Lanto Griffin, the 2015 Delta Dental State Open of Virginia champion, posted a final-round 64 to earn medalist honors at his Second Stage Web.com Tour Q School qualifier on Friday.
Griffin, who had status on PGA Tour Latinoamerica in 2016 and was the runner-up at the 2016 Delta Dental State Open of Virginia, advances to the Web.com Q School Finals, which will be held Dec. 8-11 in Winter Garden, Fla.
Griffin, who hails from Blacksburg and was a standout at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, was one of two players to post four rounds in the 60s at Plantation Preserve Golf Course and Club in Plantation, Fla. He shot a four-day 270, two shots better than Ben Taylor of Champions Gate, Fla. Taylor also returned four rounds in the 60s.
Griffin just missed earning a spot in the Web.com Q School Finals in 2015. After putting himself in solid position with a first-round 68 and a second-round 69, he didn’t allow that to happen again. Griffin played 36 holes of bogey-free golf over the final two days, culminating with Friday’s stellar round. Griffin made the turn in Thursday’s round at even par on his way to a 69.
Over the final 27 holes of the tournament, Griffin made nine birdies to surge to the top of the leaderboard. The top 18 players and ties, all of whom shot 278 or better, advanced to December’s finals. Among those was Chase Marinell, a Florida resident who played college golf at Liberty University in Lynchburg.
Virginians Brinson Paolini, Adam Ball and Chris O’Neill also competed in Plantation but failed to advance. Former University of Virginia standout Ben Kohles, who lives in Reston, advanced to the Web.com Q School Finals last week in Alabama.
The winner and ties of the Web.com Q School Qualifying Tournament will be exempt for the 2017 Web.com Tour season. Players finishing after the winner and ties through 10th and ties position are exempt until the third periodic re-order of 2017. Players finishing after the 10th and ties position through 45th and ties will be exempt until the second periodic re-order of 2017.
For more information on Web.com Tour membership for 2017, click here.