Ex-UL golfer Carrey fires qualifying 68

Special to the Daily Advertiser, Dec. 12, 2013

LA QUINTA, CALIF. — Former UL golf standout Devin Carrey posted a 4-under-par 68 here Thursday and is tied for 15th after the first round of the six-round Web.com Tour Qualifying Tournament.

Carrey, who played for the Ragin’ Cajuns from 2007-09 and was a two-time All-Louisiana selection, is four strokes behind first-round leader Justin Shin of Korea, who posted an eight-under-par 64 on the Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West. Four players are tied one stroke back at 65.

Carrey, who advanced through the first and second stages of “Q-School” qualifying, is looking to claim a spot on the Web.com Tour’s 2014 priority ranking, which is used to form tournament fields. Every player advancing to the final stage has some form of status on the Web.com Tour for next year, but approximately the top one-third of the 148-player field will wind up with full status and be eligible to participate in most events on the Web.com Tour.

Carrey, a native of British Columbia who has played on the Canadian Tour for much of the past two seasons, began his opening round on the PGA West Tournament Course with three birdies on his first four holes. He added a birdie at the par-three 17th hole to make the turn at four-under 32 before bogeying the par-four second and the par-five fourth hole to slip back to two-under.

However, Carrey eagled the par-five seventh hole and parred in from there.

Forty-three players broke 70 and 83 players broke par in Thursday’s first of six rounds. The final round is set for Tuesday.