The former University of Denver golfer earned fully-exempt status for the first half of the 2019 season on PGA Tour Latinoamerica on Friday by finishing eighth out of 81 players in one of the final PTLA Q-school tournaments.

Korte (left) shot rounds of 69-67-70-76 for a 2-under-par 282 total in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The winner — American Patrick Flavin (273) — will be fully exempt for the entire season, while those who finished second through 11th will have spots at least for the first half of the year. The season begins March 27 in Panama.

Despite the 76 in the final round, Korte carded an eagle on the par-4 16th hole. For the tournament, he posted two eagles, 17 birdies, 13 bogeys and three double bogeys.

Last week, three other players with strong Colorado ties earned some status on PGA Tour Latinoamerica. Former Fort Collins resident Tom Whitney will be exempt for the first half of the season, while former Colorado State University golfer Blake Cannon and Castle Pines resident Josh Seiple will have conditional status.

Fan Places Third on The Cactus Tour: Former University of Colorado golfer Brittany Fan finished third on Wednesday at The Cactus Tour event in Sun City, Ariz.

Fan, who won a Cactus Tour tournament last summer as a rookie pro, recorded rounds of 69-70-71 for a 6-under-par 210 total. She ended up three strokes behind winner Linnea Johansson of Sweden.

Aspen’s Morris Prevails: AJ Morris of Aspen won a one-day event on the West Florida Golf Tour at Tampa Palms Country Club on Wednesday. Morris shot a 4-under-par 72 and beat Tim Rosenhouse of Dix Hills, N.Y., and Scot Paul Ferrier in a playoff to earn $1,000.

And now it looks like the former Fort Collins resident and Air Force Academy golfer will be a regular on that circuit again in 2019.

Whitney finished fourth out of 99 players on Friday in a PGA Tour Latinoamerica Q-school tournament in Mazatlan, Mexico, which gives him fully-exempt status for the first half of the 2019 season.

Meanwhile, two other players with strong Colorado ties earned conditional PTLA status for 2019 — former Colorado State University golfer Blake Cannon and Castle Pines resident Josh Seiple, who’s in the midst of his senior season at the University of Mississippi.

Whitney, who shared the lead after three rounds, tallied scores of 67-70-65-67 for a 19-under-par 269 total that left him five strokes behind medalist Jacob Bergeron of the U.S., who closed with a 62 and is fully exempt for the entire season.

Whitney eagled a par-4 during Friday’s round, but also made a 7 on a par-5.

Players who finished 2-11 are fully exempt for the first half of the season.

Those who placed 12th through 35th and ties are conditionally exempt in 2019. That’s the category in which Cannon and Seiple fell. Cannon (66-69-71-69) tied for 15th at 275, while Seiple (69-70-69-72) shared 32nd place at 280.

Two more PGA Tour Latinoamerica Q-school events remain, both next week: in Brazil and Argentina.

Coloradan Chen Earns Conditional Status on PGA Tour China: Westminster resident and University of Northern Colorado golfer Li Chen landed conditional status on PGA Tour China on Friday by tying for 21st place out of 100 players in a Q-school tournament in Guangzhou.

The finishers in the 13-35 range earned conditional status through the first six events of 2019.

Chen posted rounds of 73-76-75-78 for a 22-over-par 302 total.

Chen is in the midst of his senior season at UNC. In 2017, he was medalist in qualifying for the U.S. Amateur at Fort Collins Country Club.

This week marked the first of four qualifying tournaments in 2019 for PGA Tour China.

Former Buff Jeremy Paul Wins in Scottsdale: Meanwhile, in mini-tour action, former University of Colorado golfer Jeremy Paul won a one-round tournament, the Waste Management Warm-Up in Scottsdale, Ariz., an Outlaw Tour event.

Paul shot a 5-under-par 67 for a one-stroke victory and earned $1,500 on Monday.

Steven Kupcho Runner-Up in Napa: Elsewhere on mini tours, former CGA Les Fowler Player of the Year Steven Kupcho recently posted his second top-10 finish in a month.

Kupcho tied for second in the Napa Open at Silverado Resort and Spa in California last week. The former University of Northern Colorado golfer posted a 7-under-par 209 total, finishing seven back of champion Corey Pereira and earning $3,500.

In December, Kupcho shared ninth place in a Mexico Professional Golf Tour event in Mazatlan.
 

The Boulder County resident had three solid rounds at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla., shooting a 72 on Tuesday, and 69s on both Wednesday and Friday in the final stage of Champions Q-school. The total for those three days — 3 under par — would have been good enough for the top-five finish necessary for a full tour card.

Unfortunately for Hallberg (left), there was that matter of an 82 on Thursday, when he played his final dozen holes of the day in 12 over par.

The bottom line is that Hallberg again will have to make do with conditional status on PGA Tour Champions, which will limit the number of tournaments in which he can compete. The Coloradan placed 63rd on the 2018 Charles Schwab Cup Champions money list after a season that included him finishing eighth in the PGA Tour Champions PURE Insurance Championship in late September.

Hallberg, winner of three PGA Tour events and one on PGA Tour Champions, ended up in 38th place out of the 78-man field on Friday with a four-day total of 8-over-par 292. His final-round 69 included two eagles — one of the par-4 first hole, his 10th of the day — four birdies, three bogeys and a triple bogey on No. 18, his ninth hole.

Meanwhile, the other Coloradan in the field, Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, finished 54th on Friday at 297. Rohrbaugh, the 2018 Colorado PGA Player of the Year, closed with a 71 to check in at 297. Rohrbaugh had conditional status on PGA Tour Champions in 2015 and has competed in 11 career events on the circuit.

Gibby Gilbert III, son of three-time PGA Tour winner Gibby Gilbert II, earned medalist honors at the final stage of Q-school with a 4-under-par 280 total. Tying for second was Skip Kendall, a PGA Tour veteran who was runner-up in this year’s CoBank Colorado Senior Open. Cliff Kresge, Greg Kraft and Stephen Leaney also secured cards for 2019.

Here are the round-by-round scores for Coloradans who competed in the final stage of PGA Tour Championship Q-school this week:

38. Gary Hallberg of Boulder County 72-69-82-69–292
54. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 72-75-79-71–297

For all the scores from the final stage, CLICK HERE.
 

Hallberg (left), winner of three PGA Tour events and one tournament on PGA Tour Champions, dropped 48 spots on the scoreboard at the final stage of Q-school by shooting an 11-over-par 82 on Thursday. To put that into perspective, Hallberg’s highest score in 17 PGA Tour Champions events in 2018 was a 78.

With the top five finishers after Friday’s fourth round landing fully-exempt spots on PGA Tour Champions for next year, Hallberg stood in second place going into Thursday. But the 82 left him in 50th place at the end of the day, at 10-over 223.

Hallberg, who has conditional status on PGA Tour Champions, was in good shape through six holes on Thursday — at 2 under par overall for the tournament. But he played his final dozen holes of the day in 12 over. There was a triple bogey, three double bogeys and three bogeys during that stretch.

Jim Rutledge leads the tournament at 209 and the players tied for fifth place are at 212.

The second Coloradan competing in the final stage in Q-School, Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, also struggled on Thursday. The Colorado PGA Player of the Year posted a 79 after being even-par for the day through seven holes. He sits in 60th place at 13-over-par 226.

Here are the round-by-round scores for Coloradans competing in the final stage of PGA Tour Championship Q-school this week:

50. Gary Hallberg of Boulder County 72-69-82–223
60. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 72-75-79–226

For all the scores from the final stage, CLICK HERE.

But if the Q-school finals at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla., keep going the way they have been so far this week, Hallberg may return to full-fledged membership at age 60.

Hallberg, who now lives in Boulder County, reached the halfway point of the 72-hole event on Wednesday by vaulting into second place in the 78-man field. He shot a 2-under-par 69, giving him a two-day total of 1-under 141. The only player ahead of him on the leaderboard is Stephen Leaney, who checked in at 139. Hallberg, who won a PGA Tour Champions event in 2010, made three birdies and one bogey on Wednesday.

The top five finishers after 72 holes will earn fully-exempt status on the Champions circuit in 2019. After two rounds, six players share second place, including two PGA Tour winners — Hallberg (three victories) and Craig Parry (two). Also at 139 are Omar Uresti, Jim Rutledge, Brian Cooper and Craig Bowden.

Meanwhile, the other Coloradan competing this week, three-time Colorado PGA Professional Champion Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale, shot a 75 on Wednesday and dropped into 34th place at 147. The 2013 CoBank Colorado Senior Open champion carded one birdie and five bogeys in the second round.

Here are the round-by-round scores for Coloradans competing in the final stage of PGA Tour Championship Q-school this week:

2. Gary Hallberg of Boulder County 72-69–141
34. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 72-75–147
 
For all the scores from the final stage, CLICK HERE.
 

Out of a 78-man field at TPC Tampa Bay in Lutz, Fla., only the top five finishers will earn fully-exempt status for 2019. And it’s a big drop down to the next available status as finishers 6-30 — and ties — will earn associate membership, which gives players access to individual-event qualifying tournaments while bypassing pre-qualifiers.

With that as a backdrop, the two Coloradans competing this week in the 72-hole final stage had solid, if unspectacular, starts. Both Gary Hallberg (left) of Boulder County and Doug Rorhbaugh of Carbondale shot 1-over-par 72s on Tuesday, leaving them in a share of 18th place.

Hallberg, who won a PGA Tour Champions event in 2010 to go along with three PGA Tour victories, birdied the last hole and finished the day with four birdies to go along with five bogeys. Hallberg finished eighth in the PGA Tour Champions PURE Insurance Championship in late September and placed 63rd on the 2018 Charles Schwab Cup money list, leaving him with conditional status for next year unless he places in the top five this week.

Rohrbaugh, the Colorado PGA’s Player of the Year and Senior Player of the Year in 2018, likewise had a four-birdie, five-bogey day on Tuesday. Rohrbaugh had conditional status on PGA Tour Champions in 2015 and has competed in 11 Champions events in his career, including two majors this year.

Mauricio Molina, who shot a 4-under-par 67 on Tuesday, leads after the opening round. The players who share fifth place stand at 1-under-par 70.

Here are the round-by-round scores for Coloradans competing in the final stage of PGA Tour Championship Q-school this week:

18. Gary Hallberg of Boulder County 72
18. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 72
 
For all the scores from the final stage, CLICK HERE.
 

Rohrbaugh (left), who had conditional Champions status in 2015, finished 15th on Friday in one of two first-stage tournaments for senior Q-school. The top 26 players from the event in Nipton, Calif., will advance to the final stage of Q-school, set for Nov. 27-30 in Lutz, Fla., where five cards for 2019 will be distributed.

Rohrbaugh, the Colorado PGA’s Dow Finsterwald Player of the Year and the Senior Player of the Year in 2018, shot rounds of 73-68-71-70 for a 2-under-par total of 282 in Nipton. He made three birdies and two bogeys in the final round. The first seven holes of the course treated him well as he went a combined 7 under in that stretch over the four days.

Rohbaugh, winner of the 2013 CoBank Colorado Senior Open and three Colorado PGA Professional Championships, has competed in 11 PGA Tour Champions events in his career, including two majors this year. He also advanced to the final stage of Q-school last year, placing 57th.

Among the top 10 finishers on Friday were Jeff Gallagher, winner of the 2017 Colorado Senior Open (second place at 269), two-time Colorado Open champion Jim Blair (third place at 275) and 2000 PGA Championship runner-up Bob May (eighth at 279).

Here are the scores for the Coloradans who competed this week in the first stage of PGA Tour Champions Q-school in Nipton, Calif.

ADVANCES TO FINAL STAGE
15. Doug Rohrbaugh of Carbondale 73-68-71-70–282
FAILED TO ADVANCE
52. Coloradan Dean Sessions 77-73-75-77–302

For all the scores from Tipton, CLICK HERE.
 

First up, the German will need to make Tuesday’s 72-hole cut in the final stage of Q-school in Tarragona, Spain. Then, if he can overcome that hurdle, he’ll have two more rounds to move into the top 25 finishers and ties that will earn 2018-19 European Tour cards on Thursday.

Heisele (left) reached the halfway point of the Q-school finals and stands in 86th place out of the 156-man field. He shot an even-par 71 on Monday at the Lakes Course at Lumine Golf Club — making two birdies and two bogeys — which leaves him at 3-under-par 211 for 54 holes.

As of Monday evening, players at 10 under par and better were in the top 25 and ties. And those at 5 under and better were in the top 70 and ties.

Heisele, who played at CU from 2008 through ’11, is no stranger to success in the final stage of European Q-school. He earned cards in both 2016 and ’17, finishing 19th and 18th, respectively, but he lost his card this past season.

Here are Heisele’s round-by-round scores in Spain this week:

Former CU golfer Sebastian Heisele 70-70-71–211

For all the scores from the final stage of European Tour Q-school, CLICK HERE.
 

The German, who played for CU from 2008 to ’11, fired a 2-under-par 70 on Sunday at the Hills Course at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain to stand at 3-under 140 with four rounds remaining. Heisele sits in 87th place out of 156 players, 13 strokes behind leader David Borda.

The top 25 finishers and ties after six rounds will earn European Tour cards for the 2018-19 wraparound season. The players in the top 25 after two rounds were at 135 and better. The field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after four rounds.

Heisele made three birdies and one bogey on Sunday.

The former Buff has successfully negotiated the final stage of Q-school each of the last two years, placing 19th in 2016 and 18th in 2017. In 2018, his best showing on the European Tour was an eighth place in the Qatar Masters in February, but he didn’t play well enough overall to keep his card.

For all the scores from the final stage of European Tour Q-school, CLICK HERE.
 

In an tournament in which the top 25 finishers and ties after six rounds earn European Tour cards, the German placed 19th in 2016 and 18th in 2017.

This year, after losing his tour card, Heisele (left) finished third at a second stage Q-school tournament earlier this month to advance to the final stage. And on Saturday in Tarragona, Spain, the former Buff (2008-11) opened with a 1-under-par 70 in the final stage, which leaves him tied for 98th place out of 156 players with five rounds left. Heisele, whose best showing on the European Tour this year was an eighth place in the Qatar Masters in February, made five birdies and four bogeys on Saturday and trails co-leaders Max Schmitt and Daniel Gavins by eight.

The field will be cut to the low 70 players and ties after four rounds.

For all the scores from the final stage of European Tour Q-school, CLICK HERE.