HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – Ben Kohles became the first two-time winner of the Korn Ferry Tour season on Sunday when he seized on Ben Silverman’s mistake on the final hole of regulation and beat him with a birdie in the playoff in the HomeTown Lenders Championship.

Kohles, from Texas, who won in Chile at the start of the month, closed with a 3-under 67. It looked like it would come up short until Silverman took double bogey on the 18th hole and to fall into a playoff.

Silverman, from Thornhill, Ont., was also looking for his second win of the year.

Kohles and Silverman now are Nos. 1 and 2 on the points list and assured of finishing in the top 30 to earn PGA Tour cards for next season.

Kohles won for the fourth time on the Korn Ferry Tour. His previous two wins were more than a decade ago.

Canada’s Ben Silverman fired a final round, three-under 68 to tie for third, just one shot out of a sudden death playoff on Sunday at the Korn Ferry Tour’s Lecom Suncoast Classic.

Silverman, who already has a win this season at the Bahamas Great Abaco Classic, finished the event at 20-under par.

Wil Bateman tied for 18th at 14-under after a 69 on Sunday, while Roger Sloan finished with a 74 to tie for 36th at 10-under.

GREAT ABACO, The Bahamas – Ben Silverman shot 118 in his first Canadian Junior Golf Association tournament, an unsurprising result given he was 16 years old, relatively new to the game, and still thought of himself as a hockey player rather than an aspiring professional golfer. As Silverman lined up a playoff-forcing 3-footer for double bogey on the 72nd hole of The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club Wednesday afternoon, surrendering the last two shots of what was at one point an eight-stroke lead, it probably felt like a putt for 118.

“I got way ahead of myself in my head, thinking I already won the tournament,” Silverman said.

Silverman made the putt, signed for a 2-under 70 and caught a shuttle ride back up the fairway of the par-5 18th, where he hit shots into two different penalty areas no more than 10 minutes prior.

Cody Blick joined Silverman on the 18th tee this time around. Blick could hardly believe he had a chance at his first Korn Ferry Tour win. Just under a half hour ago, Blick figured a closing birdie for a round of 6-under 66 simply added a little extra flavor to the night’s dinner, as it took him to 15-under par, three strokes clear of a four-way tie for third place and more than enough for back-to-back runner-up finishes. Impressive stuff for someone who was without a single top-25 in 26 career Korn Ferry Tour starts preceding the 2023 season. Yes, dinner would taste phenomenal.

This trip down the 18th fairway, though, it was Blick who put two shots into the same penalty areas Silverman found in regulation, first on the lay up, then the approach. Silverman nearly found the rocky native area up the right side of No. 18 with his lay up as well, but a fortunate bounce off the rocks put him in the fairway and with a routine wedge shot into the two-tiered green.

Silverman left his approach on the front half of the green and two-putted up the slope to his second career Korn Ferry Tour victory.

“It’s amazing. A little overwhelming,” Silverman said. “Honestly almost broke down in the fairway in regulation. It worked out in the end. I’ll learn a lot of lessons from that. Once I knew it was a playoff, Tom Whitney said in the scoring room, ‘No matter what, it was a great week.’ I just wanted to be more committed on my shots the second go round and just give it my all.”

Silverman’s journey to PGA TOUR membership and a second Korn Ferry Tour victory was as unlikely as the fact he lost an eight-stroke lead only to come back and win the tournament in a playoff.

A native of Thornhill, Ont., Silverman played competitive hockey until around the time he turned 16 and still measured 5 feet, 10 inches. Too small and too worried about getting hurt. There were brief stints in volleyball and baseball, even ultimate frisbee. Silverman eventually found himself at a golf camp during a family trip and stuck with the game.

He eventually entered a tournament and shot 118. He graduated high school with a handicap index of 12. He made his way to a Johnson & Wales University satellite campus in Miami, which offered a handful of academic tracks but was known for its culinary program. He walked on to the golf team there and, two years later, did the same at Florida Atlantic University. He turned professional in 2010 and toiled on the mini-tours for four years until he earned PGA TOUR Canada membership. By 2016, he earned Korn Ferry Tour membership, but he missed 11 of 16 cuts as a rookie and yet again found himself without status.

At Final Stage of the 2016 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, things finally turned around. A T6 there ensured Silverman had nearly half a season before he was subject to reshuffles in 2017.

A run of four consecutive top-10s in July and August, highlighted by a victory at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, earned him a PGA TOUR card.

Silverman spent two seasons on TOUR and struggled through the 46-event 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour season, finishing 115th on the points list. Playing from the Past Champion 5-10 Years category in 2022, Silverman made just seven starts as he played Monday qualifiers and found himself at the back end of the Korn Ferry Tour’s priority ranking.

Last October, Silverman missed the cut by three strokes at Second Stage of the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, setting him up for another year of chasing Monday qualifiers and hoping for sponsor exemptions in the 5-10 category. Around Thanksgiving, Silverman got a call from folks at The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club, the second event of the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season. The tournament awarded him a sponsor exemption.

As the sun set behind the 18th green at The Abaco Club Wednesday night, Silverman became the first sponsor exemption to win a Korn Ferry Tour event since Martin Trainer won the 2018 El Bosque Mexico Championship. And without the help of a tournament volunteer, it may never have happened.

“I had a great start to the morning,” Silverman said. “But I had some butterflies, so I was doing some meditations to kind of calm down. I guess I went longer than I thought. I was looking at my phone… I’ll catch the 8:30 (a.m.) shuttle, no big deal. I get there, and there’s no 8:30 shuttle.”

Silverman negotiated a deal with a shuttle driver, a local resident and tournament volunteer named Victor. The two were on the road and still on Silverman’s intended schedule. Victor asked where Silverman stood in the tournament.

“Leading,” said Silverman, who carried a two-stroke lead into the final round. “He smacked the steering wheel like, ‘Let’s go!’”

Victor watched from the hospitality tent behind the 18th green as the wild scene (did we mention heavy rain showers appeared seemingly out of nowhere, soaked Silverman and the rest of the final group, and left behind a double rainbow?) unfolded along the shores of The Abaco Club. The two shared a lighthearted moment and a celebratory drink at the end of it all. Neither of them would be driving anywhere on this night.

Club ambassador and 2011 Open Championship winner Darren Clarke presented Silverman with perhaps the greatest perk of winning this particular Korn Ferry Tour event: membership at The Abaco Club.

Guess that explains Silverman’s fortunate bounce in the playoff.

“I had no idea, but that’s unbelievable,” Silverman said. “You can guarantee I’m going to bring my wife, friends, sponsors, we’re definitely coming back for a vacation.”

Silverman won’t need an exemption or shuttle schedule for the trip. Surely a new friend will greet him at the airport.

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SAVANNAH, Ga. – For the first time at the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament’s Final Stage, the Korn Ferry Tour will provide live streaming coverage of the final round from The Landings Club in Savannah, Georgia. Live streaming will be available Sunday, November 7 from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. ET on the NBC Sports App and GolfChannel.com, with coverage highlighting a bubble group seeking guaranteed Korn Ferry Tour starts for 2022.

The Final Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, commonly known as Q-School, is the last phase of the competitive process for obtaining status on the Korn Ferry Tour for the following season. The medalist(s) at the Final Stage of Q-School receives fully exempt status for the upcoming season, while finishers 2-10 (and ties) receive guaranteed starts through the first 12 events of the season, and finishers 11-40 (and ties) earn guaranteed starts through the first eight events of the season.

“As we continue exploring innovative ways to connect with our fans, we’re excited to provide live tournament coverage of the final round of Q-School Final Stage for the first time,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “The livestream broadcast will provide another valuable opportunity to showcase some of the incredible stories of our players, as well as highlight the grueling, yet rewarding, journey our players face as they compete and work their way to the Korn Ferry Tour.”

After being canceled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Q-School has returned in 2021, with pre-qualifying, First and Second Stages contested in recent months at various sites across the United States. Final Stage of Q-School is set for November 4-7 at The Landings Club’s Marshwood and Magnolia courses in Savannah, Georgia. This marks the first year The Landings Club will host Final Stage of Q-School.

The livestream will seek to tell the unique stories of Q-School as players bid for a top-40 finish. Play-by-play host Brian Katrek will be joined in the booth by analysts Andres Gonzales, a former Korn Ferry Tour player, and APGA golfer Doug Smith. They’ll be joined by on-course reporters Gary Christian and James Nitties, as well as Teryn Gregson, who will handle the post-round interviews.

In addition to the livestream’s availability on the NBC Sports App and GolfChannel.com, the first 30 minutes of the broadcast will also be live on the Korn Ferry Tour’s social media channels, including Twitter and Facebook, from 10 – 10:30 a.m. ET on November 7.

For more information about the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament, please visit PGATOUR.com.

The 2021 season of the Korn Ferry Qualifying Tournament season saw several worthy players take their shot at advancing through pre-qualifying, First and Second Stage and Final Stage at various sites across the country. The final stage of Q-School was contested at The Landings Club in Savannah, Ga from Nov. 4-8.

American Zack Fischer became the first two-time medalist in the modern era (since 2013) of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament’s Final Stage, breaking a four-way tie for medalist honors with a 12-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole. Fischer watched as final-group playing partner Andrew Kozan’s 8-foot birdie putt slid past the cup, thus securing his second Final Stage win. The 32-year-old Texan carded a 2-under 69 Monday on The Landings Club’s Marshwood Course and finished at 14-under par.

With the victory, Fischer, who topped a field loaded with future PGA TOUR winners at the 2013 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament’s Final Stage, secured fully exempt status for the 2022 Korn Ferry Tour season

Canadians Albin Choi and Drew Nesbit advanced to the final stage with Choi finishing 5-over, and Nesbit recording a score of plus-8.

Canadian results are as follows:

Final Stage

Stage Two

Stage One

For more information on the Korn Ferry Qualifying Tournament click here.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida – The PGA TOUR announced today the Korn Ferry Tour’s 2022 schedule, which features 26 tournaments across four countries and 18 different states with the season culminating at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance in September.

“True to its mission, the Korn Ferry Tour continues to identify, develop and prepare golf’s next stars to compete on the PGA TOUR from day one,” said PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan. “The immediate success we’ve seen from the likes of Sungjae Im and Scottie Scheffler and now Will Zalatoris, the last three recipients of the PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year, is indicative of the quality and talent on the Korn Ferry Tour.”

The Korn Ferry Tour’s 2022 schedule will feature the return of international events after they were cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Korn Ferry Tour will kick off its 2022 slate with The Bahamas Great Exuma Classic at Sandals Emerald Bay (January 16-19) and The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club (January 23-26), followed by the return of the Panama Championship (February 3-6) and Country Club de Bogota Championship (February 10-13). 

The Lake Charles Championship, set for March 24-27, will make its debut on the Korn Ferry Tour’s schedule after being postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic, and again in 2021 due to the impact from Hurricanes Laura and Delta along the Louisiana coast. 

“After recently concluding the Korn Ferry Tour’s super season in dramatic fashion, we’re excited about what lies ahead in 2022, including a significant increase in purses, the return of four international events and the debut of the Lake Charles Championship,” said Korn Ferry Tour President Alex Baldwin. “The Korn Ferry Tour is experiencing unprecedented growth and fan engagement and these key additions will add to this momentum as our athletes chase their PGA TOUR dreams in 2022.”

During the 2022 season, the Korn Ferry Tour will see its purses rise, as regular season events increase to a minimum purse of $750,000. The purse for the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna – the Tour’s regular season finale – will increase to $850,000. By the 2023 season, all regular season events will feature a purse of at least $1 million, while the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna will increase to $1.25 million and all three events in the season-ending Korn Ferry Tour Finals will increase to $1.5 million.

Today, the Korn Ferry Tour announced a partnership with NV5, a leading provider of compliance, technology, and engineering consulting solutions for public and private sector clients supporting sustainable infrastructure, utility, and building assets and systems, to become the title sponsor of the Korn Ferry Tour’s event in Glenview, Illinois for at least the next five seasons. The tournament will now be known as the NV5 Invitational presented by First Midwest Bank and will be played May 26-29.

The Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna will continue to serve as the Korn Ferry Tour’s regular season finale and will be played August 11-14 in Omaha, Nebraska. Following the conclusion of the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna, where 25 PGA TOUR cards are awarded to the top 25 players in the Korn Ferry Tour’s regular season points standings, the Tour begins the three-event Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

The Korn Ferry Tour Finals commence with the Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron – which announced a historic $2.9M charitable donation during their 2021 event – and will be played August 18-21 in Boise, Idaho. Players then head to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship (August 25-28), which recently announced a five-year extension of the tournament at The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course. The season concludes at the Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance at Victoria National Golf Club in Newburgh, Indiana on Sunday, September 4, 2022.

The regular season finale and the three Korn Ferry Tour Finals events will represent four of six tournaments broadcasted on GOLF Channel in 2022. GOLF Channel’s broadcast coverage of the Korn Ferry Tour will begin with the BMW Charity Pro-Am presented by SYNNEX Corporation (June 9-12), which will feature the debut of the PGA TOUR University presented by Velocity Global Class of 2022. The Utah Championship presented by Zions Bank (August 4-7), the penultimate event of the Korn Ferry Tour regular season, will also be broadcast on GOLF Channel.

In addition to the six tournaments slated for GOLF Channel broadcasts during the 2022 season, the Korn Ferry Tour will also stream live coverage of the Veritex Bank Championship, which will be the first live Korn Ferry Tour tournament coverage available to fans during the 2022 season.

“Providing Korn Ferry Tour fans with more content and additional live coverage is extremely important to our Tour right now, and we’re excited to deliver live coverage from the final two rounds of the Veritex Bank Championship, one of our best-in-class events, on Friday, April 15 and Saturday, April 16,” Baldwin said.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Adam Svensson crept up the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship leaderboard all week and finally pounced Sunday, posting a 4-under par 67 to turn a two-stroke 54-hole deficit into a two-stroke victory. Svensson’s winning total, a 17-under 267, lowered the tournament scoring record (270 by Harris English in 2011 and Peter Uihilein in 2017) by three strokes.

Svensson played the front nine of The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course at 5-under par in the final round, birdieing Nos. 2, 3, 4, 7, and 9. The Surrey, British Columbia native did not make a single birdie on the back nine, but he avoided disaster with par saves at Nos. 11 and 14, made his only bogey at the par-3 13th, and closed the round with four consecutive two-putt pars.

“I was only two back, but I knew I had to play well today,” Svensson said. “If you’re 5-under on the front, you’re playing pretty well. I said to myself, ‘Just par in, or at least one more (birdie) coming in and see what happens. Just don’t make bogeys because you don’t want to give the tournament away.’”

The victory was Svensson’s second of the 2020-21 season and third of his Korn Ferry Tour career. In Svensson’s previous victory this year, which came in a playoff at the 2021 Club Car Championship at The Landings Club, he played the final 10 holes of regulation at 5-under par. This time around, he played the last 10 holes of regulation at even par.

Svensson starred at Barry University and won the 2013-14 NCAA Division II Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year Award as a sophomore; he turned professional in February 2015, the spring of his junior season, and won the 2015 Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Tournament’s Final Stage by seven strokes in December. It would be two Korn Ferry Tour seasons before Svensson’s first victory, though. A win at the 2018 The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at The Abaco Club propelled Svensson to a 14th-place finish on the regular season money list and a PGA TOUR promotion.

The Canadian finished 167th in the 2019 FedExCup standings, sending him back to the Korn Ferry Tour for what became the 2020-21 season. Svensson secured a return trip to the PGA TOUR two weeks ago, as he finished 11th in the regular season points standings.

Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., finished tied for 10th, while Stuart Macdonald of Vancouver finished tied for 18th, and Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., finished tied for 34th.

Five other players secured PGA TOUR cards by crossing the 210-point threshold the Korn Ferry Tour is currently using as its fail-safe number for players to finish inside The Finals 25.

Bronson Burgoon rose to the top spot in The Finals 25 with a T2, securing a return to the PGA TOUR via the Korn Ferry Tour for the fourth time. The 34-year-old Texas A&M University alum previously earned a TOUR card via the 2015 regular season standings and the 2017 and 2019 Korn Ferry Tour Finals.

Alex Smalley, a 24-year-old Duke University alum, secured his first PGA TOUR card with a T4. The Greensboro, North Carolina resident made four TOUR starts during the 2021 season, logging a pair of top-25s, a T29, and a T47.

Callum Tarren, a 30-year-old native of Darlington, England, jumped to fifth in The Finals 25 with a T4. It will be the first trip to the PGA TOUR for Tarren, who turned professional in 2014, won the 2018 PGA TOUR China Order of Merit to earn Korn Ferry Tour status for the first time, and needed to earn starts for the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour season via Q School.

Vincent Whaley, a 26-year-old Georgia Tech alum, will play his third consecutive PGA TOUR season following a T4 Sunday. Whaley previously earned a PGA TOUR card via a 25th-place finish in the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour regular season points standings.

Scott Gutschewski is headed back to the PGA TOUR for the first time since 2011. The 44-year-old logged a T10 at last week’s Albertsons Boise Open presented by Chevron, and rose to a T18 Sunday with a final- round 4-under 67. The Omaha, Nebraska native previously earned PGA TOUR cards via the Korn Ferry Tour in 2005, 2008, and 2010.

“I talked (my wife) into flying out and driving down to Evansville with me, so that will be fun. We’ll have a little celebration and it will be a fun drive.”

The three-event Korn Ferry Tour Finals conclude with next week’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance at Victoria National Golf Club in Evansville, Indiana.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Stephan Jaeger and Vincent Whaley electrified fans Saturday at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship and reached 15-under par for the tournament, giving the pair of multi-season PGA TOUR players a one-stroke lead after 54 holes at The Ohio State University Golf Club’s Scarlet Course.

Jaeger entered the day with a share of the 36-hole lead, but early struggles left the Munich, Germany native scrambling as he tumbled down a congested leaderboard. The short-game maestro kept the round together with par save after par save until he closed the front nine with consecutive birdies. But as Whaley posted a 6-under 65 and reached 15-under par, it appeared Jaeger would end the day without a share of the lead for the first time this week.

Undeterred by the rocky start or three-stroke deficit, Jaeger climbed tenaciously to the top of the leaderboard once again, birdieing three of the final four holes for a bogey-free 5-under 66. And just like two weeks ago at the Pinnacle Bank Championship presented by Aetna, the 2020-21 Korn Ferry Tour regular season finale, Jaeger sank a riveting birdie putt at the 18th green and walked into the sunset with a 54-hole lead in hand.

For the fifth time this season, Jaeger holds at least a share of the 54-hole lead, and Sunday’s final round will be the sixth time he plays in the final group this season. It will also give Jaeger yet another run at a Three-Victory Promotion, which would grant him fully exempt status for the upcoming 2021-22 PGA TOUR season, no matter what happens at next week’s Korn Ferry Tour Championship presented by United Leasing & Finance.

In addition to the status which comes with a Three-Victory Promotion, a win Sunday would give Jaeger the strongest possible grip on the No. 1 ranking in The 25 points standings. It would also be the seventh win of his Korn Ferry Tour career, a total which would tie Jason Gore’s all-time record.

Jaeger came tantalizingly close to the historic victory at the 2021 Visit Knoxville Open this past May, brushed with it again when he lost a playoff at the 2021 REX Hospital Open this past June, and again as he played the first 10 holes at 3-over par and faded to a T4 in the regular season finale two weeks ago.

Even after those near-misses, and with questions about a Three-Victory Promotion and seventh career win arising yet again, Jaeger has not grown tired of discussing either topic.

While Jaeger thrilled the gallery with the putter, Whaley delivered the shot of the tournament at the par-4 14th – which, along with the par-4 11th, played as the toughest hole relative to par Saturday. Whaley had 142 yards to the flag at the 473-yard par 4; he landed a pitching wedge within two feet of
the hole, and watched from the fairway as it spun back into the cup for an eagle.

“I was kind of stalled at that point, so that was helpful,” Whaley said. “I knew I was somewhat up (the leaderboard), but I needed a few more coming in to really get towards that final group, so that was huge.”

Whaley, who grew up in McKinney, Texas and played alongside Jordan Spieth and Scottie Scheffler on the state’s golf circuit, also made birdies at Nos. 1, 6, 12, and 15. The Georgia Tech alum’s 65 tied Adam Svensson for the lowest score of the third round.

Canadian Svensson is in fourth at 13 under, while Canadians Stuart MacDonald and Michael Gligic are both tied for 24th, and Taylor Pendrith is tied for 49th.

Whaley played the 2020 and 2021 seasons on the PGA TOUR following a 25th-place finish in the 2019 Korn Ferry Tour regular season points standings. The 26-year-old posted a solo second and T3 in 2019, but his only professional wins to this point are mini-tour events.

Having learned several lessons from his two seasons on TOUR, Whaley hopes those experiences will leadto his first Korn Ferry Tour victory Sunday.

“The first year (on the PGA TOUR) was a big learning experience. I don’t know how ready I was for it, to be honest,” said Whaley, who finished 183rd in the 2020 FedExCup standings, and 140th in 2021. “But I felt like I got a lot better, especially this season. I haven’t won out here and I’ve only really been in contention twice, so that’s all I want to do… I’m just going to try to win the golf tournament.

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do… win at this level. That’s all I really care about.”

The Golf Canada Foundation has opened applications for bursaries to provide Canadian professional golfers with financial assistance for upcoming Q-school tournaments in support their journeys to the LPGA and PGA TOUR.

These bursaries are being made available this year in recognition of the increased travel expenses that many players have incurred due to the impact of COVID-19. For example, host family housing has not been available at many events, thus creating increased expenses for players. 

Canadian professional golfers who anticipate expenses attempting to qualify for the 2021-2022 season on any tour that is affiliated with the PGA TOUR, European Tour, or LPGA tour are welcomed to apply through this link.

The application will be open until Monday, September 20 at 5pm ET. Bursaries will be awarded by mid-October in amounts ranging from $2,000 to $7,000, depending on a player’s competitive results and projected expenses.

For more information, please contact Emily Phoenix (ephoenix@golfcanada.ca).

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Roberto Diaz and Alex Kang each reached 13-under through two rounds to earn the 36-hole lead at the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper. The duo leads four players by one stroke at the halfway point of the tournament at Highland Springs Country Club. 

Diaz was 1-under on his round before a stretch of four consecutive birdies from Nos. 6-9 to finish. 

“It was great; I made an amazing par on 5,” said Diaz. “I hit a bad wedge in and had a bad lie in the rough, but I hit about a 12-footer for par. That really set me up for the next hole. I just kept hitting my lines with the putts and they started falling in…I haven’t really paid attention to the leaderboard. I had a peek on the ninth tee and saw that I was tied for the lead. But I’m trying to make as many birdies as possible.” 

Entering the week 23rd in the Korn Ferry Tour points standings, Diaz is seeking a strong finish to solidify his standing inside the top-25. The top-25 players in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season earn PGA TOUR membership for the 2021-22 season while the top-75 players retain their Korn Ferry Tour status in 2022. 

Earlier this season, Diaz broke through with his maiden Korn Ferry Tour victory, a one-stroke win over Peter Uihlein at the Chitimacha Louisiana Open presented by MISTRAS. The win came three months to the day after the birth of his son, his first child. 

“I’ve had a great year so far,” said Diaz. “I had my first win, my kid was born, if nothing else, if I get my card or not, I will be fine. I’ve played great golf so far so I’m just enjoying where I’m at.” 

Competing in the third-to-last group of the day, Kang birdied his final two holes to match Diaz’s 13- under total. Kang is one of six players without a bogey or worse through the first two days. 

“It seems like I haven’t hit a lot of greens through the last few tournaments, so I’m trying to hit a lot of greens, give myself more chances, and not get into trouble,” said Kang, the brother of LPGA Tour star Danielle Kang. “Instead of being so aggressive, kind of try to win the tournament with the putter.” 

With uncertain status this season, Kang has made a habit of using local caddies each week. This week he has paired up with a member out at Highland Springs Country Club. 

Kang entered the week 191st in the points standings with only 10 starts. With only three events remaining in the regular season, he would likely need a win to secure Korn Ferry Tour status for the 2022 season. 

Four players sit one stroke off the lead, including 49-year-old Steven Alker and Simmons Bank Open Benefitting the Snedeker Foundation champion Austin Smotherman. 

Canadian Stuart Macdonald is tied for third at 12-under while fellow Canadians Adam Svensson and Taylor Pendrith are both tied for 45th.

The third round will run from 7 a.m. to 1:10 p.m. off of the first tee on Saturday at Highland Springs Country Club.