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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Monday, December 4, 2006

McLachlin tied for 14th entering Q-School final day

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Punahou School alum Parker McLachlin shot a 4-under-par 68 yesterday and was tied for 14th entering the final round at the PGA Tour's final qualifying tournament at La Quinta, Calif.

The top 30 players and ties after today's final round will earn PGA Tour cards for next year, with approximately the next 50 earning full exemptions to the Nationwide Tour. The remaining players will be conditionally exempt on the Nationwide Tour.

Back in form after a short stint as a club pro, George McNeill shot a 67 yesterday at PGA West to take a two-stroke lead at 18-under 342 after the fifth round.

McNeill, from Fort Myers, Fla., had a bogey-free round on the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course. He has had four straight rounds in the 60s on the Nicklaus and Stadium courses.

"I'm out here to win," McNeill said. "I'm not really here to just breeze by, which has kind of been the case the last few years."

McLachlin, who played on the Nationwide Tour this season, is tied with seven others at 350.

Rich Barcelo was second after a 70 on the Nicklaus course.

While McNeill seemed destined for the PGA Tour, some well-known players were outside the cutoff line for cards. Four-time tour winner Duffy Waldorf was tied for 39th at 6 under after a 69, and two-time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen was tied for 97th at 3 over after a 73.

John Merrick (67), Cameron Beckman (69) and Michael Boyd (71) were tied for third at 15 under. Paul Gow (68), Robert Garrigus (70) and Darron Stiles (69) were 14 under. Tour winner Jonathan Kaye (68) was tied for 34th at 7 under.

ELSEWHERE

LPGA Tour Final Qualifying Tournament: South Koreans In-Kyung Kim and Hye Jung Choi shared the top spot at Daytona Beach, Fla., while 13 other players also earned full exemptions for next season. The 21-year-old Choi closed with a 6-under 67 on LPGA International's Legends Course to match Kim at 13-under 347. The 18-year-old Kim, also the Duramed Futures Tour's qualifying tournament winner last month, finished with a 73 after taking a six-stroke lead into the final round. She turned pro after the round.

Nedbank Challenge: Jim Furyk won the tournament for the second straight year, earning $1.2 million with a two-stroke victory over Sweden's Henrik Stenson in the unofficial tournament at Sun City, South Africa. Furyk closed with a 2-over 74 for a 12-under 276 total on the Gary Player Country Club course.

Del Webb Father/Son Challenge: Bernhard and Stefan Langer successfully defended their title, closing with an 11-under 61 for a one-stroke victory over Bob and Kevin Tway and Vijay and Qass Singh at Orlando. The Langers finished at 24 under in the scramble event at ChampionsGate Golf Club, with 16-year-old Stefan holing the winning 6-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th.

New Zealand Open: Australia's Nathan Green closed with a 6-under 66 in windy conditions for a two-stroke victory over New Zealand star Michael Campbell and five other players at Auckland. Green had a 5-under 279 total on the Gulf Harbour Country Club.