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Olson Finishes Tied For 18th At Q School To Earn PGA Tour Card
12/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
LA QUINTA, Calif. - Former Duke standout Leif Olson birdied four of his final five holes of play on Monday to shoot a five-under 67 in the final round of Q School at the PGA West - Nicklaus Tournament Course. The birdie-run to close the round moved Olson into a tie for 18th overall and earned him his PGA Tour card.
Olson, who entered Monday's final round tied for 25th, shot a 19-under 413 (68-72-65-73-68-67) in the six rounds of Q School. The top 25 players and all ties were awarded tour cards. Olson's birdie on the par 4 18th hole proved to be monumental as 19-under was the tour card cutline.
A native of Golden, Colo., Olson carded 10 birdies, including six on the back nine on Monday. He finished Q School tied for the most birdies with 39.
Olson got off to a good start in the final round with birdies on No. 2 and No. 4. He dropped a stroke with his first bogey of the day on No. 6, but answered back with birdies on each of the next two holes to move to three-under. Following a bogey on No. 9, Olson made the turn with a two-under 34.
Back-to-back birdies to open the back side left Olson at four-under and in good position heading into the final seven holes. The momentum quickly changed as he bogeyed No. 12 and suffered just his second double-bogey of the tournament on No. 13. Olson slipped all the way to a tie for 38th following the double-bogey on No. 13.
In desperate need of birdies to keep his PGA Tour hopes alive, Olson got hot at the right time to play the final five holes at four-under. He carded birdies on the par 4 14th and the par 5 15th to move to three-under. After a par on No. 16, Olson birdied the par 3 17th hole and No. 18 for the second straight day to claim his tour card by one stroke.
Olson was one of 10 players to tie for 18th at 19-under. Kris Cox, Garret Willis and Bryce Molder each finished one shot back at 18-under to just miss earning their tour cards.
Olson played at Duke from 1999-2003 and still holds the school record with 152 rounds played. He also ranks among Duke's all-time leaders in rounds in the 60s (17, third), under-par rounds (45, second) and stroke average (73.51, fourth). Olson had his best year in 2001-02 when he led in stroke average (72.9), under-par rounds (16), rounds in the 60s (7) and tournament wins (2). He fired a 12-under 201 to win The Nelson in 2002 with his 12-under currently tied for the second lowest score (in relation to par) in Duke history.
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