It’s free golf at the TPC Sawgrass next week for the PGA Tour Q-School presented by Korn Ferry.
Past PGA Tour winners and up-and-coming players will be among the field that will be vying for five Tour cards for the 2025 season. The players will compete in two rounds at each site, Dye’s Valley and the Sawgrass Country Club.
Tournament rounds at Dye’s Valley are free to the public. Tickets must be obtained by visiting am.ticketmaster.com/pgnt/buy/buy2024 and registering. Parking will be free at designated lots within the TPC Sawgrass grounds.
Among the players scheduled to complete are Tour veterans Joseph Bramlett, Hayden Buckley, Tyler Duncan, Tommy Gainey, Lanto Griffin, Higgo Garrick, Martin Laird, Sean O’Hair, Doc Redman, Chez Reavie, Robby Shelton, Nick Watney, Richy Werenski and Tim Wilkinson.
Recent college stars in the field are Sam Bennett (Texas A&M), Pierceson Coody (Texas), Nick Gabrelcik (North Florida), Austin Greaser (North Carolina), Christo Lamprecht (Georgia Tech).
Other players will be added after the completion of four second-stage qualifiers on Dec. 6.
Miles Russell of Jacksonville Beach finally got an American Junior Golf Association title for the 2024 season – in the last event on the schedule.
Russell shot a bogey-free 65 in the final round at the TPC San Antonio on Nov. 27 and won the AJGA Rolex Tournament of Champions by six shots over Luke Colton of Frisco, Texas. Russell finished at 13-under-par 275. It was his fourth AJGA title and his first since winning the 2023 Junior Players Championship.
Russell began the day tied for the lead and went ahead for good with a birdie at the second hole.
Defending champion Tyler Mawhinney of Fleming Island tied for ninth and Phillip Dunham of Ponte Vedra Beach tied for 13th.
Players representing six countries are among the field in the 21st St. Augustine Amateur, which began Friday at the St. Johns Golf Club.
In addition to the U.S., there are players from China, the Czech Republic, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Singapore.
The field also includes players, either active or alumni, of 34 college programs, led by seven from the University of Florida and seven from Rollins College.
Five players in the field are from the University of North Florida, Jason Duff (whose family lives near the first hole), Danny Erickson, Stefan Ink, Brett Schell and Filippo Serra. Jackson Klauk, Andrew Morgan, Andrew Sevene and Will Harris are representing Jacksonville University.
The 54-hole tournament is open to the public. Players can earn World Amateur Golf Ranking points.
Net proceeds from the tournament, generated through sponsorships, go to the First Tee-North Florida. The tournament has raised nearly $500,000 for the First Tee since 2004.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Past PGA Tour winners Sean O’Hair, Nick Watney in Q-School field
