Jacksonville men’s golf class of 2018, Raul Pereda, locked in a PGA TOUR Card for the 2024 season, the first of his career. The JU alum clinched the card after a strong showing at Q-School, otherwise known as Qualifying School, at the Dye’s Valley Course at TPC Sawgrass as well as Sawgrass Country Club.
Pereda, who entered Q-School without any Tour status, is now the lone active PGA TOUR member with Mexican descent. He earned his PGA TOUR card with a fourth-place finish in a field of more than 137 professionals. In the large pool of golfers, only the top five finishers would earn their TOUR card. The Jacksonville alum shot 8-under 280 at the tournament (70-67-66-69), which included a total of 18 birdies in four rounds.
The Cordoba, Mexico, native made headlines earlier in 2023 at his PGA TOUR debut in April at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. Pereda made the field as a sponsor invite and shot 3-under 281 on the weekend. He was ranked as high as 17th entering the final round at the Mexico Invite and opened the event at 6-under 71 in the first round.
Pereda concluded a stellar career at JU as the program record-holder for stroke average in a single season, with a 70.54 in his senior season. His career scoring average is second-best in program history, and he was a two-time All-ASUN selection. He was also a part of the 2016-17 team that advanced to the NCAA Men's Golf Championship in Sugar Grove, Illinois, after qualifying by winning the Baton Rouge Regional.
The 2024 PGA TOUR begins on January 4th at the Kapalua Plantation Golf Course in Lahaina, Hawaii, followed by the Sentry, also in the Aloha State. The first stateside event will be The American Express in Palm Desert, California.
