Mesquite, Nevada, November 20: Jeev Milkha Singh and Jyoti Randhawa, two of India’s legendary golfing stars, moved into the final stage of the 2022 PGA Tour Champions Qualifying School, which will determine who get a full status on the Champions Tour for 2023.
The PGA Tour of Champions is a Seniors Tour for players over 50 years of age. India’s one and only player to win on the PGA Tour, Arjun Atwal, will also be eligible to play the Seniors Tour in 2023.
Playing the first stage of the Champions Tour at Casablanca, Mesquite, Nevada, Jeev finished sole third after overcoming a double bogey in the fourth and final round. After a modest 73 on the first day, his middle two rounds of 67-69 put him in a strong position inside Top-3. An even par round on the final day saw him finish third and move to the final stage.
Richard Green of Australia topped the Stage 1 in Nevada at 21-under with rounds of 69-65-69-64 and Richard Gilkey was second at 9-under and Jeev at 7-under.
Jeev, a six-time winner in Asia and four-time winner on European and Japan Tours, has been India’s most successful international golfing star. Ever since joining the Senior Ranks, he has been playing on the Legends Tour (Europe) and the Japan Seniors. Earlier, this year became the first Indian to tee up at the Senior Open Gleneagles earlier this year.
Randhawa, an eight-time winner on the Asian Tour and a one-time winner in Japan, led after the first round at Buckhorn Springs, Florida with a round of 65 and then followed that up with rounds of 75-76-71 to total 1-under 286 for four rounds and finish in a tie for 12th place.
Sixteen players of the 73 who started qualified from the event at Buckhorn Springs. Kris Blanks, a former winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, earned medallist honours at 12-under, carding a final-round 67 to surge up the board from sixth place.
A third Indian, Amandeep Johl, who plays sparingly back home in India, and spends a lot of time coaching youngsters, also had a shot at the Champions Tour. He missed the 54-hole cut by one shots as he carded 75-76-75 at Mesquite, Nevada, from where Jeev progressed to the final stage.
The players who advance from First Stage will compete at Final Stage of the PGA TOUR Champions Qualifying Tournament, set for December 6-9 at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. The top five finishers at Final Stage of Q-School will be fully exempt into all open, full-field events on the 2023 PGA TOUR Champions.
Finishers in positions 6th to 30th at Final Stage shall be eligible to apply for PGA TOUR Champions Associate Membership for the 2023 season, which will afford them the opportunity to enter 2023 PGA TOUR Champions weekly event qualifiers.
