Todd medals at Q-School; Duval falls short

• By Associated Press
• Dec 5, 2011 9:46 PM ET

LA QUINTA, Calif. – Brendon Todd shot a final-round 4-under 68 on the Jack Nicklaus Stadium Course to win the PGA Tour Qualifying Tournament by one stroke on Monday, earning his Tour card for 2012.

Todd, who has missed the cut in 27 of his last 37 tournaments on the Nationwide Tour the last two years, had a six-day total of 17-under 415 and earned $50,000 for the win.

“I think I just really stuck to my game plan,” said Todd, a former University of Georgia star. “I was hitting it well coming into the week.”

Hoggard: Bulldogged determination

Todd (pictured above) broke par every round and believes the two windy days of the event, with winds of more than 30 mph hitting PGA West’s Stadium and Nicklaus Tournament courses, helped him because he plays well in the wind.

Stephen Gangluff, another Nationwide Tour player in 2011, shot a 70 and finished second, one shot behind Todd to earn at $40,000.

The two led a group of 29 players who earned PGA Tour cards for next year. Todd played on the Tour in 2009 but struggled and lost his exemption.

South Korean golfer Noh Seung-yul shot a final-round 67 and finished at 15 under, tied for third. The 20-year-old Noh, who won the Malaysian Open last year and was the 2010 Asian Tour’s leading money winner, was the highest-ranked player in the qualifying tournament at 101.

Australians Jarrod Lyle and Richard Green and Richard H. Lee of New Zealand were also among those who earned their main-tour cards for next year, Lee for the first time.

Lyle, who will be married in his hometown near Melbourne on Saturday, shot a final-round 69 to finish tied for fifth at 14 under. Green had a 6-under 66 to finish tied for 27th and right on the qualifying number of 8 under.

The Auckland-born Lee was at 7 under with two holes to play but birdied his final two holes for a 68 to qualify by one stroke at 9 under.

Former Australasian PGA Tour winner Steven Bowditch finished at 6 under. He shot a 1-under 71 Monday and will be returning to the secondary Nationwide Tour next year with fellow Australian Matt Jones, who had a 75 to finish level with Bowditch and tied for 38th.

Of the 27 PGA Tour cards handed out Monday – in addition to the two players who already had exemptions for next year – 12 players will be rookies on the tour next year. Also, 52 players earned full status for the 2012 Nationwide Tour.

Among the notable names in the event that did not earn PGA Tour cards were David Duval, Lee Janzen, Rich Beem and Shaun Micheel, all former major champions. Also missing out on full status on either tour were Sam Saunders, grandson of Arnold Palmer, and Travis Wadkins, son of Lanny Wadkins.