PGA Tour Champions dives right into Q School, where some interesting names dot the tee sheets

Just two days after crowning Steven Alker as the season-long champion, the PGA Tour Champions started its 2025 Q School.

There are three locations for the First Stage, with two of them getting underway Tuesday. The third starts next week. Final Stage is in December.

Five golfers from this year’s Q School will earn a card for 2025. Last year’s Q school winner, Cameron Percy, finished in the 36th and final spot in the Schwab standings and will return with a card next season. 

Where is PGA Tour Champions Q School?

There are three locations for the First Stage:

• Buckhorn Springs Golf & CC, Valrico, Florida, Nov. 12-15

• Grand Bear Golf Club, Saucier, Mississippi, Nov 12 – 15

• Soboba Springs Golf Club, San Jacinto, California, Nov. 19-22

The final stage will be Dec. 3-6 at the Champions Course at TPC Scottsdale in Arizona. [Note: the WM Phoenix Open is played on the Stadium Course; the Epson Tour played on the Champions Course in 2024).

There are 198 players in the three fields of First Stage. There will be others who will advance directly to Final Stage based on various qualification criteria.

Notable names at PGA Tour Champions Q School

Buckhorn Springs Golf & CC

Todd Demsey, a former teammate of Phil Mickelson at Arizona State who likes to use persimmon clubs

Robert Gamez, who in 1990 as a 21-year-old rookie holed out for eagle on the 18th hole to beat Greg Norman by a shot at the Nestle Invitational at Bay Hill

Frank Lickliter II, the medalist at the 2007 PGA Tour Q School. He played 17 Champions events in 2020 but hasn’t had status since

John Smoltz, who won 213 games over a 21-year career as a pitcher, won a World Series ring with the Atlanta Braves in 1995, was National League Cy Young award in 1996 and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015. This is his fifth attempt at Q school.

Grand Bear Golf Club

Tag Ridings, who has two professional wins, both on the Korn Ferry Tour, which came 19 years apart

Omar Uresti, who made nearly 400 starts on the PGA Tour, where he played 11 seasons. He qualified for the PGA Championship five times between 2015 and 2021. In March, he had a cancerous lump removed from his leg.

Soboba Springs Golf Club

Jim Carter, the first individual NCAA NCAA champion at Arizona State in 1983. Has one Korn Ferry Tour win and one PGA Tour win. Joined Champions tour in 2011.

Mathew Goggin, who has five KFT wins, all coming after he lost his PGA Tour card in 2009. His mother was a golfer (she lost to Juli Inkster in the was a horse trainer

Bryan Hoops, who claims 19 holes-in-one. He’s one of 12 amateurs at First Stage.

Tommy Maddox, who was an NFL quarterback for four teams, most notably the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the league MVP in the XFL’s only season.

Bob May, who famously traded blows with Tiger Woods in an epic PGA Championship at Valhalla in 2000

This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour Champions dives right into Q School, where some interesting names dot the tee sheets