Albin Choi
Former amateur stars Albin Choi and Justin Shin were among the four Canadians who advanced to the final stage of the Web.com Tour qualifying school on Friday.
Choi, the former Canadian Amateur Champion and an eight time winner in college, finished tied for 16th at a second stage qualifier at Deerwood Golf Club in Kingwood, Texas. He was joined by Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., who finished tied for third, and Devin Carrey of Surrey, B.C., who finished in a tie for eighth. Sloan is looking to get back onto the Web.com Tour after finishing 87th on the money list in his rookie campaign in 2013.
Over at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas, Shin of Maple Ridge, B.C. finished 15th and was among the 22 players who advanced to the final stage. Shin, like Choi, turned pro earlier this year after leaving college. The former Team Canada National Team Member made one of three cuts on PGA Tour Canada, finishing tied for 18th at the Great Waterway Classic in his first professional event.
Dustin Risdon of Calgary (T33 at Kingwood), Edmonton's Steve Lecuyer (T64 at Kingwood) and Will Mitchell of Whitby, Ont. (T56 at McKinney) all failed to advance past the second stage.
Among the notables who also advanced to the final stage were Steven Fox, the 2012 U.S. Amateur champion, Todd Hamilton, the 2004 British Open Champion, as well as three sons of former PGA Tour winners – Olin Browne Jr., Matt Weibring and Jamison Sindelar. Sung Kang, who defeated Rory McIlroy by one shot at the Korean Open this year, won the qualifier at Kingwood while Max Homa, the 2013 NCAA individual champion, also advanced.
There are four more second stage qualifiers scheduled for next week.
Everyone advancing to the final stage in La Quinta, California next month is guaranteed at least conditional status on the Web.com Tour in 2014.