Andrew Roque
Andrew Roque of California eagled the final hole for a bogey-free final round of 67 to claim medalist honours at the 2012 Canadian Tour Qualifying School on Friday.
Roque, the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2011, had two eagles and a birdie at the Country Club at Soboba Springs to claim a two stroke victory over Kevin Tucker of Scottsdale, Arizona. Tucker, who held the lead through the first two rounds before shooting 77 at Oak Valley Golf Club on Thursday, also closed with a 67.
Roque, who has never been to Canada before, is looking forward to playing north of the border and hopes to one day join the long list of Canadian Tour graduates who have gone on the PGA Tour.
"I want to do well out there and today was the first step in that process," said Roque who left college early before turning pro last September. "The history of the Canadian Tour and the names of the guys that have played it is something that has me extremely motivated to play."
Corey Renfrew of Victoria had five birdies and a bogey for a final round 68 to finish third, three strokes behind Roque.
"I've always had my sights on joining the Canadian Tour but the bigger picture is to get the PGA Tour and this is definitely a step in the right direction," said the 2011 BC Mid-Amateur Men's Champion.
A total of 14 Canadian's earned status on the Canadian Tour including Renfrew, Steven Lecuyer of Edmonton, Adrian Cord of Toronto and 2011 Canadian Tour member Scott Loewen of Winnipeg.
Peter Campbell of Baddeck, N.S., who started the day in a tie for 10th, found himself in the playoff for the final exempt card. A double bogey on the first playoff hole saw Campbell move into the first non-exempt position which will likely see him get into most Canadian Tour events.
Eighteen-year-old Wilson Bateman of Edmonton, Tyler Mancini of Winnipeg, Brett Cairns of Courtland, Ont., Oliver Tubb, of Vancouver, B.C., Mark Hoffman of Thornhill, Ont., Mitch Evanecz of Red Deer, Alta., Billy Houle Joliette, Que., and amateurs Parker Lilly of Victoria, B.C. and Dan Bowling of Mooretown, Ont., rounded out the Canadian's who clinched non-exempt cards.
Among the notables who also picked up their Tour cards was Angel Cabrera II, the son of two-time major champion Angel Cabrera; Boyd Summerhays, whose brother Daniel is a PGA Tour player and former Nationwide Tour winner; and Matt Jager, who in 2010 became the first player in 19 years to win the Australian and New Zealand amateur titles in the same year.
Chan Song, a three-time All-American at Georgia Tech whose sisters Aree and Naree are LPGA Tour players and 15-year old Australian Kota Kagasaki, the youngest player in the field, will also have non-exempt status.
The biggest mover of the day was Kevin McAlpine of Dundee, Scotland. McAlpine started the day tied for 92nd place but a final round 3-under 69 moved the Scot into the final non-exempt position. Also making a big move today was Jack Paton who began the day in a tie for 77th and a final round 1-under 71 moved him into a tie for 56th.
The Canadian Tour begins its 2012 season at the Times Colonist Island Savings Open in Victoria the week of June 4th.