Q-school: Second stage update

• THIS WEEK: Lantana, Texas | Beaumont, Calif.
• LAST WEEK: RECAP | Central Fla. | North Fla. | Texas | Georgia

Casey Devoll and Andrew Bonhomme set the pace at Lantana Golf Club in Lantana, Texas, in the second stage of q-school on Wednesday, firing matching rounds of 5-under 67. Jimmy Walker, who played on the PGA TOUR in 2008, is tied for third at 4 under, along with Alex Prugh, Clayton Rask, Stuart Deane and Chris Wall.

Former TOUR winner Notah Begay III is four shots off the pace at 1 under, while other former TOUR winners Joel Edwards and Paul Stankowski each posted even-par 71s in the first round.

Brian Watts, who lost in a playoff to Mark O'Meara at the 1998 British Open at Royal Birkdale, struggled in the first round with a 9-over 81.

The top 20 finishers and ties will advance to the final stage of q-school, which begins Dec. 3 at PGA West in La Quinta, Calif.

Alex Argon got off to a blistering start in Beaumont, Calif., firing a 7-under 65 in the first round at Oak Valley Golf Club. With that, Argon has a one-shot edge over Craig Kanada.

Jin Park, a TOUR rookie in 2008, opened with a 5-under 67, which was one-shot better than a group of eight players at 4 under, including Robin Freeman and Mark Hensby.

Ted Purdy, Boyd Summerhays, Esteban Toledo and Phil Tataurangi are among a large group at 2 under, five shots off the lead.

It was a particularly tough start for 2008 PGA TOUR rookie Nick Flanagan. The Aussie struggled to a 7-over 79.