Monday Qualifiers: Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open

The Monday qualifier for the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open qualifier didn’t end until Tuesday after two players – Rodolfo Cazaubon and Rhein Gibson -- dueled in a six-hole playoff for the final spot in the field.

They played one extra hole Monday but darkness forced the final five holes to be played Tuesday, with Cazaubon finally emerging victorious. He is a former collegiate teammate of Carlos Ortiz, the winner of last year’s Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open (Ortiz withdrew Tuesday because of a shoulder injury).

After a costly bogey on his 12th hole of regulation, Cazaubon made three birdies in his last six holes.

“On the par-3 (third hole), I just misjudged the wind,” Cazaubon said about his bogey. “I hit a great shot that went over the green, and I was short-sided. Other than that, I hit the ball great. I hit 16 greens and gave myself a lot of chances. I thought I left a couple strokes out there, but I was happy with the round.”

Although the Hewlett Packard Enterprise Houston Open will be Cazaubon’s sixth PGA TOUR start, it is the first time he’s earned a start through Monday qualifying.

Cazaubon, who represented Mexico in the 2016 Olympics, has spent most of his professional career on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and the Korn Ferry Tour. This year, he is making more time in his schedule for PGA TOUR qualifiers. Cazaubon nearly qualified for the Fortinet Championship earlier this year but came up one shot short.

Cazaubon and Ortiz represented Mexico in the 2012 World Amateur Team Championship, leading their country to a second-place finish. Cazaubon will look to follow in Ortiz’s footsteps at Memorial Park against a vast international field. International players have won the last five events on the PGA TOUR.

“Playing against the best players in the world is something really special and something you can’t do every day,” Cazaubon said. “I’m going to enjoy it and focus on my routine. I’ve been hitting the ball well, so all I have to do is follow the process and have a great week.”

QUALIFIERS

Connor Arendell (62)
Age: 31
College: Central Florida
Turned pro: 2011
PGA TOUR starts: 5
Cuts made: 0
Notes: Arendell played two events during the 2020-21 PGA TOUR season, missing cuts at the Rocket Mortgage Classic and Wyndham Championship… Missed cut in all three starts on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020-21… Competed in the 2019 U.S. Open…. Finished T18 in the 2019 Country Club de Bogota Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour. Played an entire Korn Ferry Tour season in 2019, making six cuts in 22 starts… Played in five events on the European Tour in 2015 and made the cut each time… Had three top-three finishes on the European Challenge Tour in 2014 and 2015, including a runner-up to Andrew “Beef” Johnston at the 2014 Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge. Arendell tied for second with Byeong-Hun An, who represented the International Team in the 2019 Presidents Cup… Ranked 1,815th in the world.

Sangmoon Bae (65)
Age: 35
College: Sungkyunkwan University
Turned pro: 2004
PGA TOUR starts: 169
Cuts made: 87
Money earned on PGA TOUR: $6,685,110
Notes: Two-time winner on the PGA TOUR (2013 AT&T Byron Nelson, 2014 Fortinet Championship) who represented the International Team in the 2015 Presidents Cup… Once ranked as high as 26th in the world ranking, but sat out 2016 and most of 2017 because of mandatory military service in his native South Korea… Bae will make his second start of the PGA TOUR season. Placed T65 at the Butterfield Bermuda Championship... Bae has made 20 cuts in 60 PGA TOUR starts with one top-25 finish since returning from service… Won the 2018 Albertsons Boise Open presented by Kraft Nabisco on the Korn Ferry Tour… Ranked 898th in the World Golf Rankings.

Ben Silverman (65)
Age: 33
College: Florida Atlantic
Turned pro: 2018
PGA TOUR starts: 54
Cuts made: 28
PGA TOUR earnings: $1,091,637
Notes: Silverman will make his first PGA TOUR start this season… Last start resulted in a MC at the 2019 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba... Spent the 2020-21 season on the Korn Ferry Tour with best finish coming at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar (T13)… Won the 2017 Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr. Pepper on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017… Earned full status on PGA TOUR in 2018 and 2019 via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals... Best result during those two seasons was T11 at the 2018 Barracuda Championship and Charles Schwab Challenge... Won gold medal for Team Canada by 11 shots at the 2013 Maccabiah Games in Israel (Canada took bronze medal)… Was a walk-on at Johnson and Wales University and Florida Atlantic… Ranked 876 in the Official World Golf Rankings.

Rodolfo Cazaubon
Age: 32
College: North Texas
Turned pro: 2013
PGA TOUR starts: 5
Cuts made: 2
PGA TOUR earnings: $185,904
Notes: Will make his first start on the PGA TOUR since the 2017 World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba… Won three times during the 2015 PGA TOUR Latinoamerica season… Played 19 events on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2016. Best finish was T13 at the Nashville Golf Open... Returned to PGA TOUR Latinoamerica in 2017, winning the 64 Aberto Do Brasil… Played 12 events on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018 with best finish at the El Bosque Mexico Championship (T13)… Represented Mexico in the 2016 Olympics... Was teammates and roommates with Carlos Ortiz at North Texas... Was 2010 Sun Belt Conference Freshman of the Year and claimed All-American honors during his senior season.

NOTES

Notables who missed qualifying: JJ Henry, Michael Kim, Richard Lamb, Kevin Stadler, Bo Hoag, Ben Martin, Aaron Baddeley, Robert Garrigus, Brandon Wu, Mark Hubbard, Spencer Levin, Vaughn Taylor, Patrick Flavin, Bo Van Pelt, Willie Mack III, Andrew Loupe, and Beau Hossler

2021-22 Monday Qualifier statistics

Last event’s qualifier result (World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba): David Lipsky (MC), Andrew Novak (T22), Braden Thornberry (MC), Camilo Aguado (MC)

Total money earned by Monday qualifiers on TOUR this season: $469,693

Best finish of the 2021-22 season by a Monday qualifier: Grant Hirschman (T17, Sanderson Farms Championship) and Patrick Flavin (T17, Butterfield Bermuda Championship)

Next Qualifier: RSM Classic at Brunswick Country Club in Brunswick, Georgia (November 15, 2021)