Illinois Golf: Former Illini Brian Campbell needs strong finish to season
The Korn Ferry Tour buttoned up the Price Cutter Charity Championship this past Sunday, and a couple of former Illinois golfers were present on the leaderboard.
Heading into the tournament this past week, it was Nick Hardy who led the former Illini in the Korn Ferry Tour regular season standings. But it wasn’t Hardy who led the pack of Illinois golfers at the Price Cutter Charity Championship. That honor went to Brian Campbell.
Campbell made it to the weekend with a second-round 65, which cleared the cut line by two strokes. A rough Saturday left Campbell down and out, but a final round 66 enabled him to move up into a tie for 48th place. Campbell ended up -8 for the tournament.
Not too far behind Campbell was Illini great, Hardy. Hardy needed another good showing to continue his climb in the Korn Ferry Tour standings. The weekend wasn’t too nice to the former US Open participant, as he was only -1 and finished the tournament at -6 and a tie for 57th place.
Campbell and Hardy were the only two Illinois golfers represented in the field this past weekend. This is interesting considering the opportunity some of the players have at potentially getting their PGA Tour card for next season.
The top 25 in the Korn Ferry Tour regular season standings earn their PGA Tour card for next season. Hardy currently sits at No. 19 in the standings, which was a two-spot drop after his 57th place finish in Missouri.
Campbell isn’t anywhere near the top 25, as he sits at No. 146 on the points list. But if you can crack the top 75, you get invited to the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. The finals consist of three tournaments and the top 25 in points at the end of the three tournaments – excluding the players who are on the top 25 in the regular season standings – will get PGA Tour cards.
There are only two more tournaments left before the finals, so it will be difficult for Campbell to get in that top 75. But there are some Illini to keep an eye on, one being Scott Langley.
Langley is currently No. 94 on the points list. He dropped slightly after missing this past week, but a couple of good finishes the final two tournaments would enable him to crack the top 75. Luke Guthrie is in the same boat. He missed last week and dropped a little bit, but being No. 105 in the points isn’t too far out from the top 75. He has a chance to get into the Korn Ferry Tour Finals.
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It will be interesting to see how everything shakes out for these talented former Illini golfers. The Pinnacle Bank Championship tees offer on Thursday. It looks like Campbell and Hardy will once again be the only two Illini competing in this tournament as well.