Myrtle Beach, SCÂ
Year after year the NGA TOUR prides itself on being the #1
developmental tour in the United States for aspiring professionals to begin
their career. The National Golf Association is the 3rd largest men's 72-hole
professional golf tour in the country behind the PGA and Buy.com Tours.
That pride is holding true once again in the recent final stage of the PGA
Tour Qualifying School in La Quinta, California. Look at the following statistics
from last weeks grueling 108 hole Q-School:
One third (33%) of those players who earned their 2001 PGA Tour Card started
their careers on the NGA/Hooters Tour.
David Morland IV, Tommy Tolles, Richard Coughlan*, Bart Bryant, Garrett Willis,
Fred Wadsworth, Cliff Kresge*, Chris Tidland, Lee Porter, Danny Ellis,
Craig Perks, and Jeff Julian.
2 of the 36 players who received their 2001 PGA Tour Cards were members of
the NGA TOUR in 2000 (denoted by an asterisk above).
20 of the 50 players (40%) that earned full exempt status on the Buy.com Tour
have played on the NGA TOUR in the past. In fact, 3 of them were members in
2000 (denoted by an astrisk). Bobby Elliott*, Chad Campbell*, Jamie Rogers*,
Casey Martin, Todd Barranger, Kelly Gibson, Andrew Morse, Brian Kamm,
Jeff Sanday, Curtis Wangrud, Tim O'Neal, Perry Moss, John Rollins, Heath
Slocum, Scott Gump, Paul Claxton, Brian Bateman, Tom Kalinowski, Rodney
Pampling, and Bobby Gage.
In all, 35% of the 169 player field at the finals have competed on the NGA TOUR
in the past.
Qualifying school is not the only way for former NGA TOUR players to gain
exempt status on the PGA Tour. Last year, 6 former players earned their
cards by finishing in the top 15 on the Buy.com Tour money list. Most
notably, Spike McCroy won the Dakota Dunes Open as well as the Buy.com
Tour Championship and is now fully exempt on the PGA Tour.
The following are former NGA TOUR players who finished in the top 15 on the
2000 Buy.com money list and now have their PGA Tour cards. Spike McCroy,
Chris Smith, Kent Jones, Tripp Isenhour, John Riegger, and Jeff Gallager.
Congratulations to all of our alumni as they begin to fulfill their dreams.
For more information about the NGA TOUR, please visit our web site,
www.NGATOUR.com. If you have any questions concerning sponsorship
opportunities or interview requests before or during tournament week please
contact the NGA TOUR office at 843-231-TOUR.
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