No one ever said making it in professional golf was easy, and all the evidence you need of that fact is to head to a PGA Tour Monday qualifier any week of the year.
Some of the best golfers you’ve never heard of are grinding away and shooting sub-70 scores on a weekly basis only to miss out on teeing it up in a PGA Tour event by multiple shots.
Take David Pastore, for example. The University of Virginia product turned pro in 2014 and has played in just two PGA Tour events in his career. Going the Monday Q route, Pastore shot a round of 5-under par 67 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open qualifier and didn’t sniff the tournament field.
Trying again this week for the Honda Classic, Pastore shot a 6-under par 66, but that was only good enough to get him in a 7-person-for-2-spot playoff at Banyan Cay Resort & Golf in West Palm Beach on Tuesday morning.
Playing the par-5 10th hole, the first playoff hole, Pastore hit his second shot to tap-in range, which would have gotten him into the Honda only to have his struggles exemplified in one stroke.
David Pastore had this eagle putt on the first extra hole (7-for-2 playoff) to gain @TheHondaClassic entry … pic.twitter.com/dSQu3WbSbN
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) February 26, 2019
After composing himself, he made the birdie to advance to the second playoff hole.
The @UVAMensGolf alum maintained composure, drained the putt and kept hopes alive for a third career @PGATOUR start. pic.twitter.com/TI7aFDR09g
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) February 26, 2019
“I was still shocked, that’s why I wasn’t ready to hit the putt,” Pastore told GolfDigest.com. “I was laughing, literally. I just couldn’t believe it. I backed off and just said ‘alright, compose yourself, and hit it with a straight face.’
“It was probably the shortest meaningful putt I’ve ever missed, but I just tried to tell myself that I was still four guys for two spots and I’m playing well and I still have a good chance to get in this tournament, so just forget about it.”
Thankfully, this story has a happy ending. The four remaining players tied on the second playoff hole and headed to the par-5 18th where Pastore again found himself staring down a makeable eagle try.
This time he made it.
Pastore drained the putt and will tee it up this week @TheHondaClassic. ?#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/u9nla9RzNa
— Web.com Tour (@WebDotComTour) February 26, 2019
Pastore will play in his third-career PGA Tour event on Thursday teeing off on the 10th hole at PGA National on Thursday at 1:05 p.m. EST alongside Cameron Davis and Roger Sloan.
