Derek Tolan of Highlands Ranch earned conditional status on PGA Tour Lationoamerica on Friday by finishing 19th in the fourth and final Q-school tournament, in Pilar, Argentina.
The former University of Colorado golfer, a two-time winner of the CoBank Colorado Open, posted rounds of 71-72-68-74 for a 3-under-par 285 total. Tolan played the two par-5s on the back nine in 3 over par, costing him a shot at exempt status for 2018.
The winner of the tournament (Cristobal Del Solar) will be exempt for the entire Latinoamerica season, while the next 10 finishers are exempt for the first half of the year. The rest of the players placing in the top 35 and ties will have conditional status.
Tolan (pictured) played in 11 PGA Tour Latinoamerica tournaments in 2015 and ’16 combined, recording a best finish of fifth place in 2015. The Denver native has also played in five PGA Tour events — including the 2002 U.S. Open as a 16-year-old — and 10 Web.com tournaments.
The PGA Tour Latinoamerica season begins March 15 with the Guatemala Open. Earlier this year, three other players with major Colorado ties also earned conditional status on PGA Tour Latinoamerica through other Q-school tournaments: former Buff golfer Jeremy Paul, Cole Nygren of Longmont and former University of Denver golfer Chris Gilman.
For scores from Q-school in Argentina, CLICK HERE.
No Weekend Play at Phoenix Open for Clark, but Laird in 8th Place: Denver native Wyndham Clark missed the cut on Friday in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, the eighth PGA Tour start of his pro career.
Clark, who made it into the field via a sponsor exemption, shot rounds of 74-73 for a 5-over-par 147 total at TPC Scottsdale.
It was an up-and-down two days for Clark, who has a Web.com Tour card this year. The winner of the 2017 Pac-12 title and the 2010 CGA Amateur made two birdies and five bogeys on Thursday. In round 2, he carded an eagle, three birdies, five bogeys and a double bogey.
Clark has made two cuts in his eight PGA Tour starts.
Meanwhile, former Colorado State University golfer Martin Laird, a Scottsdale resident, backed up his first-round 68 with a 67 on Friday afternoon and moved into a share of eighth place at 7-under 135. After a five-birdie, one-bogey day, he trails co-leaders Rickie Fowler and Bryson DeChambeau by three shots.
For Phoenix Open scores, CLICK HERE.
Former DU Golfer Arvidsson Leads in China: Former University of Denver golfer Oskar Arvidsson leads at the halfway point of an international PGA Tour China Q-school event in Haikou in southern China.
Arvidsson, who played in the 2016 British Open, fired a 5-under-par 67 on Friday, leaving him at 10-under 134 and with a two-stroke lead.
Former CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Steven Kupcho shares 72nd place out of the 120-player field after rounds of 78-74.
The top 15 finishers after 72 holes will be fully exempt on PGA Tour China, with the next 25 conditionally exempt. This is the first of two international qualifiers for PGA Tour China.
For scores, CLICK HERE.
Top 10s in California for Gilman, Nygren: Former University of Denver golfer Chris Gilman and Longmont resident Cole Nygren recorded top-10 finishes Friday in a Golden State Tour tournament in Bakersfield, Calif.
Gilman placed fourth with a three-day total of 12-under-par 204, ending up four behind winner Manav Shah of Bakersfield. Gilman went 66-70-68.
Nygren, who like Gilman will have conditional status on PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2018, finished 10th on Friday. He posted scores of 71-69-71 for a 5-under 211 total.
