LA QUINTA, Calif. — Red Deer’s Mitch Evanecz struggled to a 3-over 75 on Sunday and is tied for 140th heading into today’s final 18 holes of the six-round PGA qualifying tournament.
The top 25 and ties from the field of 172 players will earn their PGA cards for the 2013 season and the next 50 and ties will get their Web.com Tour cards.
The rest of the field will have part-time status on the Web.com Tour for 2013.
Evanecz, who carded a 2-under 70 in Saturday’s fourth round, started fine on Sunday with seven consecutive pars but ended his day with a pair of bogeys and with a five-round total of 1-over 361 is out of the running for full-time status on either tour.
Meanwhile, Calgary’s Ryan Yip turned in a 2-under 70 on Sunday and is tied for 116th — with a 356 total — with one round to go.
Australia’s Steven Bowditch shot an 8-under 64 on Sunday to take a one-stroke lead into the final round. Bowditch had a 23-under 337 total.
Kris Blanks was second after a 66, and Derek Ernst (66), Steve LeBrun (67) and Edward Loar (68) followed at 21 under.
Ottawa’s Brad Fritsch, who already has his PGA Tour card for next season but is looking to improve his standing, shot a 66 and is part of a group tied for 11th at 18 under.
Sweden’s Robert Karlsson, an 11-time winner on the European Tour winner, and England’s Ross Fisher, a four-time European Tour winner, are also tied for 11th.
Karlsson shot 68, and Fisher had a 67.
Two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton was tied for 15th at 17 under after a 67. Tom Pernice, the oldest player in the field at 53, also was 17 under after a 68.
Camilo Villegas, a three-time PGA Tour winner, had a 73 to drop from a tie for 20th to a tie for 46th at 12 under.