Q-School notebook: Second Stage, November 1

Second Stage of Korn Ferry Tour Q-School is now underway, and with that comes some of the most dramatic golf of the calendar year. 

Five Second Stage events will take place over the next two weeks prior to Final Stage being held Dec. 12-15 at Orange County National just outside Orlando, Fla. 

Players who advance to Final Stage will be assured of at least conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020. The top-40 and ties at Final Stage will secure guaranteed starts for the early portion of 2020. 

Here’s a look at what transpired at this week’s site in Texas.

McKinney, Texas (TPC Craig Ranch)

Seventy-six golfers competed for 20 spots (and ties). Medalist was Taylor Montgomery of Las Vegas. Montgomery shot a four-round total of 18-under, including a 6-under 66 in the final round, to top Samuel Del Val of Atlanta by two shots. Del Val’s final-round 65 was tied for the best of the day. Montgomery, a UNLV alum, played four Korn Ferry Tour events in 2019. 

Notables to advance: Sebastian Vazquez of Mexico finished T5 after also shooting a 7-under 65 in the final round. Vazquez has won twice on PGA TOUR Latinoamérica … Martin Piller of Flower Mound, Texas also finished T5 to advance. Piller is a six-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, most recently in 2017 … Max Rottluff of Germany finished T12. Rotluff has played the Korn Ferry Tour the last two years and is a winner on the Mackenzie Tour … Chase Koepka of West Palm Beach, Fla. finished T14 to advance. Koepka is the brother to four-time major champion Brooks Koepka …Tag Ridings of Keller, Texas finished T14 at 8-under. Ridings, 45, is one of the oldest golfers at Q-School. 

Notables to miss: Rick Lamb of St. Simons Island, Ga. finished T24, just one shot back of qualifying. Lamb was part of The 25 in 2016 after an early-season victory … Ethan Tracy of Galloway, Ohio finished T46, five shots back of qualifying. Tracy has one Korn Ferry Tour victory and earned a spot on the PGA TOUR via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in 2017 … Tom Lovelady of Jupiter, Fla. also finished T46, five shots back of the number. Lovelady has played the PGA TOUR the last three seasons after also earning status via the Korn Ferry Tour Finals in 2017 ... Derek Barron of Lakewood, Wash. finished T52, seven shots back of qualifying after a 4-over 76 in the final round. Barron won The Players Cup on the Mackenzie Tour in 2019 … Michael Putnam of University Place, Wash. finished T59, 10 shots back of qualifying. Putnam is a longtime PGA TOUR member who was the 2013 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year after his two victories helped him top the money list.