LaQuinta, CA – Brendon Todd closed with his second straight under 68 on Monday to take medalist honors at PGA Tour Q School.
Todd ended the 108-hole marathon at 17-under 415. He won on the Nationwide Tour in 2008, but struggled this year on that tour making just 10 cuts in 24 starts.
Now, he is one of 29 players heading to the PGA Tour.
Stephen Gangluff closed with a two-under 70 to end in second at minus-16. Bobby Gates (66) and Seung-yul Noh (67) shared third at 15-under-par 417. Gates finished 126th on the PGA Tour money list this year, but kept his tour card with this finish.
Vaughn Taylor, a two-time winner of the Reno-Tahoe Open, shot 69 to end alongside Tommy Biershenk (68) and Jarrod Lyle (69) at minus-14.
Marco Dawson had the lead entering the final round, but he struggled to a four-over 76. He shared eighth with Brian Harman (70) and four-time PGA Tour winner Bob Estes (67) at 13-under-par 419.
Kevin Kisner (67) and Sang-Moon Bae (66) shared 11th place at minus-12. Former PGA Tour winner Jeff Maggert shot two-under 70 to end at 11-under 421. He was joined there by Roberto Castro, William McGirt, Charlie Beljan and Harris English, who won on the Nationwide Tour as an amateur in 2011.
Greg Owen, Scott Dunlap, Patrick Sheehan, Edward Loar, Will Claxton and Daniel Summerhays tied for 18th at minus-10.
Mark Anderson shot 69 to finish at nine-under 423. He was joined there by Alexandre Rocha (72) and Richard H. Lee (68). Lee was the only player that played the final round on the Stadium Course to earn his PGA Tour card.
Since Castro and Anderson had already secured their PGA Tour cards for 2012 by finishing inside the top 25 on the Nationwide Tour money list, three players that shared 27th place will have full status on the PGA Tour next year.
Nathan Green, whose exemption from winning the 2009 Canadian Open ran out at the end this season, will keep his tour card. Colt Knost, who had his card in 2011 via the 2010 Nationwide Tour money list, and John Huh ended alongside Green at minus-eight. They were the final three to earn full status on the PGA Tour for 2012.
Play rotated between the Nicklaus Tournament Course and TPC Stadium Course at PGA West throughout the six rounds. The leaders played the final round on the Nicklaus Tournament Course.
Those that finished at seven- and six-under par will have full status on the Nationwide Tour next year, while the remainder of the field has conditional status on that tour in 2012.
Todd closed with a bogey-free round. On the front side, he had birdies on five and seven. After six consecutive pars, Todd drained birdies at 14 and 15 to get to 17-under. He parred out to end there.
"I wanted to shoot a couple under par each day, which seems to get it done at this event," said Todd in a television interview.
Todd did what he had hoped coming into the week as he carded two 71s, one 69 and three 68s.
Gangluff birdied the second, but gave that stroke right back with a bogey on the third. He had birdies on the seventh, 11th and 14th to grab a piece of the lead at 17-under. Gangluff tripped to a bogey at the last to give Todd medalist honors.
"All year on the Nationwide Tour I struggled. I played well in Q School though," Gangluff stated in a TV interview. "I felt good coming into week. I'm happy I played well."
Among those that failed to regain their full status for next year were former major champions David Duval, Rich Beem, Lee Janzen and Shaun Micheel as well as Arnold Palmer's grandson, Sam Saunders, who tied for 109th, and Jason Gore, who narrowly missed a birdie putt on his final hole that would have gotten him to minus-eight.
NOTES: Gangluff played one season on the PGA Tour in 2002...He made 10 of 27 cuts and ended 176th on the money list that year...Seven players had made it through the first three stages of Q School, but none of them finished in the top-29...The last silly season event for the PGA Tour kicks off Friday with the Franklin Templeton Shootout.
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