Three Former Gators Secure Tour Cards
Tuesday, December 7, 2010 | Men's Golf
Former University of Florida golfers Billy Horschel (2006-09) and Will Strickler (2005, 2007-09) secured PGA Tour Cards for the 2011 season and Camilo Benedetti (1998-02) earned a Nationwide Tour Card on Monday at the final stage of Q-school at Orange County National in Orlando, Fla.
Horschel earned his card for the second-straight year through Q-school. The former Florida All-America's 2010 PGA Tour season was cut short by an injury to the tendon in his left wrist. He only played four PGA Tour events before the injury flared up in late February and had surgery last March. He made five Nationwide Tour starts in September and October. He will still be a rookie on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Strickler bogeyed the final hole Monday for a 4-over 76 but managed to hold onto his Tour card. Playing in the next-to-last group, Strickler's bogey dropped him back to 9-under for the week, but still good enough to earn his card. Had Strickler made par, exactly 25 players would have gotten their cards, but the bogey allowed his former teammate Billy Horschel sneak into the 25 and tied along with him.
Strickler has split time on the Hooters Tour and Canadian Tour in 2010 and will be a rookie on the PGA Tour in 2011.
Benedetti made bogey on the 108th hole of the tournament to finish at 8-under-par, one stroke short of earning his PGA Tour card. He maintains his membership on the Nationwide Tour, where he has played since 2007.
Other University of Florida standouts that will continue to play full-time on the PGA Tour in 2011 include: Camilo Villegas, Chris DiMarco, Dudley Hart, Chris Couch, Brian Gay and Mark Calcavecchia.
