Parel leads PGA Tour Champions’ Q-School
Hataoka, Reid top LPGA Tour
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla, Dec 2, (AP): Scott Parel shot a 3-under 69 on Thursday to take the third-round lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ qualifying tournament.
The top five finishers Friday will be fully exempt and Nos. 6-30 and ties will get associate membership and will have access to event qualifying while bypassing prequalifying.
Parel had a 10-under 206 total on Disney’s Magnolia Course. He had the firstround lead after a 65, then had a triple bogey on the second hole Wednesday en route to a 72.
“The triple was just bad judgment,” said Parel, 50th on the money list last season. “I didn’t feel like I made a bad swing, so it was pretty easy to get over. I just made a bad decision on my second shot, so I was able to just let it go because we’ve got 72 holes.”
Skip Kendall (70) and Wales’ Phillip Price (68) were a stroke back. Gene Jones (68) was another shot behind, and Brian Henninger (65) was 7 under.
Second-round leader Jim Carter had a 75 to drop into a tie for 10th at 5 under.
Meanwhile, Japanese teen Nasa Hataoka and two-time European Solheim Cup player Mel Reid shared the second-round lead Thursday in the LPGA Tour qualifying tournament.
The 17-year-old Hataoka had a 7-under 65 on LPGA International’s Hills Course to match Reid at 11-under 133. Reid had an 8-under 64 on the Jones Course.
“I really have played much better than I expected,” said Hataoka, the winner of a Japan LPGA major in October. “I’ve been putting very good and am really happy about it.” The top 20 in the 90-hole event will earn full cards and the next 25 and ties will get conditional status.
“You can’t let off the gas in this,” said Reid, from England. “I’m 11 under after two rounds, but I’m not letting my foot off the gas. I’ve got a number in mind and I’m trying to get to that number if not past it. All in all I’m very happy with how I’m swinging it and how things are going.”
Jaye Marie Green was third at 8 under after a 68 on the Hills Course. She won the 2013 tournament at a record 29 under.
Latvia’s Krista Puisite (69) and South Carolina senior Katelyn Dambaugh (71) were 6 under. They also played the Hills Course.