TOWSON, Md. – As it turns out, the number 13 is lucky after all.
Ryan Siegler is one step closer to achieving his dreams.
A 2016 Towson graduate, Siegler has qualified for the Korn Ferry Tour. It is the premier way to gain status on the following year's PGA Tour. Siegler has persevered and been resilient to reach this marvelous milestone.
"Qualifying for the Korn Ferry Tour is a great opportunity to make a huge jump in my playing career," Siegler said. "It is the only way to get to the PGA Tour, which is my ultimate goal. Getting to the Korn Ferry Tour also serves as a reminder that my hard work is paying off. Over the last two years, I have flown 13 times to China to compete on the PGA Tour China with the goal of arriving where I am now."
Each year, several worthy players take their shot at advancing through pre-qualifying, First Stage and Second Stage at various sites across the country -- all leading up to Final Stage, which will be held this year at Orange County National Golf Center & Lodge (Panther Lake and Crooked Cat) in the Orlando, Florida metroplex from December 12-15.
Players who advance to Final Stage are assured a Korn Ferry Tour card for the following season, with Final Stage results determining how players are ordered on early-season field lists.
In order to qualify for the Korn Ferry Tour, Siegler had to go through two stages. He competed in Kannapolis, North Carolina where he shot a total of 22 under par (64-64-66-68) over 72 holes and finished second overall. That performance advanced him to Brooksville, Florida where he finished fifth overall after shooting 13 under.
"I believe my ball striking has been the best part of my game over the past two years," Siegler said. "That's what I relied on during these challenging rounds. I was able to make a couple key putts but for the most part, I hit the ball very solid and put myself in a lot of great positions."
Siegler enjoyed a strong career at Towson. In the fall of 2015, he shot a career low round of 66 at the Rutgers Invitational and finished the event tied for second overall. He had three top 10 finishes out of seven tournaments, including a second place finish at the Whistling Straits Intercollegiate Tournament.
Siegler closed out his collegiate career with a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole of the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Championships. He credits Towson with providing the foundation and motivation for his ambitions of competing at the highest level.
"When I got to Towson, my only goal was the play Division I golf," Siegler said. "So I accomplished that. However, after getting to Towson, my goals changed. I had great coaches in Brian Yaniger and Jeff Castle, access to great trainers and great facilities. I started to get better on the course and by the time I reached my senior year, I knew I wanted to give pro golf a shot. I was also surrounded by other great players at Towson who really helped me along the way.
"It's been an awesome experience going to play so many places but at the same time it has been hard."
