Plenty of big movers on final day of q-school

WINTER GARDEN, Fla. -- The starter at the first tee of Crooked Cat course, host of the PGA TOUR National Qualifying Tournament, announced on Monday morning, "From Bishopville, S.C., Tommy 'Two Gloves' Gainey."

Crickets.

Despite a 77 on Monday, Tommy Gainey did enough to earn a TOUR card for 2008. (WireImage)

No, literally. The sound of actual crickets filled the air and drowned out the smattering of applause Gainey -- and not just him but every other player -- received. While the event is held only miles from Disney World, where the PGA TOUR holds its season concluding event, it's light years from the TOUR in everything else.

These guys aren't playing for the money, although that's a nice perk. They aren't here to entertain the crowds or attract (yet) a Tiger Woodsesque fanbase. They are, however, playing for an entire year of their lives.

And some guys, more than others, took advantage on the final day.

Todd Demsey was the epitome of clutch on Monday, the last round of the six-day event. He began the day in a tie for 31st, which would have left him six spots shy of exempt status on TOUR in 2008. But Demsey, a member of the Nationwide Tour in 1995 and from 1998-2005 and also a PGA TOUR member in 1997, wouldn't miss a chance to return to the PGA TOUR.

"I had a real smooth day with no bogeys," Demsey said, referring to his 8-under-par 64 that was blemish free. "It was just one of those days where everything went right and I made putts when I needed to."

The feat is all the more special since he recently discovered that a brain tumor he had removed in 2003 has returned.

A handful of others, including Kenneth Ferrie, Duffy Waldorf, Richard S. Johnson, Bob Sowards and John Merrick, played their way onto the TOUR in the final day.

Johnson, who perhaps banked on previous PGA TOUR experience to make an eagle on No. 17, landed safely inside the top 20 after beginning the day outside the top 30.

"I switched from blades to cavity backs two days before second stage and my friends thought I was crazy," Johnson said. "But I'm hitting my irons so good right now ... it seems so easy that I feel like I'm cheating."

Tim Wilkinson doesn't have Johnson's resume -- Wilkinson has Monday qualified to play in just two TOUR tournaments -- but he was able to move from a tie for 25th into the top 15.

"I was hitting a lot of fairways and greens, which makes it much easier. I thought I'd be more nervous than I was but wasn't for some reason," Wilkinson said, who finished tied for 14th and was one of 26 to earn their TOUR cards.

"I knew 14 under would be good enough and I just wanted to try to move up the leaderboard as much as possible... even though it's Monday, I wanted to have a good Sunday."

Ferrie overcame what he considered "tough" conditions on Monday and watched one of his dreams come true.

"In college I watched the PGA TOUR on television and it was always a goal of mine to make it out there. I want to be the best player that I can be, and to do that I need to play against the best players in the world."

For every player who made it in, one fell out of the coveted 25 spots. Groans were heard in the player eating area when Miguel Carballo's scorecard was displayed on GOLF CHANNEL's q-school coverage. Carballo dropped from a tie for 17th into a tie for 27th because of a double bogey-bogey-bogey stretch in his final three holes.

But Carballo's loss was Waldorf's gain. Waldorf jumped from a tie for 42nd into a tie for 14th thanks to an eagle on his first hole and four birdies. He began the week with rounds of 74-69-73-69 so it surprised even the four-time PGA TOUR winner that he'd be back on TOUR in 2008.

"It's very exciting to ask something of your game and get it. No bogeys for the last two days was a great way to end the year and I hope I can carry it over to next year," Waldorf said after his 13-under total in the final two rounds put him at 16 under for the week.

Waldorf had to borrow a bag from the Orange County National Golf Club pro shop when the strap on his Titleist bag seemed in danger of ripping. He didn't begin using it until after the third round when, coincidentally, his momentum suddenly shifted.

Was that a fluke? Probably, but perhaps Waldorf should hold onto it for the first events in 2008.

After all, as former Big Break contestant Gainey said at the end of his round, the 26 new PGA TOUR pros are "playing with the big boys" now.