Troy University Athletics
Two Former Trojans Playing For Tour Cards
11/24/2009 9:00:00 PM | Golf (M)
When the final stage of the PGA Tour Q-School begins on December 2, two former Trojans will be looking to punch their tickets to the PGA Tour.
Josh Broadaway and Ben Bates have both survived the pre-qualification, first stage and second stage events, and they will join 168 other golfers at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., December 2-7.
Both men participated in the second qualifying stage event last weekend at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, Fla. In an event in which only the top 20 golfers advanced, Broadaway shot a 15-under par score of 269 to finish third. Bates shot a 4-under 280 to finished tied for 12th.
When the former Trojans arrive in West Palm Beach next week, there will be 170 golfers battling for 25 PGA Tour cards. The final stage will be a 108-hole event with a $1,012,500 purse, $50,000 of which goes to the champion. The final three rounds of the tournament can be seen live on the Golf Channel December 5-7.
"It's going to be a grueling six days of golf and I know what to expect," Bates said.
Bates was a member of the 1984 Troy State national championship team and was a three-time collegiate All-American. He has played professionally as a member of the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour since 1984.
He is the Nationwide Tour's all-time cuts made leader with more than 200 in his career. He played in his 1,000th round on tour in 2007 and has won two events on the Nationwide Tour including the 1997 Wichita Open where he defeated Carl Paulson, Jeff Brehaut and Chris Smith in a four-man playoff. Bates also won The Reese's Cup Classic in a playoff in 2004.
A native of Quincy, Fla., Bates has more than $1.5 million in combined career earnings from the Nationwide and PGA Tours.
"I'm older than I used to be and there are going to be some guys half my age out there," Bates said. "Luckily the golf ball doesn't know that."
Broadaway played for the Trojans from 1997-2000. He turned pro in 2001 and has spent the last four years on the Nationwide Tour. In those four years Broadaway has more than $375,000 in career earnings. Broadaway was also a member of the Nationwide Tour in 2003.
A native of Albany, Ga., Broadaway's best Nationwide Tour finish came at the Miccosukee Championship in 2008 when he finished third.
"I played really well last week at Hombre," Broadaway said. "Hopefully I can carry that momentum into next week."
Even though their careers at Troy occurred in two very different times, Bates and Broadaway still remember their times as Trojans and still look back on them today.
"We always travel together and we hang out together," Broadaway said. "We're still Trojans and we pump Troy as much as we can."
"I had some of the best times in my life in Troy," Bates said. "To this day I still take a peek at my national championship ring and it brings me back to those days."
"Josh and I have become good friends because of our ties to Troy," Bates said. "It's definitely been a breath of fresh air to have him out here with me."
Josh Broadaway and Ben Bates have both survived the pre-qualification, first stage and second stage events, and they will join 168 other golfers at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., December 2-7.
Both men participated in the second qualifying stage event last weekend at Hombre Golf Club in Panama City, Fla. In an event in which only the top 20 golfers advanced, Broadaway shot a 15-under par score of 269 to finish third. Bates shot a 4-under 280 to finished tied for 12th.
When the former Trojans arrive in West Palm Beach next week, there will be 170 golfers battling for 25 PGA Tour cards. The final stage will be a 108-hole event with a $1,012,500 purse, $50,000 of which goes to the champion. The final three rounds of the tournament can be seen live on the Golf Channel December 5-7.
"It's going to be a grueling six days of golf and I know what to expect," Bates said.
Bates was a member of the 1984 Troy State national championship team and was a three-time collegiate All-American. He has played professionally as a member of the Nationwide Tour and the PGA Tour since 1984.
He is the Nationwide Tour's all-time cuts made leader with more than 200 in his career. He played in his 1,000th round on tour in 2007 and has won two events on the Nationwide Tour including the 1997 Wichita Open where he defeated Carl Paulson, Jeff Brehaut and Chris Smith in a four-man playoff. Bates also won The Reese's Cup Classic in a playoff in 2004.
A native of Quincy, Fla., Bates has more than $1.5 million in combined career earnings from the Nationwide and PGA Tours.
"I'm older than I used to be and there are going to be some guys half my age out there," Bates said. "Luckily the golf ball doesn't know that."
Broadaway played for the Trojans from 1997-2000. He turned pro in 2001 and has spent the last four years on the Nationwide Tour. In those four years Broadaway has more than $375,000 in career earnings. Broadaway was also a member of the Nationwide Tour in 2003.
A native of Albany, Ga., Broadaway's best Nationwide Tour finish came at the Miccosukee Championship in 2008 when he finished third.
"I played really well last week at Hombre," Broadaway said. "Hopefully I can carry that momentum into next week."
Even though their careers at Troy occurred in two very different times, Bates and Broadaway still remember their times as Trojans and still look back on them today.
"We always travel together and we hang out together," Broadaway said. "We're still Trojans and we pump Troy as much as we can."
"I had some of the best times in my life in Troy," Bates said. "To this day I still take a peek at my national championship ring and it brings me back to those days."
"Josh and I have become good friends because of our ties to Troy," Bates said. "It's definitely been a breath of fresh air to have him out here with me."
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