Music: {allcanada} Hoping to graduate

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

{allcanada} Hoping to graduate

A dream job is within reach for 22 Canadian golfers this week. But each of them will need to survive an interview unlike any other to land it.

The test begins Wednesday, when the six-round final stage of PGA Tour qualifying school kicks off at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif., and the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament gets underway at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Fla., with the first of five rounds.

Both events are marathons designed to push golfers to their limits. The reward for the top finishers is full-time tour membership in 2012.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., highlights the nine Canadian men vying for a PGA Tour card. The 24-year-old earned more than US$430,000 on the circuit this season despite not having official status, highlighted by a fourth-place finish at the RBC Canadian Open in July.

He's joined by Matt McQuillan of Kingston, Ont., who was unable to retain his PGA Tour card in 2011, and Q-school veteran Brad Fritsch of Manotick, Ont., who has come close in the past.

Among the other Canadians in the field: three-time Canadian amateur champion Richard Scott of Kingsville, Ont.; Vancouver's Richard Lee; Stuart Anderson of Strathmore, Alta.; Mitch Gillis of Williams Lake, B.C.; and James Love and Ryan Yip, both of Calgary.

They're among a field of 156 who are playing for 30 PGA Tour cards over 108 holes on the Nicklaus Tournament and Stadium Courses.

On the women's side, veterans Izzy Beisiegel of St. Hilaire, Que., Angela Buzminski, Oshawa, Ont., and Montreal's Lisa Meldrum lead 13 Canadians into LPGA qualifying.

They face 90 holes on the Champions and Legends Courses. The number of available cards is still to be determined, according to the LPGA.

Stephanie Sherlock of Barrie, Ont., Samantha Richdale of Kelowna, B.C., and Adrienne White of Red Deer, Alta., are all looking to improve the limited tour status they enjoyed this season.

The field also includes Kirby Dreher of Fort St. John, B.C., Sue Kim of Langley, B.C., Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., Toronto's Rebecca Lee-Bentham, Edmonton's Susan Nam and Hamilton's Ashley Sholer.