landings Golf and Athletic Club will secure guaranteed starts in 2023, with the remainder of the field to earn conditional status based on order of finish.

In his first few months as a pro, Capan has quickly demonstrated Q-School mettle. He’s one of eight players to have advanced from pre-qualifying to Final Stage this fall, successfully navigating three consecutive Q-School stages – pre-qualifying, First Stage and Second Stage – to earn a spot in this week’s field.

Capan, who hails from North Oaks, Minnesota, has made quick work of the Q-School process. He finished third at his pre-qualifying site in Prattville, Alabama. He medaled at his First Stage site in Kannapolis, North Carolina (by eight shots). He shared medalist honors at Second Stage in Dothan, Alabama.

His mom Charlynn has caddied all the way from pre-qualifying, and she’s back for another go in Savannah. Perhaps she’s the secret ingredient to a sparkling run for Capan, who spent two collegiate seasons at the University of Alabama before transferring to Florida Gulf Coast.

“She played on her high school team when she was in seventh or eighth grade, and she’s super athletic, so golf always came a little easy for her,” said Capan this week at The Landings Golf and Athletic Club. “She carries the clubs, makes sure I’m fed and keeps me in the right mindset. A third, a first and a first; it’s hard to beat that. I’d say she’s doing her job pretty well.”

This marks the final season of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School in its format maintained since 2013, with access limited solely to the Korn Ferry Tour. The medalist and ties will earn fully exempt status in 2023; the top 10 and ties will earn 12 guaranteed starts, and the top 40 and ties will earn eight guaranteed starts.

Beginning in 2023, the top five and ties at Q-School will gain PGA TOUR access (TOUR access was also provided at Q-School prior to 2013.)

In the meantime, players embark on a 72-hole stroke-play competition to determine the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour Priority Ranking. Some players gained direct access to Final Stage through categories including top-five on the PGA TOUR University Velocity Global Ranking, Nos. 76-85 on the Korn Ferry Tour Eligibility Points List and Nos. 2-10 on the PGA TOUR Canada Fortinet

Cup and PGA TOUR Latinoamerica Totalplay Cup. Some began their Q-School journey at Second Stage; some were exempt to First Stage.

Others commenced Q-School at pre-qualifying, with Capan among the eight to advance all the way to Savannah.

“Stick to the same process I’ve had the last three stages and just get after it,” said Noah Hofman, who also advanced from pre-qualifying to Final Stage. “Since I was 7 or 8 years old, I’ve had a dream to be a professional golfer. Now to actually be here, it’s more of a surreal feeling, but it’s awesome. I wouldn’t change it for anything.

“Just getting conditional status was one of my main goals. Now it’s time to get in that top 40 and get some guaranteed starts.”

Hofman grew up in the small town of McCook, Nebraska, the same hometown as Korn Ferry Tour veteran Brandon Crick.

Crick is a few years older than Hofman, but the two support each other in their professional golf journeys. Crick finished T39 at 2021 Final Stage in Savannah to secure guaranteed starts, and he parlayed that success into a top-75 finish on the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Regular Season Eligibility Points List to carry fully exempt status into 2023. No Q-School needed.

“Having a fearless mentality,” Hofman said of Crick’s advice for Q-School. “Thinking about what could go right instead of what could go wrong.”

Hofman played collegiately at Ottawa University, an NAIA school in Arizona, and he channeled that fearless spirit through three successive stages this fall. At each stage, he began the final round outside the cut line. Each time, he played his way inside the number.

“A million emotions were going through my mind,” said Hofman of waiting out the cut line at Second Stage. He finished in 3-under 68 for a 4-under total, with six groups yet to finish. “I was trying to work out every scenario that could happen. It was really cool it worked out the way it did.”

The number eventually settled at 4 under, earning Hofman a Korn Ferry Tour card for 2023.

Zach Robbins was another who advanced through all three stages to earn a tee time in Savannah. The Michigan native made a mid-range birdie putt on the final hole of Second Stage in Plantation, Florida, to post 13 under, which was not safe at the time.

He didn’t know what to do, so he went to Jimmy John’s for a sandwich. When the dust settled, that number was safe, and he was onward to Final Stage.

“Deep down, you know you can compete with these guys,” Robbins said earlier this week. “All of these guys are really good; even the guys at First and Second Stage that didn’t make it through are really good. I knew I could compete, but seeing it actually play out, to shoot 6 under in the last round at Second Stage to get through on the number … that confidence, I have the game, it’s just been putting and confidence that I can stack up with these type of guys.

“I had to pull over (when the Second Stage verdict was official), tear in my eye and all that stuff. It was definitely a really, really good feeling to get my card.”

In the race for guaranteed starts, one stage remains. Final Stage.