Stephan JaegerFormer University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfer Stephan Jaeger tied for eighth at the Web.com Tour qualifying school Tuesday.
By finishing in the top 10, Jaeger will be exempt through the first three re-rankings of players -- approximately 12 starts -- according to the PGA Tour.
"Now I can set my schedule and it gives me room to take a week off," Jaeger said by phone. "I want to come out hot and set my whole season up. I'm on the road to the PGA Tour. That's my ultimate goal."
Jaeger, who prepped at Baylor School, closed with a 7-under-par 65, including a 7-under 29 on his final nine holes. Jaeger shot 14 under in the six-round competition at PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.
"I'm feeling really exhausted," he said. "It's a long week with lots of golf. Obviously, if you're in contention it wears you out a with six rounds in a row and two practice rounds. It was a marathon. Glad I capped it off the way I did."
Jaeger can earn a PGA Tour card by finishing the 2015 season inside the top 25 on the Web.com Tour money list. He said the schedule will be released today.
Then he'll discuss his 2015 schedule with his agent and family. Last year, the Web.com Tour began in February with four events in South America. Jaeger spent much of 2014 playing south of the equator.
"Maybe I have some mojo down in South America," said Jaeger, who is headed to his native Germany for a Christmas vacation with his family and some skiing. "I'll have a couple weeks where I can recharge."
Jaeger charged the Championship course Tuesday. Barring a catastrophe, he knew he had his card for at least the first four events and likely the first eight because he started the day tied for 28th place.
Those positive scenarios became perilous when he dropped to 45th place through seven holes. He made the turn at 1 over.
Then he torched the final nine holes of the course that hosts the PGA Tour's Honda Classic. Jaeger birdied seven of the final nine holes, which vaulted him into a tie for eighth and granted him more security on the tour in 2015.
"I can't really explain it," he said. "I made about 120 feet of putts in three holes -- just bombs for birdies. I was hitting good golf shots and good putts. I was feeling the pressure, but it was a good feeling. It was a cool experience. Glad I got to do it on that kind of stage."
Neither Jaeger nor UTC coach Mark Guhne can remember a Mocs player shooting 29 for nine holes in competition.
The results of those nine holes advanced his career by at least four tournaments. It also advanced the profile of UTC golf, which has a U.S. Amateur champion in Steven Fox.
"This is just another step," Guhne said. "We've had him and (Jonathan) Hodge and others out there playing Web.com events, but nobody finished Q-school where he did.
"It shows kids coming in, if they want to work their rear ends off, then the sky is the limit."
Jaeger is the first former UTC player to earn full status on the Web.com Tour, which is the feeder system to the PGA Tour.
"He's more determined than ever, which is hard to say," Guhne said. "For him to do well and for us to have somebody full exempt is pretty amazing."
Contact David Uchiyama at duchiyama@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6484. Follow him at twitter.com/UchiyamaCTFP.