VALDOSTA — Nick Gilliam shot a 69 and climbed into a tie for first place with Scott Brown after three rounds at the first stage of PGA Tour qualifying Saturday at Kinderlou Forest Golf Club.

Gilliam, from Gainesville, Fla., came into Saturday’s third round three shots behind Brown. But he fired the third-best round of the day, and found himself in a tie with Brown at six-under 210.

Brown, a native of North Augusta, S.C. who had shot 69s on the first two days of qualifying, shot an even-par 72 Saturday.

The final round of the first stage takes place today at Kinderlou. A group of the top finishers will advance to the second stage of qualifying later this month. Golfers must endure three stages of qualifying before they can earn their PGA Tour cards.

Kinderlou is one of 12 sites hosting stage 1 qualifying this week.

Dan Olsen of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. is in third place at 212, two shots behind Brown and Gilliam. Those three golfers are the only ones currently under par.

Josh Teater, Don Carpenter III, Kris Blanks and David Miller are in a four-way tie for fourth at even-par 216.

Mike Austin and Todd Bailey are tied for eighth, one stroke behind them at one-over 217. Austin, from Burton, Mich., and Bailey, from Spanish Fort, Ala., had the low rounds of the day at Kinderlou, each shooting a 68. Those were also the two lowest scores of the tournament; there have been four 69s shot.

There is a four-way tie for 10th between Elliott Gealy, Tee McCabe, Jordan Dempsey and Bryant Odom, all at three-over 219.

Former Valdosta State golfer Kevin Durkin, who was inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year, is tied for 14th at 220.



PGA Tour Qualifying

First Stage- Valdosta

leaders

Scott Brown 69-69-72 —210

Nick Gilliam 71-70-69 — 210

Dan Olsen 71-71-70 — 212

Josh Teater 73-72-71 — 216

Don Carpenter III 73-71-72 — 216

Kris Blanks 72-71-73 — 216

David Miller 72-71-73 — 216

Mike Austin 72-77-68 — 217

Todd Bailey 75-74-68 — 217

Elliott Gealy 71-75-73 — 219

Tee McCabe 70-75-74 — 219

Jordan Dempsey 71-73-75 — 219

Bryant Odom 71-71-77 — 219

Jon D. Kennedy 71-78-71 — 220

Chip Deason 69-80-71 —220

Casey Crain 71-74-75 — 220

Kevin Durkin 72-73-75 — 220