Billy Tom Sargent, two-time Mr. Kentucky Golf at Scott County High School and an All-American at Western Kentucky University, continues to chase his professional dreams all around the country on the PGA Korn Ferry Tour.Sargent took another step forward last weekend by making his third cut on the tour that is only a notch below the elite PGA Tour on the national level.He tied for 46th in the Live and Work in Maine Open, held at Falmouth (Maine) Country Club.Sargent carded rounds of 72-67-72-70 on the par-71 course for a four-day total of 3-under 281.That was 13 shots behind winner Chad Ramey in the event, which paid out a total purse of $600,000.Friday’s second round proved crucial. Sargent sank birdies on Nos. 3, 6, 10, 15 and 17 before making his only bogey on the final hole of the day.In the opening segment on Thursday, Sargent started on the back nine and birdied 14 and 16 to go 2-under before a bogey at 17.He carded consecutive bogeys on 2, 3 and 4 but rallied with a birdie on 6 to salvage 1-over.Sargent had to bounce back Saturday from a pair of double bogeys on the front side at 2 and 8. He countered another bogey at 5 with a birdie on the par-4 seventh.Birdies at 13, 15 and 17 were highlights of a bogey-free back nine that put Sargent back on track.In his Sunday finale, Sargent birdied all three par-5s (6, 14 and 17) to post another red number. He bogeyed the final hole on each side.With the COVID-19 pandemic taking its toll on the 2020 schedule, the Korn Ferry Tour is playing an overlapping 2020-21 season.Two prior appearances in September 2020 saw Sargent tie for 35th at the Lincoln Land Championship in Springfield, Illinois, and tie for 62nd in the Wichita (Kansas) Open.Sargent shot a sizzling 63 to share the lead after the opening round of the Kansas event. From the three events in which he has been around for the third and fourth rounds, Sargent has taken home a total of $8,387.As a fifth-year senior at WKU in 2019, Sargent finished in a tie for 11th at the NCAA Championships. He was the Hilltoppers’ first-ever representative at nationals.Sargent earned a place in that showcase by surviving a lengthy playoff for the final qualifying spot at the regional tournament in Athens, Georgia, capped by a 30-foot par putt on the third extra hole.At Scott County. Sargent was named Kentucky’s top golfer in 2012 and 2013, following in the footsteps of PGA stars Justin Thomas and J.B. Holmes.Sargent earned his Korn Ferry Tour playing privileges in November 2019 in the penultimate round of the rigorous qualifying school.
Source link