The Frys.com Open could become a premiere stop on the PGA Tour
as early as 2013, and tournament organizers don’t have to lift a
finger. A proposal to restructure Q-school and move the start of
the tour’s season to fall was presented by commissioner Tim
Flinchem at a players meeting earlier this week. Should it be
approved, the Frys.com Open could shed its Fall Series tag and join
four other tournaments at the head of the 2013 season.
The Frys.com Open could become a premiere stop on the PGA Tour as early as 2013, and tournament organizers don’t have to lift a finger.
A proposal to restructure Q-school and move the start of the tour’s season to fall was presented by commissioner Tim Flinchem at a players meeting earlier this week. Should it be approved, the Frys.com Open could shed its Fall Series tag and join four other tournaments at the head of the 2013 season.
The Frys.com Open would be held the second week in October just as it was the last two years at CordeValle Golf Club in San Martin. It will, however, likely be held at The Institute, John Fry’s personally designed golf course in Morgan Hill, sources have said.
The earliest Flinchem’s proposal could be approved by the PGA Tour Policy Board is in March. The Player Advisory Council plans to meet in three weeks.
If the plan goes through, Frys.com Open players would compete for FedEx Cup points.
“That plus the fresh start of the a new season would likely enhance our playing field,” Frys.com Open president Duke Butler told the Bay Area News Group. “It was pretty good last year, and we hope to become one of the most significant tournaments on the PGA Tour someday.”
The Frys.com Open took a step toward that last year with the addition of Tiger Woods among several other big-name commitments, including Ernie Els, Angel Cabrera, Justin Leonard and 2010 champion Rocco Mediate. An enormous crowd followed Woods throughout the week, as the 14-time major champion tied for 30th place.
The tournament also benefited from an exciting finish in which Bryce Molder defeated Briny Baird in the sixth hole of a sudden-death playoff.
Butler said tournament organizers have begun another push to have Woods return for the sixth running of the Frys.com Open, set for Oct. 11-14.
As for Q-school the proposal calls for a three-tournament series featuring the top 75 players from the Nationwide Tour and the top 75 PGA Tour players who failed to keep their cards. The top 50 players in the series would earn cards, while the rest would either go to Q-school where they could obtain Nationwide Tour status.
