Two-time CoBank Colorado Open champion Derek Tolan earned PGA Tour Latinoamerica status for 2016 on Friday by the narrowest of margins.
With the top 25 finishers and ties at a qualifying tournament in Bogota, Colombia landing spots on the Latinoamerica Tour this year, Tolan (left) tied for 23rd place. One shot higher and he would have missed out.
The Highlands Ranch resident double bogeyed his final hole and shot a 4-over-par 40 on the back nine Friday. But it was good enough for him to gain conditional status in 2016. Tolan went 74-71-73-76 on a formidable course to check in at 10-over-par 294.
The medalist — American Seth Fair — earned a full exemption for the entire season, while the next 10 finishers will be exempt for the first half of the year. The remaining 14 players and ties earned conditional status.
Tolan joins fellow former University of Colorado golfer Justin Bardgett and Fort Collins’ Tom Whitney in successfully negotiating one of the four Latinoamerica Q-school tournaments. Tolan and Bardgett have conditional status.
Tolan was also conditional on PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2015, playing in eight events and finishing 71st on the money list with $13,440.
Elsewhere this week, three Coloradans — Jim Knous of Englewood, Parker Edens of Greeley and Cameron Harrell of Colorado Springs tied for ninth place in an OnCore Gateway Tour event in Gilbert, Ariz.
With 2-under-par 211 totals, they finished 15 strokes behind champion Jake Younan and won $1,400 each.
