Year in and year out, qualifying school brings out the best and the worst in professional golf.
On Monday, we shared the uplifting story of Cody Blick, the Web.com Tour hopeful who had his clubs stolen the night before the final round of Q-School, but today we bring you the other end of the spectrum and the tale of Patrick Sullivan.
Sullivan, 35, was in prime position to earn guaranteed status on the Web.com Tour in 2019 coming into the last round of the final stage. Starting Sunday in 23rd place — the top-40 earn status — Sullivan failed to get anything going on the front nine, trading a lone birdie with a bogey to shoot even par.
Still in the hunt, the Arkansas native birdied Nos. 12 and 13 to move into position to earn his status when disaster struck on the 14th hole. Sullivan found the green only to putt his ball into the water, leading to a double bogey.
We’ve heard all the QSchool horror stories over the years. I was wondering if anyone had ever putted it into the water on the back nine to miss by one? If not…..dibs. ?♂️
— Patrick Sullivan (@sullivangolf) December 9, 2018
60 footer over a ridge, downhill second half, a falloff ~6′ past on a green that didnt have as much overseed and was 2′ faster than the rest of the greens. I wasnt the only one. Luckily there is video so I can relive it over and over. ? Might post it eventually. https://t.co/i4mn57Ln3Z
— Patrick Sullivan (@sullivangolf) December 11, 2018
The double was followed by a bogey, putting Sullivan at 1-over par for the day and three shots off the number needed to earn status. Not going quietly, Sullivan birdied the 16th hole and eagled the 17th hole to move within one stroke of the number.
Needing a closing birdie to reach 18-under par and status, he stuffed his approach on the par-4 18th hole to four feet, but it wasn’t meant to be.
The fine line can be cruel.
Patrick Sullivan (@sullivangolf) went birdie-eagle on holes 16 and 17 Sunday to move within a shot of the current projected top-40.
This was his birdie try at the last. pic.twitter.com/jSlnrf55ni
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) December 9, 2018
Sullivan missed the four-footer for birdie, which meant he missed out on his guaranteed status by a single stroke.
