Richard T. Lee
Richard T. Lee of Vancouver shot a final round 69 to captured the first stage event at Dayton Valley Golf Club in Nevada. Lee, who made 12 of 22 cuts on the Nationwide Tour this year, finished atop the leaderboard at 14-under par, two better than fellow Canadian Ryan Yip of Calgary, who also advanced to the second stage with a final round 72.
Ted Brown of Peterborough, Ont., had six birdies and two bogeys for a final round 68 which left him in a tie for third at the first stage qualifier at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney, Texas
Over at The Club at Irish Creek in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Cam Burke of New Hamburg, Ont., is off to the next stage after finishing in a tie for third with a final round 70. The two-time Canadian amateur champion was joined by Derek Gillespie of Oshawa, Ont., who, despite shooting his second straight 71, managed to be among the top 22 qualifiers after finishing in a tie for 15th.
Riley Wheeldon (T26th) of Comox, B.C., Brad Revell (T29th) of Kingston, Ont., Michael Gligic (31st) of Burlington, Ont., Danny Sahl (T33rd) of Sherwood Park, Alta., Greg McAuley (T59th) of Cloverdale, B.C., Christopher Ross (T65th) of Dundas, Ont., and Ryan Kings (T74th) of Kitchener, Ont. all failed to advance.
Mike Mezei of Lethbridge, Alta. had a final round 75 but managed to squeeze into the next stage by a single stroke with his tie for 14th at Deerwood Golf Club in Kingwood, Texas. Andrew Parr (71) of London, Ont., made it right on the cut line at 4-over par as did David Morland IV (70) of Aurora, Ont.
Billy Walsh of Concord, Ont., finished tied for 62nd after a round of 74.
Marc Bussieres of Gatineau, Que., was not among the top 22 qualifiers at Grasslands Golf and Country Club in Lakeland, Florida after a second straight 74 left him in a tie for 47th.
Stuart Anderson of Sooke, B.C., will look to make it nine Canadians in the second stage as he plays his final round on Saturday at the Auburn University Club in Alabama. The Canadian Tour winner fired a third round 72 and sits in a tie for ninth with one round to play. Only the top 19 and ties advance from this qualifier.