Former La Quinta resident Jeff Gove uses qualifying effort for Galleri Classic berth
When Jeff Gove lived in La Quinta, the former PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour player would ask why the Coachella Valley didn’t have an event on the developmental tour or the PGA Tour Champions instead of just the PGA Tour 's The American Express.
This year, not only is Gove seeing a PGA Tour Champions event come back to the desert for the first time in nearly 30 years, but he is playing in the event too.
Gove, now living in Idaho but with an eye on moving back to the desert in the coming years, was one of three players to qualify for the Galleri Classic this week though a qualifying event at Bermuda Dunes Country Club on Tuesday.
“Qualifying (Tuesday) at Bermuda Dunes, where my mom is a member, it was such a thrill for her to be out there and all her friends,” said Gove, now 51 and looking to play more golf on the senior tour in the coming years. “So that was really cool.”
Gove’s 7-under 65 round at Bermuda Dunes Country Club included seven birdies and let him take medalist honors in the 46-player qualifier.
Also advancing from the qualifier was Harry Rudolph of La Jolla, a Southern California junior golf star who later gave up the game but has now qualified for the last two PGA Tour Champions events. Rudolph’s 5-under 67 included eight birdies.
Tom Gillis of Jupiter, Fla., like Rudolph, shot 67 and then survived a four-for-two playoff. Falling short in the playoff were PGA Tour veteran Esteban Toledo and Dennis Hendershott of Paris, Ontario, Canada.
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For Gove, a three-time winner on the Korn Ferry Tour, a week of tournament golf like the Galleri Classic is vastly different that his life in Idaho, where he deals in real estate and does some teaching at The Idaho Club in Sandpoint. Gove also moved to Idaho so his children could have a different experience growing up and attend school in that state.
“I have been working on my game and I feel pretty healthy,” Gove said. “The last four years have flown by.”
But with his kids getting closer to graduation and with a desire to be in the desert at least in the winter in the coming years, Gove admits he is focusing more on his game and a potential return to tournament play.
“This year would be get ready for Q-school and play when I can," Gove said after his pro-am round Wednesday at the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage. “I still have a lot of responsibilities and commitments I have made in Idaho. I am a sale associate and director of instruction, but I am an independent contractor, so I can go play when I want to.
“I am going to try to play some. I am in the PGA in May on this tour through the club professional tournament," Gove added. “I will try (some qualifying) and see what happens. I would love to play five or six years out here and have some fun.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Galleri Classic: Jeff Gove will play in senior event he always wanted in the desert
