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Cornwall's Harry Hall (West Cornwall) came so close to qualifying for his first PGA Tour start in Monday's qualifying for the Shriners Hospital for Children Open at Boulder Creek GC.

For every PGA Tour event there is traditionally a Pre-Qualifier followed by a Monday Qualifier. In the Pre-Qualifier last week , Amateur Harry carded three birdies in the last three holes to post a five under 67, which meant that he moved forward to Monday’s final qualifier in which just four places would be up for grabs. The Monday Qualifier comprised a field of 79 players all vying for one of the available spots for the event proper which starts on Thursday at TPC Summerlin and features amongst others Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler.

Harry was out first and returned a very impressive score of 66 (-6) with halves of 32 and 34. Ultimately a bogey on the par 5 16th may have cost him but he birdied the last hole to set the clubhouse lead, something which held up for a considerable period.

Also playing in the field were former US Masters winner Mike Weir (who returned 67) and Aaron Baddeley (69), but when play was completed the leaders were George Cunningham and Rob Oppenheim both with 64s.  Hall was tied 4th with 4 others. Amongst those four was a former American Walker Cup player in Maverick McNealy. Also in the four tied players was Doug Ghim who was winner of this year’s Ben Hogan Award as the top player in college and amateur golf, was low amateur at the Masters (T50) and who this year had his best pro finish tied 8th at the European Masters in September. So Harry faced tough opposition and in the end it was Ghim who earned the fourth spot through the playoff.

Harry, 21 and now his final year at the University of Nevada and Las Vegas, has been on a great run of results. He was victorious for the second time in four events this autumn on the USA Intercollegiate circuit last week. He opened with a first round one under par 71 in the Little Rock Invitational at Chenal Country Club and went one better with a fine 70 in the second round. He then fired a final round of three under 69 that included three birdies on the front nine and an eagle at the seventh that cancelled out a double bogey at the fourth. He then parred every hole on the back nine to finish three shots clear of his nearest rival. Hall’s victory with a 54-hole total of six under par 210 followed his tie for first place at the William H Tucker Intercollegiate in Albuquerque, New Mexico in September,  the first win of his career in the USA.

Hall is currently ranked 82 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings with his highest position having been at number 73. Among his honours are listed Rest of the World Team Palmer Cup 2018, European Team Palmer Cup 2017, England Men’s Team Home Internationals 2016, England Boys Team European Team Championships 2015 and of course he was part of the Cornwall English County Finals winning team in 2014.

Harry is doing himself and Cornwall proud and we all wish him ongoing success!

Shriners Hospital Monday Qualifying Scores