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STAMFORD, Conn. Mike Ballo Jr. took the first step toward joining the PGA Tour last week in a qualifying tournament in Dade City, Fla. The Stamford golfer, who turned professional last year and plays out of Woodway Country Club in Darien, finished tied for fourth in a PGA Tour pre-qualification tournament in Dade City.
Ballo advances to the first qualifying stage, which will be played in October. Ballo has not yet been told where he will compete in the next round.
Ballo shot 69-67-67-203 in last week's 54-hole tournament. He finished one shot behind three players. The top 40 players, plus ties, earned the right to advance to the first qualifying stage.
"I guess I had it going,'' Ballo said in a phone interview from Tampa. "I played the par fives pretty well and that helped post some good scores."
Ballo finished 13 under on the par fives and made 20 birdies and two eagles over 54 holes. The key round may have been his first, when he shot 69 to get himself into good position out of the gate.
"It was important to get off to a good start,'' said Ballo, who played in high school at Trinity Catholic and in college at St. John's. "I shot 69 and I felt like it could've been a 65 if not for a couple of mistakes. I felt really confident."
The process of becoming a member of the PGA tour is arduous, at best. There are three more qualifying stages, culminating with a six-round tournament in November.
Ballo played a lot of summer tournaments in Connecticut and the Northeast. The highlight was a second place finish in the Greater Bangor Open in Maine in July.
Complete results from the tournament are available online.
Contact Tom Renner at trenner@mainstreetconnect.us.
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