Three desert golfers played some pretty good golf over the weekend, not that you likely noticed. That’s because you were watching the Masters like everyone else in the golf world.
So here’s a recap:
Palm Desert's Byron Smith (Crystal Chatham.The Desert Sun)
–Palm Desert’s Byron Smith had his strongest week yet on the Web.com Tour in the WNE Classic in Midland, Texas. Smith played his way into contention with a 64 Saturday, then shot 70 on Sunday to finish second in the tournament. The finish moved Smith from 47th to ninth on the tour’s money list with just over $85,000 in five starts. That’s important because the top 75 players on the money list with join the players from 126 to 200 on the PGA Tour’s money list in the new series of events to determine PGA Tour cards for 2014. My guess is Smith has already assured himself of a top-75 spot for the year.
–Jesse Schutte of Indio, who reached the finals of the now-defunct PGA Tour qualifying process two years ago, managed a tie for 33rd in the PGA Tour Canada’s qualifying event in Beaumont last weekend. That give Schutte non-exemption conditional status on the PGA Tour Canada, formerly the Canadian Tour. Maybe that’s not as good as exempt status, but it might get him some starts in some tournaments, and that’s never a bad thing.
–Jiyoon Jang, a freshman at Palm Desert High School, followed up a win at the SCPGA Tour win in Industry Hills with a second-place finish in the American Junior Golf Association event at Oak Valley in Beaumont on Sunday. Jang shot rounds of 73 and 77 to finish three shots behind winner Meridith Hirsch of Fremont. That AJGA will be in the desert at the end of June at Mission Hills Country Club.
