Well, this is the week. This is the week we talk about all year, First Stage of Q School. This week we are in Auburn, Alabama. Many of you know what Q school is or have some idea but for those who do not I will give you Jennifer's interpretation.
Q school or qualifying school is a tournament that decides someones status for next year. Basically there are 4 stages of this tournament pre-qualifying, 1st, 2nd, and final stage.
Many players are required to go to pre-qualifying if they have never been to q school or if they did not finish high enough in previous years (I don't know exactly what you have to finish but Scott's first year he finished well enough that he will not have to do pre-qualifying again). Pre-qualifying is one of those hoops you have to jump through and it prevents any random guy from paying is 5k to say that he went to q school.
First Stage is a four round event that does not have any cuts. The top so many guys will advance to the next stage. Also, this stage does not require caddies and allows push carts (random tidbit of knowledge for yall!)
Second Stage is also a four round event that does not have any cuts as well. It is identical to 1st stage where the top so many will advance. Scott has signed up to play his 2nd stage in Florida. This stage requires caddies.
Final Stage is quite a bit different. This stage is a 6 round event. Making it to this stage is a huge achievement in itself. The players that finish in the top 25 in this stage will receive their PGA Tour cards. The next so many will receive their Nationwide Tour cards. As long as you make it to final stage you will receive some form of at least conditional status on the Nationwide Tour. Conditional status means that you will get to play in so many events based on how you finished in final stage of qualifying school.
I hope all of that made since. If not, just pretend that it did. Q school is one of the only ways to advance to the Nationwide and PGA tour.
