Golf notes, Dec. 10: Beaufort's Anderson, Bluffton's Werenski seek Web.com cards
Beaufort's Mark Anderson and Bluffton's Richy Werenski embark on their final steps in hope of securing full Web.com Tour membership for 2016 as the final qualifying stage begins Thursday in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
They are among 156 golfers at PGA National Resort this week, battling for one of 45 cards that offer entry to any Web.com Tour event on next year's schedule. The rest of the field will receive limited status, eligible to round out the field if spots are open.
"We'll see what happens," said Anderson, back at Q-school for the first time since the format changed two years ago to end the tournament's direct path to the PGA Tour and provide only Web.com cards.
Anderson last played the final stage in 2012, hoping to improve his PGA Tour status after a down year left him 164th in FedExCup points. This time, the stakes are different as he continues his road back from a broken ankle that cost him half of 2014 and limited him to seven starts this year on medical exemption.
"It's a very different situation than past years," he said, noting that he had to survive second-stage qualifying to punch a ticket to PGA National.
Werenski failed to qualify for the Web.com Tour Finals series, also sending him back to second stage for another chance. Early this year, he won Golf Channel's "Big Break: Palm Beaches" series and a sponsor exemption into the PGA Tour's Barbasol Championship.
MEADOW FALLS SHORT AT LPGA Q-SCHOOL
Hilton Head Island's Stephanie Meadow will have to wait a year before her next shot at an LPGA card, failing to make the cut after four rounds of last week's qualifying final at Daytona Beach, Fla.
The Berkeley Hall golfer was just off the pace to crack the top 20 after two rounds at LPGA International, but rounds of 74-75 left her three shots behind the cut line to play a fifth day when cards are handed out.
"Not the year I had envisioned and truly disappointed to not have kept my LPGA card. BUT I will be back," Meadow said in a message posted to her Twitter account.
"This year has taught me so many things on so many levels. Thank you to my team for standing by me during the hardest year of my life so far."
Meadow's rookie year was derailed before it began, where her father Robert was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. He died in May, and Meadow struggled during 10 starts after joining the tour.
Among those who survived the 90-hole test was former Clemson standout Ashlan Ramsey, who became the first former Tiger to secure an LPGA card.
LOCAL PAIR WINS AT CALLAWASSIE ISLAND
Jamie Manning (Hilton Head Island) and Jeff Wong (Bluffton) was the only duo to break 70 each day in capturing last weekend's SCGA 40-Plus Series four-ball event at Callawassie Island Club.
Shrugging off a full night's rain on an already saturated course, Manning and Wong combined for a 6-under-par 66 Sunday to go with their opening 69 on the Dogwood and Magnolia nines. That was good for a one-shot win over the Upstate tandem of Dean Nance and Doug Ramey.
JOHN PAUL II FUNDRAISER DEC. 19
Eagle's Pointe GC will partner with John Paul II Catholic School on a Dec. 19 fundraiser, with a portion of designated greens fees going to the school's building campaign.
The club will donate $10 of its standard $36 greens fee on behalf of any golfer who mentions the school during the check-in process. Tee times should be booked through the usual process, via phone or online.
For more information, contact JPII development director Neil Parsons at the school, 843-645-3838.
ACES & ALBATROSSES
This story was originally published December 9, 2015 at 8:00 PM with the headline "Golf notes, Dec. 10: Beaufort's Anderson, Bluffton's Werenski seek Web.com cards."