With apologies to Bobby Jones, there’s hit-and-giggle wave and career-on-the-line wave, and they’re not the same at all.
Sunday showed the difference between them.
For the light-hearted former, fans enjoyed the Grant Thornton Invitational in Naples, Florida, a joint PGA and LPGA Tour production that saw 16 two-player teams compete in a mixed-format competition imbued with all the excitement of a birthday party on a putt-putt course. In the third and final round of that feel-good affair at Tiburón Golf Club, Lauren Coughlin and Andrew Novak pulled away from the pack with a 9-under 63 in a modified four-ball (each hit his own drive, then played the other’s ball and recorded the better score on each hole), giving them a tournament total of 28-under and a three-shot victory over three teams, including a trio of the LPGA Tour’s biggest names (Nelly Korda, Charley Hull and Jennifer). Kupcho).
That was the fluffy, wallet-filling stuff.
For nail-biting action without your wallet on the line, you had to head elsewhere in the Sunshine State – Ponte Vedra Beach, to be precise – where the annual dogfight known as Q-School Finals took place. At Q-School, the math is always brutal. This year, however, was crueler than ever as, due to an off-season format change, only the top five finishers advanced. Previously, the top five finishers and ties earned their cards.
The stage was set for heartache and heroics on the Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass, and as usual, Sunday’s final round delivered both. A particularly painful moment involved popular Tour veteran Camilo Villegas, who made a short birdie putt on 18 that he knew he probably needed. Sure enough, the miss left him at 10 under, an agonizing single shot from a play-off. (Villegas, however, stuck around to participate in a celebration that we’ll get to shortly.)
For Spencer Levin, a 41-year-old who has been in the professional game for two decades with varying levels of status, the pain came more slowly during the day. After a 63 on Saturday, Levin was able to regain the PGA Tour card he lost in 2017. But his Sunday was a frustrating one-over battle that dropped him to T13.
Then there was the case of Ben Kohles, who was tied for the lead when he went viral for all the wrong reasons. His unlucky turn came on the par-4 8th hole, where Kohles blocked his drive into the trees and was subsequently penalized for letting his ball move while worrying about debris around his lie: double bogey. Kohles backed that up with a water ball on the next hole and another double bogey that drowned his hopes for good.
But you know what they say: every wave makes someone happy. And by the end of the day, five players were extremely satisfied. Here you can see who got through and how they did.
AJ Ewart
Ewart, a 26-year-old Canadian and son of a teacher, grew up in a cold climate but went on to play at Barry University in Florida in mild weather. He won seven times in college and turned pro in 2023. This past year, Ewart lost in a playoff at the Victoria Open, had four top 10s on the PGA Tour Americas and narrowly missed his Korn Ferry Tour card. But by winning Q-School with a total of 14 under, he now has something better.
Adam Svenson
The same country of origin as Ewart. Also the same university alma mater. But Svensson, 31, is older and more seasoned, with several Tour campaigns under his belt, along with a win at the 2022 RSM Classic. After finishing 167th in the FedExCup standings in 2025, Svensson needed a big week to regain full status in 2026. He achieved a T2 finish.
Alejandro Tosti
True to its name, Tosti can be served nice and warm. In his young career, the fiery Argentinian has been embroiled in confrontations with fellow players and tournament officials. At the 2023 Albertsons Boise Open, he was suspended for what was reportedly an outburst of vigor directed at his playing partner, Kyle Westmoreland. More often, however, Tosti’s piece has spoken for itself and has held up under pressure. This is the second year in a row that he has earned full Tour status through Q-School.
Marcelo Rozo
When his par putt fell on 18, guaranteeing him a T2, Rozo pointed to the sky and burst into tears. It was the most emotional ending of the day, and no wonder. After a serious wrist injury in 2022, Rozo thought he might never play competitive golf again. He sat out all of 2023 and earned his real estate license as a backup career. Rozo, born in Colombia, is 36 and his moment of triumph on Sunday was a long time coming.
One of the most moving scenes of the day came shortly afterwards, as Rozo celebrated with family members alongside his compatriot Villegas and Villegas’ family. Villegas had stuck around to share in Rozo’s moment after coming agonizingly close in his own bid.
Dylan Wu
The only American to hit his card this week, Wu did so in emphatic fashion, with a birdie on the first hole of a two-man play-off against Ben Silverman. Since turning pro in 2019, the 29-year-old Wu has bounced between the PGA Tour and the Korn Ferry Tour, gaining experience that came in handy Sunday. After two back-nine bogeys threatened his chances, Wu responded with an eagle on 16 and two gutty pars on the final two holes before going big in sudden death.
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