KEY POINTS:
New Zealand golfer Brad Heaven won his sectional qualifying event as the PGA Tour school continued in the United States yesterday.
Heaven topped the qualifiers at Kinderlou Forest in Valdosta, Georgia, with a six-under 282.
As well, compatriot Doug Holloway earned his ticket to the second stage of qualifying by finishing tied for 17th on 289 at Treyburn in Durham, North Carolina.
The progress of Heaven and Holloway took to five the number of New Zealanders to progress to the second stage, after Brad Iles, Michael Hendry and Josh Carmichael had earlier battled their way through the first stage at other venues.
Heaven, the 2004 New Zealand Open runner-up who played on the Canadian Tour this year, was in a three-way share of the lead after three rounds.
He grabbed sole ownership at the top after shooting an even par 72 when the pressure was at its most intense yesterday.
Holloway, who made it through to the second stage last year, needed only a solid round yesterday after sharing ninth place overnight.
He almost came unstuck, dropping six shots by the 14th hole, before birdies at 15 and 16 enabled him to walk off with a 75, leaving himself three shots inside the cut line.
Two other New Zealanders, Jae An and Doug Batty, finished down the field in their qualifying tournament at San Juan Oaks in California.
The second stage qualifying tournaments are on November 14-17 and the final stage is over 108 holes on November 28-December 3.
- NZPA
