PGA Tour Champions Q-School Final Stage: Wes Short Jr. goes low to take the lead
06 Dec 2023
by Justin Golba of AmateurGolf.com
SHARE:
Daniel Chopra is T2 (PGA Tour Photo)
Wes Short Jr. shot an 8-under 63 second round to hold the 36-hole lead at 12-under at the 2024 PGA Tour Champions Qualifying Tournament Final Stage at TPC Scottsdale (Champions Course) in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Short shot a solid 4-under 67 in the first round but propelled up the leaderboard after his stellar 8-under 63 in the second round, recording seven birdies, one bogey, and an eagle.
Daniel Chopra, Cameron Percy, and Shane Bertsch are all tied for second place at 11-under. Alan McLean is in solo fifth place at 10-under, and Omar Uresti is in solo sixth place at 9-under.
Eric Axley had one of the most interesting scorecards you will ever see. Axley started his first eight holes at 9-under, eagling No. 10 and making birdies on Holes No. 11-16 (he started on hole No. 10). He then made par on Holes No. 17, 18, 1, and 2 and made a quadruple-bogey seven on the par-3 No. 3 and then birdied Holes No. 5, 6, and 7 to shoot 7-under 64. Steve Allan and Todd Demsey are also T7, with Axley at 8-under.
Amateur Bryan Hoops, who was tied for the first-round lead after an opening round of 7-under 64, is T12 after a second-round 1-over 72 that saw him fall 11 spots. Despite his second-round struggles, he is still in a good position to earn his spot on the Tour with a good 36-hole finish.
Notables
Former collegiate teammate of Tiger Woods and four-time PGA Tour winner Notay Begay III is T32 after rounds of 69-71.
Former Ryder Cupper Boo Weekley is T57 after rounds of 70-73.
Former Atlanta Braves and Hall of Fame pitcher John Smoltz is looking to earn his spot on the Champions Tour, but two rounds of 80-76 have him in 75th place at 14-over.
“I don’t live in a false reality,” Smoltz told the PGA Tour before his first round. “This sport is really difficult. I’m not trying to think that this is something that I could do for a whole year or not. But it’s fun to attempt it.”