Former Durango resident Tom Kalinowski leads first-stage PGA Tour Champions Q-school tourney in California
By Gary Baines - 11/16/2021
Tom Kalinowski, who grew up in Durango, shot a 5-under-par 66 on Tuesday and shares the lead after the opening round of the first stage of PGA Tour Champions Q-school in Nipton, Calif.
Kalinowski, a past winner of the Grand Junction-based Rocky Mountain Open, made six birdies and one bogey at Primm Valley. Also carding a 66 in the 72-player event on Thursday was Mark Walker.
This 72-hole tournament, one of three first-stage of Champions Q-school events being held this fall, will continue through Friday.
The top finishers in the event — a number to be announced — will advance to the final stage of Champions Q-school, set for Dec. 7-10 in Lutz, Fla. There, the top five performers will be exempt on the Champions circuit in 2022.
Kalinowski’s brother, Bob, a former University of Colorado golfer, opened with a 73 on Tuesday and shares 35th place. Harry Rudolph, winner of the last two CoBank Colorado Senior Opens, carded a 71 and is tied for 22nd place.
