Final-stage q-school: Third-round notebook

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- For the second consecutive day, fog forced a one-hour delay to the start of play.

Jason Allred used the best round of the day, an 8-under 64, to vault into second place on Friday. (Cox/WireImage)

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• Frank Lickliter II maintained his grip on the top spot at the 2007 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament with a third-round 4-under 68 at Panther Lake. Despite seeing his nine-shot lead at the beginning of the day trimmed to five, Lickliter is still in a comfortable position to regain his TOUR card.

• His nearest challengers are Jason Allred (19 under) and Tommy "Two Gloves" Gainey (16 under). Allred recently finished 74th on the Nationwide Tour money list, while Gainey garnered national recognition for winning GOLF CHANNEL's "Big Break VII."

• Frank Lickliter's 54-hole total of 24-under 192 is the lowest 54-hole total at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament since 1992, when the TOUR began keeping such statistics. The previous low was held by Andrew McLardy, who was at 21-under 195 through 54 holes in 2000.

• The last time a third-round leader/co-leader at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament went on to win was in 2003 when Mathias Gronberg shared the 54-hole lead with Daniel Chopra before winning by two shots.

• Since the PGA TOUR began keeping such statistics in 1992, the 54-hole leader/co-leader at the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament has never failed to secure his card.

• Nationwide Tour player Peter Tomasulo, who carded a third-round 66, looks to have erased memories of a nightmare finish to the 2005 PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament at Orange County National. Tomasulo fired rounds of 72-75 over the last two rounds that year and played his last 11 holes in 5 over par on Monday to miss his card by three shots. The former University of California Bear standout is currently in a tie for 21st place at 8-under 208 (69-73-66).

• Jim McGovern, making his ninth appearance at the final stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament, is seeking to snap a string of five consecutive final stage starts without securing his TOUR card. The 1993 Shell Houston Open winner was successful in his first three attempts (1991, 1996-97) but has missed out since (1999-2001, 2004-05). Fresh off of a 45th-place finish on the 2007 Nationwide Tour money list, McGovern is currently 14 under and in solo fourth place.

• Needing a win to earn his PGA TOUR card for the 2008 season, Tag Ridings finished tied for third (after sitting in the top five at the end of each round) at the season-ending Children's Miracle Network Classic and finished 168th on the 2007 money list. Ridings carded a bogey-free 67 on Friday and, tied for sixth, is in position to successfully navigate the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament for the first time in his fourth trip to the finals.

• The third-round scoring averages for the two courses: Crooked Cat (71.284) and Panther Lake (70.643). Cumulative average through three rounds: Crooked Cat (70.951) and Panther Lake (70.548).

• The toughest holes on the two courses Friday: the par-4 second hole on Crooked Cat with a scoring average of 4.420 and the par-3 15th hole on Panther Lake with a scoring average of 3.286.

• Players who finished the season ranked 26-40 on the Nationwide Tour money list were exempt into the final stage of the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament. Of that group, Skip Kendall is in the best position after three rounds at 9-under 207 (16th place). Kendall, winner of the 2007 Chitimacha Louisiana Open, just missed his TOUR card through the Nationwide Tour, finishing in 26th place and $1,094 behind 25th place Jimmy Walker.

• Likewise, players on the PGA TOUR who finished the season No.126-150 on the money list were exempt into this week's six-round tournament. Of those players, tournament-leader Frank Lickliter II (139th place in 2007 TOUR earnings) finds himself in the best shape with three rounds in the books.

• Of the six players in the field who had to begin their q-school quest at the pre-qualifying stage, Mike Wendling continues to play the best with rounds of 71-68-71--210. Currently tied for 46th place, Wendling is attempting to become the first player to ever go through the pre-qualifying stage and earn his PGA TOUR card.

• The rounds of the day at Crooked Cat were turned in by Peter Tomasulo and Andrew Buckle with matching 6-under 66s, while Jason Allred (8-under 64) posted the day's best effort at Panther Lake.

• There were 13 bogey-free rounds on Friday, including seven on Panther Lake -- Josh Broadaway (66), Tag Ridings (67), Darren Angel (68), David McKenzie (68), Parker McLachlin (68), Jon Rusk (69) and Jin Park (71). Six bogey-free rounds were posted on Crooked Cat -- Peter Tomasulo (66), Jarrod Lyle (66), Andrew Buckle (66), Kris Cox (67), Bret Guetz (68) and Notah Begay III (69).

• Several players are building up quite an impressive bogey-free streak, including Bret Guetz (43 holes), Jon Rusk (41 holes) and Jin Park (37 holes).

• PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament by the numbers: 428 players competed in the six pre-qualifying sites, 931 competed in first stage, 481 participated in second stage and 166 are playing in the final stage. In all, a record 1,300-plus players applied for this year's q-school.

• Robert Gamez withdrew during the third round with a left wrist injury.