Driscoll, Goggin off to solid start in second stage

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James Driscoll made seven birdies and just one bogey on his way to a 66 Tuesday.

When it comes to q-school, it's all about status.

Case in point: James Driscoll. At 157th on the money list, he no status on the PGA TOUR next season. Neither does Matthew Goggin, who wound up 159th in 2010.

Both took good first steps toward a spot back on the TOUR, however, Tuesday in Humble, Texas, where Driscoll opened with a 66 to lead and Goggin a 69 in the second stage of q-school at Redstone.

Play at the other five sites for second stage begins Wednesday.

"You can't ask for a better start," said Driscoll, who had seven birdies and just one bogey. "It's all about jockeying for position, but there's a long way to go."

Driscoll, whose best career finish on TOUR was a runner-up at the 2009 Valero Texas Open, has finished outside the top 125 three of the last four years, but only once during that stretch did he finish outside the top 150.

"I think when you have no status or not very good status, second stage is the most stressful [part of q-school]," Driscoll said. "I remember feeling a huge sense of relief when I got through second stage. I knew I had somewhere to play."

At 174th on the money list after just one top-10 this season, Mathias Gronberg is looking for that, too. The Swede, who earned his card for this season by finishing 24th on the Nationwide Tour money list last year, is off to a good start after an even-par 72 that has him tied for 11th.

Other notables in the field weren't quite as fortunate.

David Gossett, who won the John Deere Classic in 2001 but has split time between the Nationwide and PGA TOUR since 2004 and made just one start this year, shot 73. He's tied for 20th.

Olin Browne, who had three top-10s on the Champions Tour this year, struggled to a 77 and is tied for 55th. Parker McLachlin, who won the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open two years ago but has struggled mightily since, also shot 77.