kinzler December 4th, 2007
It’s Monday, December 3rd and you are playing in Round 6 of PGA Tour Qualifying School. You’re standing on the 10th hole of The Crooked Cat Golf Course. You look at your scorecard and see you’re sitting at -19, five shots clear of “The Number.” What goes through your head? You are nine holes, hopefully thirty or so shots, and two and a half-hours from achieving your life long dream. Let me tell you what goes through your head: NERVES!
I wasn’t even playing and I could not sit still watching the PGATour.com leaderboard updating.
NERVES is exactly what Kevin Streelman had to deal with yesterday. A 29 year old mini-tour player from Winfield, IL, Kevin is finally headed to the PGA Tour.
It was not an easy journey though. Streelman had to play his way through all 3 stages of the grueling PGA Tour Q-School. In Stage 1, Kevin adavanced on the number by making birdies on four of his last five holes. Stage 2 was a little easier as he played flawless and finshed tied for medalist honors. That led us to the final stage of Q-School.
Kevin came into the week confident and ready to capture his dream. He started off well, rounds of 71,68,69,69 put him very much in contention. He had 36 holes to play and he had been hovering around the number all week. Then came Sunday, Round 5(this is moving day in Q-School). Starting on the Back 9 Kevin came out swinging. Birdies at 10, 12, 14, and 15 got his round off to a great start. There was no looking back either as he finished with two more birdies and all pars for a -6, 66. He was sitting at -17, six shots ahead of “The Number”, 18 holes to play, only problem was he didn’t tee off for another 18 hours.
I can’t even imagine the thoughts that would go through his head that evening. It obviously didn’t affect him that much. Kevin eagled the first hole in Round 6, and added another birdie on 3. That got him to -20 and the cut line was sitting at -12. This is when the realization of the whole thing must have entered his mind, because it got very interesting. After two pars he bogeyed the par 3 6th and 8th holes. As great players normally do Kev bounced back with a birdie on 9. -2 with a 34 on the front nine and sitting pretty at -19.
What happens in the next 6 holes had to be the hardest thing anyone has ever gone through. Bogey on 10, birdie on 11, double bogey on 12, bogey on 13, bogey on 15. Now he is sitting at -15, “The Number” is creeping towards -15. There was still three holes to play and the confidence had to be shaken. He dug deep though and made a 7 foot par save on 16, birdied 17, and made a solid par on 18 to seal his dream!!!!!
I’ve known Kevin since I was ten years old. We played and traveled to IJGA and AJGA tournaments together. We shared the same instructor growing up (Dr. Jim Suttie). We played at rival high schools, played many college events against each other, and formed a friendship that neither of us will ever forget. He is genuine, dedicated, and friendly and I know he will succeed on the next level. I wish him all the luck on the big tour, and can’t wait to get out and cheer him on in person.
I had the opportunity to tour both 
