Nolan ties

By John Manley

Keith Nolan is looking at a year on the Nike Tour following his performance at Q School in La Quinta, Calif. Nolan tied for 112th position with a 108-hole score of 1-over-par 433. Those who finished in the top 35, plus

ties, earned PGA Tour cards for 1999. The rest earned exemptions on the Nike circuit.

Nolan started well enough with a 71, but a second round 77 sent him to the back of the pack. After a 73, he came alive with a 66 in the fourth round, but couldn’t sustain the momentum, shooting 73 the next time out. He ended with another 73.

It was worse for John Kernohan. He beat out only three of the 161 players who completed all six rounds. Kernohan, who is fully exempt for the 1999 Nike Tour based on his position as 39th on the 1998 money list, dug himself an early hole with a 75. Scores of 72 and 70 offered some hope that he could draw back in, but the wheels fell off over the next two rounds as scores of 77 and 81 were forthcoming. A long session on the driving range following the 81 did some good for Kernohan’s ego as he shot a closing 68, but it did little for his position. His final score was 11-over 443.