LA QUINTA, December 6, 2011 (AFP) - Brendon Todd fired a final round 68 on the Jack Nicklaus Stadium Course Monday to win the six-round USPGA Tour qualifying tournament by one stroke and lead those earning their cards for 2012.
Todd, who has missed the cut in 27 of his last 37 tournaments on the developmental Nationwide Tour the past two years, had a six-day total of 17-under 415.
Stephen Gangluff, who also played the Nationwide Tour in 2011, was second, one shot back.
They led a group of 29 players who earned their playing privileges for next year.
South Korea's Seung-yul Noh, 20, was among three players sharing third place in the qualifying tournament on 15-under par.
Noh was the Asian Tour's 2008 Rookie of the Year, winning once on the Asian Tour that season and again at the 2010 Maybank Malaysian Open, an event co-sponsored with the European Tour.
Noh played in six US tour events last season.
Australian Jarrod Lyle, who tied for fifth, secured his return to the US Tour. First, however, he'll marry fiance Briony Harper in Shepparton, Australia, on Saturday.
Notable names who didn't earn their cards included former world number one David Duval -- the 2001 British Open champion -- and two-time US Open champion Lee Janzen.