Pastore, Miller Conclude Mackenzie Tour Season
UPDATE (September 20, 2015) - Mike Miller and David Pastore completed their seasons on the Mackenzie Tour (PGA Tour Canada) this weekend with the Freedom 55 Financial Championship, but finished outside the top-20 in the Order of Merit to come up just short of earning Web.Com Tour Q-School exemptions.
Related: Mackenzie Tour's final Order of Merit
Following his first over-par tournament round in three events, Miller closed the season strongly on Sunday by firing a final round of 6-under 64 en route to an 11-under tournament total. The bogey-free round led Miller to a seventh-place finish, his third consecutive top-10. Miller entered the week 25th on the money list, and closed the season in 21st.
Pastore also carded an over-par round on Saturday, but rebounded Sunday with a 2-under 68 to tie 37th in the championship. Pastore stood 25th on the money list as the week began, but dropped back to 31st in the final standings.
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UPDATE (September 18, 2015) - After 36 holes of play, both David Pastore and Mike Miller will enter the weekend of the Freedom 55 Financial Championship tied sixth as they look to move up on the Mackenzie Tour's Order of Merit in the season's final event.
Related: Scoring
Pastore and Miller each completed 36 holes in 6-under 134, and trail leader Jason Millard by four shots. Pastore made a major jump on Friday, carding a 5-under 65. Meanwhile, Miller opened the championship with a 4-under 66 and, despite an early bogey in round two, posted 2-under 68 on Friday.
Pastore and Miller entered the championship ranking 24th and 25th on the tour's money list. The top five at year's end earn their way to the Web.com Tour next season, while Q-School exemptions are given to others inside the top 20. The Freedom 55 Financial Championship owns the Mackenzie Tour's largest purse of the season at $200,000 (CAD).
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ELMSFORD, N.Y. (September 15, 2015) - David Pastore and Mike Miller, both past MGA Player of the Year winners, tee it up in the Freedom 55 Financial Championship this week to conclude their play on the Mackenzie Tour (PGA TOUR Canada) this season.
RELATED: Order of Merit | Power Rankings
Taking place in London, Ontario, the event marks the end of the Tour’s 12-event schedule. Only the top 60 on the money list will compete for the biggest purse of the year, as players look to solidify their place in ‘The Five’ to earn their way to the Web.com Tour next season.
Pastore and Miller currently rank 24th and 25th, respectively, on the Tour’s Order of Merit, yet a win and some help from others this week could still squeeze either one into the top five.
MORE: Pastore's Season | Miller's Season
Pastore has competed in eight events this summer, proving to be one of the most consistent competitors by making the cut in every appearance on his way to $23,061 (CAD). The Greenwich, Conn., native logged his best finish in late July at the Staal Foundation Open where he tied for ninth. Pastore also finished tied 10th in a trio of events this summer. He also had a pair of starts on the Web.com Tour this season, in addition to an appearance at the PGA Tour’s Travelers Championship in his home state.
Miller will finish the season having played in all 12 events on the Mackenzie Tour this year. While the Brewster, N.Y., native has missed two cuts in his 11 appearances, he has also had three top-10s, including a season-best solo fifth and a tie for eighth in the last two weeks. In that span of eight rounds, Miller is 35-under-par. Miller is included in the Tour’s Power Rankings for the final event of the season after his recent performances. He has made $22,938 (CAD) this season.
While finishing inside the top five on the 2015 Order of Merit is certainly the goal, finishing inside the top 20 also gives an advantage when trying to make it to the Web.com Tour. Those finishing in positions 6-10 gain an exemption into the final stage of Web.com Tour Q-School, and Nos. 11-20 earn an exemption into the second stage of Web.com Tour Q-School.
The season-ending purse is $200,000 (CAD), with the winner's stake being $36,000 (CAD). Play begins on Thursday. Miller tees off at 11:20 a.m. and Pastore 11:30 a.m.
