PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. – Scott Stallings is carrying a golf bag this week at PGA Tour Q-School on his right shoulder for good reason.
The 39-year-old three-time Tour winner has been sidelined since late March when he withdrew from the Texas Children’s Houston Open due to a left shoulder injury. He underwent surgeries on his left bicep and labrum six months ago, posting a photo on Instagram from the hospital that said, “Road to better starts now.”
“All the surgeries are over,” he said on Friday with a sigh of relief.
Stallings hopes to begin chipping and putting in January and to be cleared to play and practice by April. His goal is to return to the Tour in the fall. In the meantime, he coached a youth church basketball team, helped out with the University of Tennessee golf program and enjoyed taking his kids to school. “I’ve been playing the Tour for the last 14 years so it’s been a nice break,” he said.
One thing he doesn’t miss is grinding for a card at Q-School. So why is he here and working as a caddie this week?
“He’s one of our kids,” he said of Jake Hall, a 24-year-old graduate of Tennessee, who played in the Scott Stallings Junior Cup in Nashville on three occasions. Stallings has been a big supporter of junior golf in his home state and started the Scott Stallings Kids Play Free Initiative with the support of the Tennessee Golf Foundation.
Hall is one of 11 golfers to advance to final stage from a pre-qualifier and has earned at least conditional status on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2025.
“We’ve known each other since I was back in high school. I’ve spent a ton of time with him over the past four-five years just practicing and stuff,” Hall said in a video posted to the Korn Ferry Tour social media account. “I’d say over the past two years our relationship got pretty tight. It didn’t take too much convincing to get him out here this week. So, I’m thankful he was willing to come.”
Hall opened with a 2-over 72 at Dye’s Valley on Thursday but Friday he ballooned to an 80 at Sawgrass Country Club.
“He made this place play as hard as it could,” said Stallings on a day where Hall, who slipped to T-147, kept compounding errors. “It’s OK to make a bad stroke but you can’t make two in a row.”
After the round, Stallings approached Hall and said, “I don’t know if I want to hug you or punch you in the face.”
To which Hall responded, “I deserve both.”
But there are two days to go and Stallings will be lugging Hall’s bag with his one good arm.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: PGA Tour vet Scott Stallings is caddying at Q-School
