Getting a spot on ongoing Waste Management Phoenix Open was brutally difficult. There were three spots available to all comers and it was as if “all comers” truly meant “all.” In a pre-qualifying tournament last week, 240 total players, including Tucson’s Jonathan Khan, Preston Otte, Jacob Rogers and Nogales’ Alberto Sanchez qualified to be part of a 124-man Monday qualifying field. Only three would get berths in the Phoenix Open. That field of 124 included U.S. Open champ Lee Janzen, Masters champ Mike Weir, UA All-Americans Jason Gore and Ted Purdy and Phoenix golf legend Billy Mayfair. Khan, a former Salpointe Catholic and UA golfer, was superb, sixth overall with a 67, but he missed being part of the $6.7 million tournament by two strokes. Tough business.
Southern Arizona golf stars among those who battled for Phoenix Open spot
- Greg Hansen Arizona Daily Star
Greg Hansen
Columnist
- Updated

Hideki Matsuyama, of Japan, hits from the 16th tee during the second round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open golf tournament, Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)
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