Taylor turning around long season at Q-School

• By Rex Hoggard
• Dec 1, 2012 8:45 PM ET

LA QUINTA, Calif. – A snapshot of Vaughn Taylor’s season suggests 2012 had little redeeming value, at least professionally. In 26 events the two-time PGA Tour winner had missed 12 cuts, not posted a single top-10 finish and finished 139^th in earnings.

So it may have been overly optimistic to think Taylor’s trip to this week’s final stage of Q-School would be a success, but things started to change at October’s McGladrey Classic.

Taylor reconnected with his former swing coach Jack Lumpkin at the Sea Island, Ga., stop and since then he has begun to see signs of life in his game, evidenced by rounds of 68-64-69-70 that left him tied for sixth at PGA West and on pace to retain his Tour card.

“I feel like Mr. Lumpkin knows me more than anyone else,” said Taylor, who worked with the renowned instructor from his sophomore year of college at Augusta State until about three years ago. “He’s in touch with who I am.”

Taylor also has a bit of history in the Coachella Valley. He regained his Tour card last year at PGA West when he tied for fifth at Q-School, and he’s finished in the top 10 twice at the Humana Challenge in his career.