We’ve been reminded time and time again that the talent in professional golf goes well beyond the names you see every week on tour leaderboards. But overnight we saw an example of this from someone whose primary job isn’t even being a professional golfer.
Introducing Dustin Denzik, a professional poker player whose World Series of Poker player bio lists him as a “scratch golfer, prop bettor”. Dustin has never won a WSOP bracelet, but now he can say he’s done something that will impress everyone at his next final table.
In a pre-qualifier for Korn Ferry Tour qualifying school, Denzik fired a 10-under par 60. Yep, a 60. The former golfer at Morehead State University leads by three shots after the first round at Lake Caroline Golf Club in Madison, Mississippi.
Denzik’s amazing round was first noticed by Firepit Collective’s Ryan French, AKA Monday Q Info, who shared this tweet with Dustin’s photo from his WSOP page:
Hoodie. Sunglasses. Expressionless face. Yep, it checks out. He’s definitely a poker player.
But he’s also a great golfer, as evident by what he did overnight. And last month when he finished T-3 at the Kentucky Open to earn a cheque for $US2,350.
Still, a 60 is whole other level. And it puts Denzik in great position to make it to the next level of Q School with the top 32 and ties after three rounds advancing to the first stage, which begins next month. Second stage is in October and those advancing to final stage in November are guaranteed some form of Korn Ferry Tour status.
Denzik has a long way to go before then (we’ll call this the pre-flop), but he’s off to a nice start. And if he keeps playing his, um, cards right, he might be playing a lot less poker next year.
