Opinions vary on just what it will take, score wise, as 117 golfers set out Monday in an attempt to earn one of 10 qualifying spots for the sa国际传媒 Island Savings Open.
But most agree, you鈥檒l have to be at your very best at Gorge Vale Golf Club in order to advance to the inaugural PGA Tour sa国际传媒 (formerly the Canadian Tour) stop slated for Thursday to Sunday at Uplands Golf Club.
鈥淭here will be a few scores that go fairly low because there will be a strong field here, but I think 71 or 72 might get you into a playoff for that last spot,鈥� said Edd Boudreau, assistant pro at Gorge Vale, who doesn鈥檛 have to worry about qualifying, having earned an exemption as the leader on the VI Pro Tour.
鈥淭his is such a tough golf course and sometimes, if you miss a few fairways, with the rough up and how they set it up, scores might not go that low. If you get it on the wrong side of the hole on certain holes, two-putting will be tough to do.鈥�
Parker Lilly, an assistant at Uplands, is one of many locals attempting to qualify.
Having come up short in an attempt to earn his PGA Tour sa国际传媒 card at qualifying school, the 24-year-old has the experience of playing in last year鈥檚 sa国际传媒 Island Savings Open on his home track, where he finished in the top 30.
Lilly believes a few under par will get him in. 鈥淚 think there鈥檒l be some ties at 4- or 5-under, depending on conditions. I鈥檓 sure tees will be right at the back for a qualifier like this.
鈥淚鈥檇 love to be able to make it again, playing in front of family and friends. We鈥檒l see,鈥� added Lilly.
Brent Wilson has home-course advantage on his side as he attempts to qualify for his second sa国际传媒 Island Savings Open, having played two seasons ago.
鈥淚鈥檓 hoping it will help. It鈥檚 nice to have it on our home course,鈥� said Wilson. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e going to have to shoot under par, for sure, no matter what the conditions. There are a lot of par-5s at Gorge Vale where you just have to make birdie. I鈥檓 thinking if you shoot in the 60s you鈥檙e in and if you鈥檙e 1- or 2-under, you鈥檙e cutting it close.鈥�
Jeff Palmer, CPGA director of instruction at Olympic View Golf Club, is another who will attempt to qualify.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 going to take 3- or 4-under to get in, with that size of a field,鈥� offered Palmer, who says conditions will play a huge factor.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a very difficult golf course, with some narrow landing spots. And the rough is always up there, especially this time of the year, because they have a tough time getting mowers out in winter and early spring with wet conditions. So if the wind is blowing and you鈥檙e missing fairways, it makes it extremely difficult.鈥�
And the competition will be fierce.
鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a very strong field,鈥� said Palmer. 鈥淭here are a lot of good local players and I know there are going to be guys chasing the Tour that will be there, who are playing a lot. It鈥檒l be a deep field of professionals and amateurs.鈥�
And it will also make for some excellent spectating as fans are welcome to view the event, with early tee-offs at 7 a.m. right up until 1:30 p.m.
鈥淵ou really have to thank the Tour, first and foremost, for giving up the 10 spots to give people an opportunity to get in there and I think that鈥檚 helped with getting their numbers up,鈥� said Boudreau.
