CT Golf News

The Bristol-native has beaten the odds three times before. But each time he has had to return to again prove he is worthy of playing on the PGA Tour. That test started all over for Elliott last week, as he advanced through the second stage of Q-School at Grenelefe Golf Resort in Haines City, Fla.

Elliott shot 74-72-74-73--293 to finish in a five-way tie for 22nd. It was good enough to advance to the final stage of qualifying Dec. 4-9 in California -- by a single stroke.

After a disappointing year in which he failed to retain his playing privileges on the PGA Tour, Elliott now heads back to the final stage -- a place where he won his card by a single stroke last year.

"My first year on tour was a learning experience and my second year was a pretty good one, " Elliott said. "Last year was just a year to write off."

He won $26,986 and finished 226th on the money list in 1996. Elliott made five cuts in 22 tournaments, with his best finish coming at the Greater Vancouver Open. There, he tied for 14th to win $17,500.

The turning point for Elliott's year likely came in his first event. Elliott led the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after the first round and was in the top 10 after the second. But the event was canceled due to heavy rain and wet conditions. Elliott missed 11 of his next 12 cuts.

"I just let a couple of bad breaks early in the season bother me and never really recovered," he said. "The second half I was pretty disappointed in my total outcome of making cuts and stuff. I played good most weeks but didn't get anything out of it."

The top 125 players on the money list retain their tour cards for the next season. The rest go to Q-School to try for one of the cards, which are awarded to the top 40 finishers, plus ties, at the final stage.

A year ago, the Norwich Free Academy graduate advanced through the second and then the third and final stage of Q-School to get back on the PGA Tour. He had been off the PGA Tour for two years, during which he played the Nike Tour.

"This is really the important week, getting through the second part," Elliott said. The 33-year-old was exempt through the first stage of Q-School because of his victory on the Nike Tour three years ago.

Getting through the four-round second stage all but guarantees a Nike Tour card. Failure in the second stage would have left Elliott in golfing limbo and might have forced him to play overseas next season.

The six-round final stage -- generally considered the most grueling test of golf anywhere -- will be Dec. 4-9 at La Purisma GC in Lompoc, Calif., and nearby Sandpiper GC in Goleta, Calif.

"Every year there's good players who don't get through there," he said. "I did this last year, I've got to try to go and do it again. If I make it, I make it. If I don't, I don't."