Steven Fisk made history at the last-ever WM Phoenix Open Monday qualifier, shooting a brilliant 9-under 63 at Pinnacle Peak Country Club in Scottsdale.
Fisk, who earned his PGA Tour card by finishing fourth in Korn Ferry Tour points last year, will be joined in the main event by Max McGreevy and Will Chandler. Both shot 65s to edge out a talented group at 6-under that included Tour veterans Harry Higgs, Kevin Chappell, Ricky Castillo and Noah Goodwin.
The PGA Tour’s decision to eliminate Monday qualifiers at certain events starting next year makes this qualification particularly significant. It’s the end of an era that stretches back to 1948 at the Phoenix Open.
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Here’s how the new system will work:
– 144-player tournaments keep four Monday qualifier spots
– 132-player events will offer two spots
– 120-player tournaments like WMPO and opposite-field events lose their qualifiers completely
The change hasn’t sat well with many Tour players. These qualifiers have long been seen as a proving ground for up-and-coming talent. Just ask Corey Conners – he’s the last Monday qualifier to win a Tour event, claiming the 2019 Valero Texas Open before becoming a Presidents Cup regular.
“It gnaws at me a little bit,” says Peter Malnati, a player director on the Tour’s policy board. “It’s a cool story when a Monday Q guy gets in the mix. It feels like you lose something from the fabric of the Tour.”
Monday Q Info’s Ryan French was there to capture the unique atmosphere of this final qualifier. The scene had everything that makes these events special – gallery members packed onto the clubhouse veranda, a player putting one-handed, another rolling putts with a wedge, and even one competitor carrying his own staff bag (though French stepped in to help with that one down the stretch).
It’s these quirky moments that have made Monday qualifiers such a beloved part of Tour tradition. They’ll still exist at larger events, but the desert will never see another one quite like this.
