THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, December 5, 1995 TAG: 9512050408
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 66 lines
A year ago, Carl Paulson saved par at the final hole of the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament to earn his first tour card. He outdid himself Monday, birdieing the last two holes to win this year's grueling six-day event at West Palm Beach, Fla.
The 24-year-old Virginia Beach golfer earned $15,000 for his first-place finish. More importantly, Paulson comes out of ``Tour School'' as the top qualifier - virtually guaranteeing him a spot in most PGA Tour regular events.
Most PGA Tour events have 156 golfers. The top 125 money-winners from the year before have top priority, followed by a handful of exempt players. After that, fields typically are filled by virtue of the Tour School's pecking order, and Paulson will be first in line.
``They reshuffle after three events according to how much money you make,'' Paulson said. ``But starting out on top is a definite advantage.''
Paulson shot 70-65-69-65-69-71 at Bear Lakes Country Club for a 419 total - one stroke ahead of Steve Hart and Omar Uresti. Three consecutive bogeys had knocked Paulson out of the lead until his birdie-birdie finish.
``This gives me confidence that if you can win out here, you can win on the tour,'' Paulson said. ``Woody (Austin) is proof of that.''
Austin, last year's top Tour School qualifier, won $736,497 this season - 24th on the PGA Tour money list. He won the Buick Open in early August.
As the Tour School's 37th qualifier a year ago - the top 40 and ties make the cut - Paulson made it into only 21 events, the majority of those coming after the season's midway point when many of the top golfers curb their schedules, creating openings.
In the last two months of the season, Paulson pocketed over 78 percent of his year's official winnings of $64,501 - 183rd on the money list. His best finish came in October in the Walt Disney World Oldsmobile Classic, where he finished seventh.
``I plan to play a lot out west at the beginning of the season,'' Paulson said. ``Maybe five of the first six events.''
Adding his winnings in various pro-ams, a handful of Nike Tour events and the $15,000 Q-School payday, Paulson had a successful season financially and believes he won't have to rely on a handful of long-time friends who were ready to sponsor his tour efforts if needed.
``I'm ready to go out and play well and make some money this year,'' said Paulson, who played at First Colonial High and was an All-American at the University of South Carolina. ``I hope this is a break-through year and if I can contend, or even win, that'll be great.
``I just feel as if I ran out of tournaments last year at a time when I really got it going. I'm playing so good right now.''
Three other golfers with area connections were in the field. Richmond's Robert Wrenn shot a final-round 65 to finish in a five-way tie for 15th place. Joe Daley, a 1983 graduate of Old Dominion University, finished in a three-way tie for 27th. Williamsburg's Mark Carnevale failed to earn his card, finishing two strokes out of the top 40. MEMO: Greg Stoda of the Palm Beach Post contributed to this report.
ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]
24-year-old Carl Paulson of Virginia Beach earned $15,000, and
gained an edge in getting into 1996's tour events.
by CNB