Former Ocalan Roger Rowland makes his fifth start on the Champions Tour on Friday in the ClubCorp Classic at the Colinas Country Club in Irving, Texas, looking to take a big step forward on the Charles Schwab Cup money list.

    Roger's best effort thus far in his first season on the senior circuit was a tie for 46th at the Hoag Classic, and a check for $6,800. All told, he's earned $11,410 and sits in 84th place on the money list. Although he's posted several good rounds, Roger's best finish in relation to par was at the Hoag, where he wound up at 2 over par.

    Making his first start of 2022 on the Champions Tour is former PGA Tour player Mark Hensby, who played in Ocala several years ago in the FSGA event at Golden Hills won by Ryan Gildersleeve. Mark led the qualifiers for the ClubCorp on Monday with a 7-under-par 65 at the Tribute Golf Links in Colony, Texas. How difficult is it to gain entry into a senior circuit event? Mark is one of just four to get in out of 38 who teed off in the qualifier.

    Among those who didn't shoot 68 or better to make the field were such former notable PGA players as Joel Edwards, John Huston, Tommy Armour III, Matt Gogel, Skip Kendall, Bob May, Len Mattiace, Russ Cochran, Todd Hamilton, Robert Gamez, Guy Boros and Neal Lancaster. Among the exempt entrants are Marco Dawson, former touring pro at the defunct Adena Springs course on north highway 441, Gators Mark Calcavecchia, Brian Gay, Chris DiMarco and Scott Dunlap, and Tom Lehman, architect of the Ocala Preserve course on highway 27. 

    On the Korn Ferry Tour circuit, Gator Tyson Alexander won the Veritex Bank Championship for the second straight year, his only two victories on the tour. Tyson, whose father Buddy was the Gator golf coach for more than two decades, shot the lights out - 65-66-66-65-262, 22 under par and just one stroke off his winning total of the year before. Tyson moved from 57th to 7th on the money list with earnings of $167,324 in his quest - at the age of 33 - to make 'The 25' which would vault him to the PGA Tour for the next season beginning in September. He's banked a total of $504,696 in parts of three seasons on the lower circuit. 

    Jordan Spieth came from behind to win the RBC Heritage on Sunday, the only day he was in front at Hilton Head. He won't be playing in the team event - the Zurich Classic of New Orleans - coming up this week. Harold Varner III, who also led for one day, is playing, as is one-day leader Patrick Cantlay. The fourth one-day leader - Cam Young - is absent.

    Gators: Billy Horschel is teamed with Sam Burns, and Camilo Villegas plays with Kyle Stanley. Seminoles Hank Lebioda and Chase Sieffert are playing together.    

 

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