Bogey-free round in Monday qualifier gets Guthrie into Korn Ferry Tour event in Springfield

WATERLOO, Ill. — Luke Guthrie is going to get a taste of home in his efforts to earn his way back to full-time status on the Korn Ferry Tour.

The Quincy native shot a bogey-free round of 7-under 65 in the Monday qualifier for the Memorial Health Championship, which begins Thursday at Panther Creek Country Club in Springfield, Ill., to earn one of the eight available spots.

Guthrie made five birdies and one eagle on the 6,860-yard, par-72 Annbriar Golf Course to finish fourth. Ryan Hall, of Knoxville, Tenn., won the qualifier with a 9-under 63, while Taylor Bibbs of Dallas and Trevor Ullestad of Phoenix tied for second at 8-under 64.

The top four golfers were two strokes clear of the remainder of the 71-player field.

Four golfers from the qualifier played at Gateway National Golf Course in Madison, Ill., also advanced. Quincy High School graduate and former Quincy men’s city champion Zach Burry did not advance, shooting a 6-over 77.

Guthrie birdied the par-4 first hole and made back-to-back birdies on the par-4 eighth and par-5 ninth to make the turn at 4-under 32. He rolled in another birdie at No. 11 and made eagle on the 506-yard, par-5 14th hole.

Guthrie could have a sizable gallery rooting for him. A two-time state champion at Quincy High School, Guthrie also is a former Big Ten champion and All-American during his days at the University of Illinois.

This will be Guthrie’s first official Korn Ferry Tour event of 2023. He played in four Korn Ferry events in 2022, making the cut twice, and two PGA Tour events in 2022, missing the cut both times. He last played in Springfield in 2021, shooting rounds of 74 and 75.