Golf: Blacksburg Grad Lanto Griffin Qualifies For PGA Tour Card

[SpartanOfYore]

Lanto Griffin, a four-year golf standout at Blacksburg, has qualified for golf's major league, the PGA Tour. Griffin has been playing all season on the Web.com Tour, which is run by the PGA Tour, and is a roughly equivalent level to the NBA's Developmental League, or AAA baseball. To qualify, a player must finish among the top 25 money-earners for the regular season on the Web.com tour, which wrapped up Sunday. Griffin won the Nashville Open in early July, then made the cut at the next eight tour events to finish in the 22nd position on the money list.

Griffin is eligible to start playing in PGA Tour events when the 2017-2018 season begins in October. I haven't yet been able to find exactly what the tour card means as far as tournament eligibility, but I believe Griffin will be automatically be eligible to play in every regular PGA Tour event for the next year. I'm not sure about the four major tournaments, or other biggies like the Players Championship. At any rate, this is a very big deal, in terms of achievements. This is like making an NFL roster for an entire season, and playing in every game.

I know Chip Sullivan, the former pro at Hanging Rock here in Salem played in a few PGA Championship tournaments, and I think he played a full PGA season back in the nineties. However, Sullivan didn't grow up in Virginia. I can't remember the last time a male golfer from southwest, western, or central Virginia made it to the big tour for a whole season. Northside's David Tolley missed qualifying by a stroke back in the mid-eighties, back when golfers had to go through the rigors of qualifying school, and its pressure-packed tournament. So, I'm not sure there's ever been a player from west of Richmond and south of Charlottesville on the PGA Tour for a whole season. Not since the sixties or earlier, at least.

Heartiest congratulations to Griffin, and all the Bruin faithful. It would be great to see him have some success against the big boys, and stick around on the Tour past 2018.

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/golf/...cle_8100826e-349f-57c3-98ea-0d035bb0b476.html

 

[cutnjump]

Lanto Griffin, a four-year golf standout at Blacksburg, has qualified for golf's major league, the PGA Tour. Griffin has been playing all season on the Web.com Tour, which is run by the PGA Tour, and is a roughly equivalent level to the NBA's Developmental League, or AAA baseball. To qualify, a player must finish among the top 25 money-earners for the regular season on the Web.com tour, which wrapped up Sunday. Griffin won the Nashville Open in early July, then made the cut at the next eight tour events to finish in the 22nd position on the money list.

Griffin is eligible to start playing in PGA Tour events when the 2017-2018 season begins in October. I haven't yet been able to find exactly what the tour card means as far as tournament eligibility, but I believe Griffin will be automatically be eligible to play in every regular PGA Tour event for the next year. I'm not sure about the four major tournaments, or other biggies like the Players Championship. At any rate, this is a very big deal, in terms of achievements. This is like making an NFL roster for an entire season, and playing in every game.

I know Chip Sullivan, the former pro at Hanging Rock here in Salem played in a few PGA Championship tournaments, and I think he played a full PGA season back in the nineties. However, Sullivan didn't grow up in Virginia. I can't remember the last time a male golfer from southwest, western, or central Virginia made it to the big tour for a whole season. Northside's David Tolley missed qualifying by a stroke back in the mid-eighties, back when golfers had to go through the rigors of qualifying school, and its pressure-packed tournament. So, I'm not sure there's ever been a player from west of Richmond and south of Charlottesville on the PGA Tour for a whole season. Not since the sixties or earlier, at least.

Heartiest congratulations to Griffin, and all the Bruin faithful. It would be great to see him have some success against the big boys, and stick around on the Tour past 2018.

http://www.roanoke.com/sports/golf/...cle_8100826e-349f-57c3-98ea-0d035bb0b476.html

With the card he is eligible to play in any regular tour event, however, it still depends on if there is an open spot. Priority is given to PGA player rank, sponsor exemptions and open qualifiers from pre tourney events. Also, previous week performance can get a player a spot the next week. The majors and Tour championship are different and primarily driven by World Golf rankings, previous winners and performance in select events. Also, both Opens(U.S. and British fill a certain number of spots through "open" qualifiers available to golfers meeting prerequisites for playing ability). A great accomplishment for Lanto and now the goal is to perform well enough in his big tour opportunities to retain his card. Not sure on last pro south and west of Richmond but, probably Danville's Bobby Mitchell from the early 1970's.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

With the card he is eligible to play in any regular tour event, however, it still depends on if there is an open spot. Priority is given to PGA player rank, sponsor exemptions and open qualifiers from pre tourney events. Also, previous week performance can get a player a spot the next week. The majors and Tour championship are different and primarily driven by World Golf rankings, previous winners and performance in select events. Also, both Opens(U.S. and British fill a certain number of spots through "open" qualifiers available to golfers meeting prerequisites for playing ability). A great accomplishment for Lanto and now the goal is to perform well enough in his big tour opportunities to retain his card. Not sure on last pro south and west of Richmond but, probably Danville's Bobby Mitchell from the early 1970's.

Thanks for sharing! That's great information.

Ed Sneed! I can't believe I forgot Ed Sneed. I was trying to think of anyone I might have forgotten this morning, and Sneed's name popped up. He won four PGA Tour events, but unfortunately is remembered most for relinquishing a five stroke lead on Sunday at the Masters of 1979. Sneed still led by three strokes with three holes to play, but he bogeyed all three to fall into a tie with Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller, the eventual winner in a playoff. Sneed had a six-foot putt on eighteen to claim the green jacket; the ball hung on the lip, but refused to drop. There is a famous still photograph of Sneed bending over peering intently at the ball as it sat there, both defying gravity and denying him a life-changing moment.

Sneed handled the crushing disappointment very graciously. He seemed like, and from all accounts was a very nice, genuine guy. I knew he was born in Roanoke, but didn't know if he had grown up and gone to high school around here until I Googled him just now. Sneed did in fact grow up in Roanoke, and learned the game at Roanoke Country Club. He went to Roanoke Catholic, where he played golf and was a good basketball player. He moved to Norfolk his senior year, and graduated from Granby, where he was a starting guard on the basketball team and played Number 3 on the golf team.

So, here's to Ed Sneed. A good guy and a great golfer who should be remembered for a solid career at professional golf's highest level. Here's a link to an article on Sneed, from back when he was inducted into the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame:
http://www.rvghof.org/Content/Skin/rvghof/doc/EdSneed2.pdf

 

[cutnjump]

Thanks for sharing! That's great information.

Ed Sneed! I can't believe I forgot Ed Sneed. I was trying to think of anyone I might have forgotten this morning, and Sneed's name popped up. He won four PGA Tour events, but unfortunately is remembered most for blowing a five stroke lead on Sunday at the Masters of 1979. Sneed still led by three strokes with three holes to play, but he bogeyed all three to fall into a tie with Tom Watson and Fuzzy Zoeller, the eventual winner in a playoff. Sneed had a six-foot putt on eighteen to claim the green jacket; the ball hung on the lip, but refused to drop. There is a famous still photograph of Sneed bending over peering intently at the ball as it sat there, both defying gravity and denying him a life-changing moment.

Sneed handled the crushing disappointment very graciously. He seemed like, and from all accounts was a very nice, genuine guy. I knew he was born in Roanoke, but didn't know if he had grown up and gone to high school around here until I Googled him just now. Sneed did in fact grow up in Roanoke, and learned the game at Roanoke Country Club. He went to Roanoke Catholic, where he played golf and was a good basketball player. He moved to Norfolk his senior year, and graduated from Granby, where he was a starting guard on the basketball team and played Number 3 on the golf team.

So, here's to Ed Sneed. A good guy and a great golfer who should be remembered for a solid career at professional golf's highest level. Here's a link to an article on Sneed, from back when he was inducted into the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame:
http://www.rvghof.org/Content/Skin/rvghof/doc/EdSneed2.pdf

Forgot about him. Can't believe we omitted JC and Sam as well

 

[SpartanOfYore]

Forgot about him. Can't believe we omitted JC and Sam as well

I remembered the Sneads, but Sam was of an earlier era - although he won a PGA Tour event in the mid-sixties, when he was in his early fifties. J.C. Snead was a contemporary of Ed Sneed's, so I probably should have included him as well.

 

[cutnjump]

I remembered the Sneads, but Sam was of an earlier era - although he won a PGA Tour event in the mid-sixties, when he was in his early fifties. J.C. Snead was a contemporary of Ed Sneed's, so I probably should have included him as well.

I think the event you refer to is the "65 GGO. If memory serves correct, while he did not win he was contending and making cuts in to the 70's I think he finished 3rd in 73 PGA and actually made cut in 79 PGA at age 67.

 

[DanvilleSportsHead]

The best thing about it all is he's a VCU Ram #YouDontWannaGoToWarWithTheRaaaaaams
#DontStartNoStuffWontBeNoStuff