US-BASED Zimbabwean golfers Sean Crocker and Scott Vincent moved a step closer towards realising their dream of competing against some of the world’s top golfers next year after advancing to the final stage of the Web.com Tour and European Tour Qualifying School respectively last week.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
The Web.com Tour, which is the developmental tour for the US PGA Tour and the leading men’s professional golf tour in Europe (European Tour), annually holds a series of qualifying tournaments called the Qualifying School for players seeking to earn membership of the tour for the following season.
Crocker is bidding to earn a berth on the Web.com Tour next season as a pathway to the money-spinning PGA Tour and his campaign received a major boost after progressing to the final stage of qualifying.
The 21-year-old shot rounds of 69-69-68-70 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas for a 12-under par 276 total to finish in a tie for fifth position, where the top 20 made it through to the qualifying finale.
The Web.com Qualifying School final stage will be held from December 7-10 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Arizona, where the top 45 players including ties will earn full exempt status on the Web.com Tour next season.
But no matter how Crocker fares there, he’s already wrapped up a conditional status on the developmental tour for the first time on his first attempt after recently joining the professional ranks.
Not so fortunate at the other venue was Zimbabwe’s other hopeful, Nyasha Mauchaza, who agonisingly missed out on a Web.com Tour final berth after carding rounds of 74-68-67-70 at Plantation Preserve Golf Course & Club in Plantation, Florida, to miss out by just two shots.
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There was, however, success for Vincent, who is looking to progress to the more lucrative European Tour after two successful seasons on the Asian Tour, where he was named Rookie of the Year last year.
The 25-year-old rising star carded rounds of 69-66-70-75 for an eight-under 280 total at the European Tour’s Qualifying School second stage tournament at Desert Springs Golf Club in Almeria, Spain to give himself a shot at earning playing privileges in Europe next year.
He moves to the European Tour’s Qualifying School Final Stage, which got underway yesterday at Lumine Golf Club in Tarragona, Spain where he will be eyeing one of the 21 spots on offer.
