Taylor Pendrith in the hunt for Korn Ferry Tour status
Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, ON has found himself in a top five spot on the Mackenzie Tour with five events left which is a position that would gain him Korn Ferry Tour status for next season.
The 28-year-old earned $10,400 last week at the HFX Pro-Am in Halifax after he tied for third place. His new total earnings of $41,930 moved him up two spots from seven to five on the Mackenzie Tour rankings list (called the Order of Merit).
This wouldn’t be the first time that Pendrith would find himself with Korn Ferry Tour status.
Back in 2015, Pendrith finished third on the Order of Merit, securing status for 2016.
However, during that 2016 season he posted just one top ten finish in 20 starts and he missed the cut 14 times.
In 2017, with Pendrith back on the Mackenzie Tour his season was plagued by injury and he only played in just seven tour events. He made three of those seven cuts and finished 117 on the Order of Merit.
Pendrith is currently the only golfer in the Mackenzie Tour top five without a win this season. However, with his current form on the course a win doesn’t seem completely out of the question.
How good has @TaylorPendrith been lately on @PGATOURCanada?
Including his runner-up at the #OspreyValleyOpen, here are some 👀 numbers from his last three events… pic.twitter.com/ZlAt73TrKX
— Fortinet Cup Championship (@FortinetCupChmp) July 23, 2019
So far, Pendrith has found a way to three top 10 finishes through seven events including a second-place finish at the Osprey Valley Open in Caledon, ON two weeks ago.
A win on tour in 2019 could be the key to securing one of the top five spots on the Mackenzie Tour which is decided by total earnings throughout the year. A win in one of the next four events would mean $36,000 in prize money with the season-ending Canada Life Championship winner esarning $40,500.
Ahead of Pendrith in the Order of Merit standings in third sits Lorens Chan who has mustered $69,380 by making every cut and winning last week in Halifax. Jake Knapp holds the No.1 spot with Paul Barjon at No.2.
Behind Chan in fourth sits Dawson Armstrong (with $50,710) who’s win at the Windsor Championship accounts for the bulk of his earnings. However, Armstrong has been on a downward trajectory since his win in Windsor, ON having missing the cut at Osprey and finishing tied for 36 in Halifax which could create space for Pendrith in the top five who’s only played better since the Windsor Championship.
The difference between Pendrith at No.5 and Travis Trace who sits at No.11 is only $10,884, it’s also a tight race to lock up that coveted fifth spot.
Just last season, Pendrith played in 12 Mackenzie Tour events, and made eight of the cuts. He finished at No.35 on the Order of Merit.
While a win on tour would help secure his Korn Ferry status, a few more top three finishes by Pendrith could be all he needs to secure a spot in the top five come the end of the season in September.
His next chance on the Mackenzie Tour is at the Edmonton Country Club for the 1932 by Bateman Open August 1-4.
