In the glitzy world of PGA Tour golf, where private jets, multimillion-dollar purses, and manicured fairways dominate the headlines, there’s a quieter, grittier story unfolding every week. A story that captures the heart of the sport’s relentless pursuit of dreams.
It’s the story of Monday Qualifiers, the unsung proving ground where journeymen, underdogs, and aspiring pros battle for a rare shot at the big stage. And at the center of this narrative is Ryan French, the man behind the Twitter handle @acaseofthegolf1, whose passion for these overlooked warriors has turned a niche corner of golf into a celebrated movement.
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The Magic of Monday Qualifiers
For the uninitiated, Monday Qualifiers are the golf world’s ultimate meritocracy. Held the week of most PGA Tour events, these one-day, stroke-play shootouts offer a handful of spots—typically four—into the tournament field. The catch? You’ve got to be near-perfect under pressure, often facing fields of 50 to 150 players, many of whom are Korn Ferry Tour veterans, mini-tour grinders, or even local club pros with a glimmer of hope.
It’s a high-stakes, low-glamour affair where a pizza delivery guy with a handicap below 1.4 can, with two great rounds, find himself teeing it up alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy or Scottie Scheffler.
“There’s nothing like it in sports,” French often says, and he’s right. No other major sport offers such a direct path from obscurity to the spotlight. You won’t find a free-throw contest to join the NBA or a penalty shootout to play in the MLS.
(NOTE: NFL teams (The Bears) have occasionally gotten so frustrated with their stable of kickers that they have held open tryouts).
But in golf, Monday Qualifiers are a brutal, beautiful, life-altering equalizer. A chance for the everyman to chase greatness, often with little more than a beat-up car, a few bucks in the bank, and an unshakable belief in their swing.
The stakes are high, but the rewards can be life-changing. A single breakthrough can lead to a paycheck, a sponsor, or even a tour card. Take Todd Balkin, a former pizza manager and assistant pro who Monday-qualified for the Byron Nelson a few years back. He missed the cut by a mile, but called it “the greatest week of my life.”
That’s the magic French has spent years illuminating; a reminder that golf’s soul isn’t just in its superstars, but in its grinders.
The Voice of the Grind: Ryan French
Enter Ryan French, a former caddie and restaurant manager turned golf storyteller. What began as a casual Twitter experiment in the summer of 2018 has blossomed into Monday Q Info, a multi-platform phenomenon; complete with a website (www.mondayq.com) and newsletter that’s become essential reading for golf fans, players, and insiders alike. With nearly 135,000 Twitter followers and counting, French has built a loyal audience by shining a spotlight on the triumphs, tragedies, and sheer tenacity of these qualifiers.
The Original Journeyman
French’s journey into this world started decades ago, caddying on mini-tours with his dad after college—a gap year spent not backpacking through Europe, but looping bags for players chasing their own PGA Tour dreams.
That experience planted a seed, one that sprouted years later when personal circumstances; his son’s brain surgery and a subsequent shift to “stay-at-home dad” gave him time to reflect. “I couldn’t be the only person who found Monday qualifying and mini-tours fascinating,” he told Golf Digest in 2022. So, he grabbed the handle @acaseofthegolf1 (a Twitter suggested name he now jokingly calls “the worst”) and started tweeting.
The Untold Stories of the PGA Tour
What followed was a revelation. French didn’t just report scores; he unearthed stories. There’s Linus Lilliedahl, who shot a 63 to qualify with $44 in his bank account, unsure how he’d fund his next event.
Or Tommy Gibson, the assistant pro who drove an hour home after a 67, only to race back when a playoff loomed—capping it with a 90-foot eagle putt to punch his ticket.
These are the tales French lives for, the ones that peel back the elitist veneer of pro golf to reveal a raw, relatable struggle.
A Champion for the Underdog
French’s work goes far beyond social media. Through Monday Q Info, he’s become a one-man support system for these golfers.
His website offers news, results, and in-depth profiles, while his newsletter delivers weekly doses of inspiration to subscribers. But it’s his tangible efforts that truly stand out. French has raised funds for players in need, helping cover entry fees, travel costs, or even basic living expenses for those teetering on the edge.
When he spotted three college kids from Ontario who couldn’t afford a trip to The Players at TPC Sawgrass, he rallied his followers to send them—and ended up giving them a life changing trip to the Players, tickets to the TGL playoffs, the chance to mingle with players like Rory McIlroy, and the opportunity to play the Championship course before they drove 20 hours home.
The Valspar Championship
When Andre Chi Monday qualified for his first ever event at the Valspar Championship this week, Ryan called to congratulate him. Andre quizzically asked Ryan “What do I do now?”.
French went on to say Chi had “no idea how anything works, where to go, where to park, how to register, etc.”
After finding out that Chi had $60 to his name, French got to work. He booked Andre a hotel for the night, out of his own pocket, and provided Chi’s Venmo to his followers.
The following day, Chi was blown away. He would be able to continue chasing his dream in the Valspar Championship, without the mental toll of taking on more debt to compete. Andre Chi had received $31,500 from hundreds of strangers who heard his story from Ryan, and felt compelled to donate. This is what Ryan French does and more than just dollars and instructions for registration, he provides hope.
The Relentless Monday Qualifier Advocate
and Drew Stoltz (@thesleezyman)
And that’s what makes French an integral part of the professional golfing community. He’s also a relentless advocate for the players you haven’t heard of yet. French travels the country to events like the Reno Open, where the winner earns a PGA Tour spot, documenting the grind in real-time. His presence has turned him into a minor celebrity among players.
“Everybody knows who I am now,” he’s said with a mix of disbelief and pride. Pros like Brendan Steele and Harold Varner III follow him, trade messages, and amplify his work. Even the PGA Tour’s official account took notice, following him back when he hit 10,000 followers.
Perhaps most impressively, French has elevated the conversation around Monday Qualifiers’ importance. He’s quick to point out their rarity—Brooks Koepka once admitted he’d struggle to qualify for four events a year—and their unforgiving nature. In 2019, he tweeted stats showing a player could shoot 200 under par across 37 Korn Ferry Tour qualifiers and still not make a single event. It’s a stark reminder of the razor-thin margins these golfers face, and French ensures their efforts aren’t forgotten.
A Champion for The Longshot
Today, as French sits on his patio with a Crystal Light Energy, laptop fired up, and kids playing nearby, he’s not just chronicling golf’s untold stories—he’s reshaping how we see it.
His work has appeared on The Golf Channel, inspired podcasts with “The Fried Egg” and “No Laying Up”, and earned him a gig with The Fire Pit Collective. Yet, he remains grounded, driven by the same curiosity that sparked this journey;
“to tell some of the greatest stories in golf.”
For golf fans, Monday Qualifiers are a weekly reminder of the sport’s democratic spirit. For Ryan French, they’re a calling. Through @acaseofthegolf1 & The Monday Q Website he’s not just given these players a voice, he’s given them a champion.
And in doing so, he’s ensuring that the grinders, the dreamers, and the longshots will always have a place in professional golf.
Golf transitioned from a casual hobby throughout his baseball days to a full-fledged passion in the years since.
His unique perspective as an athlete brings a fresh and insightful angle to his golf articles, resonating with readers and enthusiasts alike.
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