Another long road awaits Allen at Q-School

The longest road in golf – 252 holes from start to finish — began this week when hundreds of PGA Tour hopefuls entered the first stage of qualifying school.

In the coming month, grinding takes on a new meaning as everyone points to a possible berth in the Q-School finals, a grueling 108-hole marathon that takes place Nov. 29 through Dec. 4 at PGA West in LaQuinta, Calif.

As the tournament progresses through the first stage, those who didn’t make top money on the PGA and Nationwide tours this past season will join in at the second stage, which like the first one demands successful navigation through 72 holes to move on. One of those second-stagers will be Scottsdale’s Michael Allen, who just happens to go by the dubious distinction of being “the all-time leading money winner in Q-School.’’

Asked how many Q-Schools he’s been to, Allen laughed. “How many have there been?’’ he mused. Told he’s made it through eight times of the 13 he has attended, including four in a row from 1989-92, Allen laughed again.

“It’s the weirdest thing,’’ he said. “Even if you survive and earn your card, it’s no fun because there’s always a lot of guys you really like and admire who don’t make it. So it’s a tough situation either way.’’

Allen earned $470,946 this season to end up No. 152 on the money list. Had he finished two spots higher, he would have been exempt into the final stage. Instead, he is faced with yet one more hurdle to continue his livelihood that began in 1990, when he picked a career in professional golf over being a stockbroker.

Actually, Allen has more than just his playing status for next season riding on another Q-School. He has made the cut in 135 of 271 starts during his career, including 17 of 24 cuts this season. But he needs 15 more cuts to reach the coveted 150 total.

“To be fully vested in the (PGA Tour’s) pension fund, you need to make 150 (career) cuts,’’ he said. “I know I’m taking it to the limit, but maybe one more (Q-School) would get me there.’’

For Allen, the challenge will come Nov. 15-18, when he plays in the second-stage event being held at Southern Dunes Golf Club in Maricopa.

“Never played the course, but I will — several times! — before (the second stage) starts,’’ he said. “Maybe I can do what I did last year.’’

Last year, Allen led the Q-School finals in Florida through the first four rounds before ending up in fifth place. It was a pretty good number, but not good enough to get him in most of the big-money tournaments in 2006.

“It’s only going to get worse next year with the Fed-Ex Cup,’’ he said of the struggle to earn enough money while playing in lower-tiered events that pay $4 million to $5 million vs. the top tournaments, which start at $6 million.

“But if I could get one more shot, earn (top-125) money and hold onto my card (for 2008), I wouldn’t have any problem with taking the year off (2009) before I’d go to the Champions Tour. That would be sweet.’’

The Champions Tour also has a school of hard knocks, which starts in two weeks. I didn’t have the heart to tell Allen that more Q-Schools are a possibility once he turns 50.

Like it or lump it, it’s just the facts of life for many of those who choose to travel down the longest road in golf.