Golf: Lee jumps up leaderboard at q-school

Danny Lee moved up more than 30 spots up the leaderboard to a share of 32nd place at six-under par. Photo / APN

Golfer Danny Lee was the big mover of the New Zealanders on the fourth day of the PGA Tour final qualifying school in Florida today.

Lee fired a brilliant six-under par 65 on the Panther Lake course at Orange National to jump more than 30 spots up the leaderboard to a share of 32nd place at six-under par, 10 shots behind the leader, American Ben Martin.

Lee joins Josh Geary and Tim Wilkinson safely through in the top 100 players to tackle the final two rounds of the gruelling six-round qualifying event.

The top 25 players after the six rounds will receive their full playing rights to the PGA Tour while the next 50 will earn cards for the second-tier Nationwide Tour.

Compatriots Michael Hendry and Steven Alker bowed out today, both finishing in a share of 128th place on five-over par, three shots outside the cut for the top 100.

Geary still leads the New Zealanders, shooting a two-under par 70 today to be in a share of 21st place on eight-under par 278. He was two-under at the turn on the Crooked Cat course, but had a mixed final nine holes including three dropped shots, a birdie and an eagle.

Lee was in superb form to be seven-under after 13 holes before giving one shot back with a late bogey at the par four 16th.

Wilkinson, hoping to regain his card on the PGA Tour after suffering a series thumb injury that thwarted his progress, also made a strong move today with a four-under 68 at Crooked Cat.

The lefthander was five-under through nine holes before mixing two bogeys with a further birdie in his 68 to move up to a share of 59th spot.

- NZPA