Tom Miler has played in the John Deere Classic PGA Tour event before and would love to do it again.
Steve Schwabe, a life-long Quad-Citian and lover of the game, has watched and supported the QC's professional golf tournament and would love to play in it.
Both amateur golfers will get their chance on Monday to earn their way into
the 156-man field for next week's $3.8 million JDC to be played at TPC at Deere
Run. They earned that honor by being the two highest point earners in the
National City Bank Amateur Tour through the first five summer events. In a
formula set before the start of the season, it was determined that the two
golfers with the highest point totals for their top three finishes at this
point of the summer-long circuit would have their entry fees paid into the
annual four-spotter qualifying tournament. That event is an open qualifier at
Schwabe and Miler are tied for the points lead on the NCB Am Tour with 1,080. They just edged two-time Quad-City Amateur tournament champ Brian Soucinek by 40 points.
Schwabe is coming off his first 36-hole victory in the QC's organized amateur tour circuit, winning last weekend's Short Hills Country Club Amateur title. He has been a picture of consistency all season, not finishing outside of the top four in any of the five events played.
He is, to say the least, ecstatic that his grind-'em-out efforts have been worth it.
``That was my goal from the first day they put it together, being a member of Pinnacle,'' said Schwabe with a wry smile, hoping home-course knowledge pays big dividends.
Of course, he wouldn't have minded not having to endure further qualifying
as was the case when Miler won the Quad City Amateur tournament in 2001. With a
partnership with the John Deere Classic back then, the winner of that
two-weekend tourney passed go and went straight into the field. After Kyle Hougham won in the same formula in 2002, organizers changed
the qualification plan for 2003. Last year,
Miler, who was awarded first-place points as the top Tour finisher at the Muscatine Amateur when two non-members tied for the title, doesn't mind having to play an extra round of free golf.
``I think I'll give it a shot,'' he said Sunday after a disappointing Short Hills finish when he plunked his approach shot on the 36th hole in the water and ended up finished tied for fourth. ``I'd love to play in the Classic again.''
For both Schwabe and Miler, whose worst finish is a tie for sixth in the QC Am, it seems as if it's a chance neither one wants to pitch away.
It's also a chance that two of the nicest guys on the NCB Am Tour deserve.
Good luck boys. Hope to see you next week at the JDC -- between the ropes.
Golf writer Tom Johnston welcomes your comments at (309) 757-4969 or tjohnston@qconline.com