Monday qualifiers: Visit Knoxville Open
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LAKEWOOD RANCH, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Brian Richey gives a golf ball to a fan on the 18th green during the second round of the LECOM Suncoast Classic at Lakewood National Golf Club Commander on February 18, 2022 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Written by Kevin Prise
Four players carded 8-under 64 at the Oak Ridge qualifying site for this week's Visit Knoxville Open, securing tee times Thursday at venerable Holston Hills CC in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Korn Ferry Tour veteran Brian Richey, 35, carded nine birdies against a bogey to secure his spot in the field. The Florida Southern alum holds conditional Korn Ferry Tour status this season and has made three starts prior to this week. This marks Richey's third successful Monday qualifying foray this season (LECOM Suncoast Classic, Huntsville Championship) as he aims to make a springtime surge up the Points List.
Hawaii native Jared Sawada carded nine bogeys against a bogey to earn his spot in the field. The 31-year-old earned 2022 Korn Ferry Tour membership by advancing to Final Stage of Q-School, but he failed to earn guaranteed starts (T105) and has yet to make a start in 2022. The University of Hawaii-Manoa alum has competed on a variety of mini-tours throughout his career, and he also Monday qualified into the PGA TOUR's Sony Open in Hawaii this past January.
Daniel Wetterich, 25, produced a clean card, with eight birdies against zero bogeys, to earn his spot in the field. The Ohio State alum holds conditional Korn Ferry Tour status this season after finishing T135 at Final Stage of Q-School; this will mark his first start of 2022. Wetterich's cousin Brett is a longtime PGA TOUR member, having won the 2006 AT&T Byron Nelson in addition to three Korn Ferry Tour titles.
Bo Hayes recorded six birdies and an eagle, against zero bogeys, to join the party at 8-under 64. The 28-year-old played collegiately at Jacksonville State and has made seven career starts on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica, most recently in 2019. This will mark the first career Korn Ferry Tour start for the paddleboarding enthusiast.
Nolan Ray and Cooper Musselman led the way at the Three Ridges GC site, each carding 9-under 63 to earn spots in this week's field at the Donald Ross-designed Holston Hills CC.
Ray, who hails from Nashville, Tennessee, made seven birdies and an eagle Monday against zero bogeys. The 2019 University of Tennessee alum made his Korn Ferry Tour debut at last week's Simmons Bank Open for the Snedeker Foundation, into which he gained entry on a sponsor exemption. Ray has also made two career starts on PGA TOUR Canada. His wife Anna (McClung) was a two-time Gatorade National Player of the Year in soccer during high school and played collegiately at Florida State and Tennessee.
Musselman, who hails from Louisville, Kentucky, recorded nine birdies against no bogeys to earn his spot in the field. The 2018 University of Kentucky graduate has made five career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a T41 at last year's Visit Knoxville Open. Last year, he competed on PGA TOUR Canada (its U.S.-based season as the Forme Tour), recording four top-25s in eight starts and finishing No. 35 on the Order of Merit.
Christopher Petefish and Greg Edwards each carded 6-under 66 and advanced via a 7-for-2 playoff; the odd men out were Sam Love, Carter Jenkins, James Nicholas, Justin Doeden and Matt Atkins.
Petefish, 26, played collegiately at Georgia Tech and has made six career Korn Ferry Tour starts, highlighted by a T33 at the Simmons Bank Open in 2019. He holds conditional Korn Ferry Tour status this season after a T91 finish at Final Stage of Q-School last fall; he has made two starts to this point in 2022.
Edwards, who hails from Flowery Branch, Georgia, is an assistant pro at East Lake GC in Atlanta, longtime host venue of the TOUR Championship. The Georgia State alum has never competed in a TOUR-sanctioned event, but that is set to change.
In all, 180 players competed for eight spots in this week's field.
For all scores from the Oak Ridge site, click here.
For all scores from the Three Ridges GC site, click here.