Atwal Makes It to Honda Classic Through Toughest Monday Qualifier

Florida, Feb 26 (PTI) Arjun Atwal earned a spot in USD 7 million Honda Classic golf tournament after coming through the toughest Monday Qualifier on the PGA Tour at the Banyan Bay Resort in West Palm Beach here.

Atwal, who had won the 2010 Wyndham Championship after Monday qualifying, shot 67 but three others had carded 66 each and four spots were up for grabs.

Canada's Adam Svensson also shot 67, so there was a play-off and Atwal come up trumps after chipping in for an eagle to grab the last spot.

Atwal finished his final round in Puerto Rico on Sunday and took a flight out to Florida to play the Monday Qualifier.

Monday Qualifiers are a really long shot at getting into a tournament, let alone win it. The entry costs USD 450 and a lot of heartbreaks. This year there were 458 starters for Pre-qualifiers and the Final Qualifier and only four spots were available.

But Atwal loves the adrenaline, he once said. In 2010, he won a Monday Qualifier for Wyndham Championship and became only the third man since 1986 to win a tournament through that route.

Kenny Knox did it at Honda Classic in 1986, while Fred Wadsworth did the same at Southern Open the same year. Last year Corey Conners joined the exclusive club by 'Monday Qualifying' and winning Texas Open.

After the 2010 Wyndham success, Atwal came through a Monday Qualifier again last year at 3M Open and was in contention for first two days – he was fourth and seventh and still in Top-10 after 54 holes before slipping to T-23 on Sunday. Rookie Matthew Wolff won his maiden title.

This year's Honda Classic Monday Qualifier had 13 different PGA TOUR winners, including Atwal at Banyan Cay.

The players, from more than a dozen different countries, had a combined 23 European Tour wins and 41 Korn Ferry Tour wins. The field's total PGA TOUR earnings was in excess of USD 212 million.

The names included the likes of Tour winners, Jonathan Byrd, David Lingmerth and Atwal; veteran Australians John Senden and Robert Allenby; 2016 Olympian Seamus Power of Ireland; and Arnold Palmer's grandson Sam Saunders.

Atwal, 46, born in Asansol, India went to College in the US and turned pro in 1995. He has one PGA Tour win – the only one ever by an Indian – besides three European Tour and eight Asian Tour wins. He also has a win on the Korn Ferry Tour.

Not every event has a Monday qualifiers - THE PLAYERS Championship, the four majors, the World Golf Championships events, the FedExCup Playoffs or invitation-only events don't have any qualifiers.

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