Posted on: Saturday, December 4, 2004

Brehaut takes Q-School lead

Advertiser Staff and Wire Services

LA QUINTA, Calif. — Jeff Brehaut shot an 11-under 61 yesterday and took a two-stroke lead halfway through the PGA Tour's final qualifying tournament.

Brehaut of Los Altos, Calif., had nine birdies and an eagle at the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West. Brehaut, who won this tournament two years ago on the same course, is 16 under 200 — two shots ahead of Dan Olsen of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.

Tour veteran Omar Uresti (68) and Brian Davis of England (67) were tied for third at 204, four strokes behind Brehaut.

Former Hawai'i residents Dean Wilson and Keoke Cotner were tied for 8th and 10th respectively after 54 holes.

Wilson, a Castle High alum, shot a 69 at the Nicklaus Course and was at 207. Cotner, a Kamehameha Schools graduate, fired a 67 at Nicklaus for 208.

"It was just one of those days. Everything went my way," said Brehaut, who is in the qualifying finals for the 10th time in 18 years.

The 169 golfers in the field are playing for 30 exemptions to the 2005 PGA Tour and 50 full exemptions to the developmental Nationwide Tour. The tournament concludes Monday.

Brehaut holed a 9-iron from the fairway for an eagle on the par-4 16th hole, his seventh hole of the round. He finished his first nine holes with two more birdies for a 7-under 29.

After winning the 2002 qualifying finals at PGA West, Brehaut retained his playing privileges by finishing 99th on the 2003 tour money list. But he slipped to 149th in 2004, forcing the return trip to the finals.

Scott Simpson, the 1987 U.S. Open winner and another former Hawai'i resident, shot 71 at PGA West Stadium Course and was tied for 64th at 215.