Scott Gutschewski wins Quail Hollow qualifier
Scott Gutschewski knew by lunchtime Monday where he’ll be playing golf later this week: at Quail Hollow.
He just had to hang around the Rocky River Golf Club a few hours before it became official.
“That’s the longest I’ve ever had to wait,” Gutschewski said after winning Monday’s qualifying tournament for the Wells Fargo Championship. “But I had nothing else to do.”
Gutschewski, who turned pro in 1999, shot a 7-under 65 at Rocky River to earn one of four berths for this weekend’s PGA Tour event.
The Elkhorn, Neb., native had missed more than 18 months on the pro tours while recovering from two operations to fix a damaged Achilles tendon in his right foot.
Gutschewski was originally going to play in the PGA Web.com Tour event in Greenville, S.C., this weekend. But with his flight bringing him into Charlotte Douglas International Airport, he decided to play the Wells Fargo qualifier.
“These events usually aren’t in the same week,” Gutschewski said. “So I decided to go in a day early and get some rust off by playing a real round. If I make it, great; if I don’t, then I’m going to Greenville.”
But after a nearly trouble-free round at Rocky River – he made eight birdies to offset a bogey on No. 12 – Gutschewski is prepping to play in the Wells Fargo Championship. He last played at Quail Hollow in 2011, missing the final-day cut by three strokes.
“I had a nice little stretch there for a couple holes,” Gutschewski said. “But I’ve had a lot of time to think about stuff – nearly two years.”
Worth mentioning
Five players – Charlotte’s Travis Howe and Mathew Goggin, Matthew Thompson of Marshall, Mich.; Brad Adamonis of Coral Springs, Fla.; and Andres Echavarria of Orlando, Fla. – finished at 6-under 66, forcing a playoff for the final three qualifying berths. Goggin was eliminated on the second playoff hole with a bogey, and Adamonis did the same on the third playoff hole, giving the spots to Howe, Thompson and Echavarria.
What’s next?
Practice rounds at Quail Hollow enter their second day on Tuesday, followed by the traditional pro-am on Wednesday. The opening round of the Wells Fargo Championship tees off Thursday morning.
This story was originally published May 11, 2015 at 8:52 PM with the headline "Scott Gutschewski wins Quail Hollow qualifier."