Monday qualifiers: AT&T Byron Nelson

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.