A PGA Tour Monday qualifier is a grind unlike anything in golf. For the last decade or so, the annual Shriners Children’s Open pre-qualifiers and official Monday Q have been held at the popular Boulder Creek Golf Club. Dreams have been dashed–and realized–on the layout. The aspiring pros deeply understand the stakes going into it. –By Brian Hurlburt, Founder.
“It’s dog eat dog out here,” said PGA Tour veteran Ricky Barnes after firing a 7-under 65. “The scores are super low. I come off the golf course shooting seven under and it probably won’t even make it. You just have to be aggressive. Like holes that during a 72-hole event where you might lay up or play to a safe side, you have to be a little bit more aggressive. Your lines become a little tighter to the pins, especially on a course like this.”
CLICK TO PLAY BOULDER CREEK, SITE OF PGA TOUR MONDAY QUALIFYING
The 2022 main event was no different as four players earned a spot in the PGA Tour event at TPC Summerlin, while more than 130 others did not. The low score of 61 was turned in by Hawaii’s Jared Sawada. He was followed by Xuewen Luo and PGA Tour vet Spencer Levin who each shot 64. Earning the final spot via an intense 6-man-for-1-spot playoff was Ryan Ruffels from Florida. Missing out via the playoff was the aforementioned Barnes whose 65, as he predicted, didn’t hold up. The event was organized by the PGA Southwest Section with an assist from the Southern Nevada PGA Chapter.
For Levin, the impending start this week in the Shriners will mark his first in a PGA Tour event since the 2020 Shriners, and only his second start since the 2017-18 season.
But he has some good luck on his side as he has a couple top 5 finishes in Vegas including missing out on a playoff by a single shot in 2004.
This could be a career-altering week for the wily and popular Tour veteran. Boulder Creek always plays to his liking and he is comfortable there, in Vegas and at TPC Summerlin, the Shriners host course.
“Boulder Creek is good and you know what you’re gonna get out here,” Levin said. “If you play well, you can shoot a low score, but it’s not so easy to where if you hit a foul ball, you’re gonna be fine. You still have to hit it pretty straight. it’s not the most difficult course in the world, but you still have to drive it where you’re looking. And, obviously, you have to make putts if you want to shoot a low score.
“The last tour event I played in was here a couple years ago, so it (means) a lot because I miss playing on Tour,” Levin said. “It’s funny, but I think it was 2010 was the first year I kept my playing privileges for the following year and I solidified that at the Vegas tournament when it used to be the second to last tournament of the year before Disney. I remember it was nerve wracking if you’ve never kept your card. I wasn’t playing great going into it and was thinking about it a lot and I played really well here. I think I shot like 20 under and missed the playoff by one. I have very good memories from that particular tournament. I also played well there a couple other years, too. So I’ve always liked the town and the event.”
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For Luo, the Boulder Creek Monday was almost his last chance to earn a spot on the Tour. He was scheduled to go back to China in about 10 days, so hopefully his plans will change if he can parlay a strong finish in the Shriners.
“I tried to play good on every shot and stay in the middle and tried not to get too low or too high (with my emotions),” Luo said of his Monday Q experience. “The course was a bit of a challenge and it was interesting. But I did feel comfortable out there.”
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For Andy Schaper, Boulder Creek and Boulder City golf course general manager and director of operations, the annual Monday Q is a unique time for the course.
“We hold a lot of big tournaments throughout the year including college tournaments, high school events, and other events, but it is always a special time when the Monday qualifiers come here,” Schaper said. “It is a chance for top players to chase their dreams and we are honored to be a part of that. Some big names have played in the Mondays and it is always interesting to see who makes it through. There have been some dramatic moments, like we saw this year with the large playoff for one spot.”
Even for some of those who missed out on advancing, the day was still fun and a chance to relive some Southern Nevada golf memories.
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“I love it out here,” said Danny Ochoa from Rancho Sante Fe, Calif., who shot 66 to miss the playoff by one shot. “I’ve played here my first US Junior Amateur qualifier out here and I think a Korn Ferry Monday and a couple other Mondays. It’s always really fun. It’s a good test. I love coming out here. The course is always in great shape. I just love being in Vegas (and Boulder City).”
Boulder Creek Golf Club features 27 holes of unique golf in the desert but offers generous fairways with some intriguing and challenge water holes. Its sister course, Boulder City Golf Course, is a historic, tree-lined, traditional layout. Both are owned by the City of Boulder City and open to local and visitor play. For all info, visit www.golfbouldercity.com.. The Boulder City courses are official course partners of LasVegasGolfInsider.com.
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