Five of Cleveland’s Finest Advance to Second Stage of P.G.A. Tour Q School

Oppenheim blisters Greystone Golf Club, takes medallist honors

By Dom Dastoli

     At P.G.A. Tour Qualifying School, there are only two options: advance or go home.

Well, for five of the Cleveland Golf Tour’s best and brightest, going home simply wasn’t going to be an acceptable option.

     Rob Oppenheim (Andover, MA) led the CGT charge in the first stage, taking medallist honors at Greystone Golf Club (Palm City, FL) with a commanding 20-under par performance that featured four rounds in the 60’s (66-68-65-69). This marks the second time Oppenheim has advanced to the second stage, having turned the trick in 2002 at National Golf Club in Pinehurst, NC.

     Kyle Gallo (Kensington, CT), also had a relatively easy time moving on to the second stage.  Playing at Jennings Mills Country Club in Bogart, GA, he posted a final round 67 to finish third out of a field of 80. Gallo, out for redemption after an injury forced him to withdraw after the first stage last year, has now made it to the second stage each of the past three years.

     Matt Donovan (Pittsfield, MA), meanwhile, is the newcomer of the bunch as he is the only one who has never advanced to the second stage. Following flawless rounds of 66-68-67 at Florence Country Club, Donovan closed with a 2-over par 72 to finish seventh out of a field of 81. Over the four rounds, he recorded a phenomenal 22 birdies and an eagle. Remarkably, Donovan’s 273 total is 31 shots lower then his only other showing in 2002.

     Sean O’Hair (Aston, PA), the youngest of the five qualifiers at 22, traveled out west to Rio Rico, Arizona and went toe to toe with a field of competitors that included former amateur standout Ricky Barnes and Canadian stud Derek Gillespie.  O’Hair, who hands down the most consistent player on tour all year, used that same formula in the first stage as his steady 69-71-70-69 performance has him in the second stage for consecutive years. Like Gallo, O’Hair is also motivated and wants to prove that he has learned from his letdown in last year’s second stage in which he double-bogeyed two of his final four holes to miss advancing to the final stage by three shots.

     Shannon Sykora (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), a long time veteran of Q School, had quite possibly the most clutch performance of the first stage. After two rounds, his 70-72-142 total left him on the outside looking in. As he proved all summer long, though, he can go low when he needs to, as he carded back to back 67’s to grab the last qualifying spot.

     While Sykora narrowly advanced to the second stage, Eric Egloff, Mike Capone, and Brian Lamberti were not so fortunate and missed qualifying by a single shot at each of their respective sites.

After a disappointing opening round of 79 that included a two-stroke penalty because his caddie improperly used a rake in a bunker, Eric Egloff (Sandy Springs, MD) reeled off rounds of 68-68-66 only to miss the cut by a single stroke.

     Mike Capone (Orlando, FL) also started slowly with an opening 75 at Florence Country Club but bounced back with a sizzling 63 that instantly put him in contention for a berth into the second stage. Capone, a Rhode Island native and 2004 Rhode Island Open Champion, closed strong with a 71 and 68 but his 277 total was just one shot too many.

     Brian Lamberti (Granite Springs, NY), an assistant at the Nevele Grande Resort, also missed moving on by a single shot in Florence despite closing with back to back rounds of 68.

     Jim Hallet-who is exempted into the second stage every year by virtue of his career record on the PGA Tour-and Player of the Year Geoff Sisk will join these five qualifiers in the second stage, which is scheduled to begin on November 10^th.

     Once the action begins, check the “Q School Watch” on the main page for daily updates on your favorite players.