Golf: Waite on way up

New Zealand golfer Grant Waite shot five-under 67 to move up the leaderboard at the PGA Tour's final qualifying school in the United States yesterday.

Waite, who lost his full PGA Tour status last year, is in a share of 24th place after 72 holes of the six-round qualifying event at Orange County National in Florida.

He fired six birdies and one bogey on the demanding Crooked Cat course to jump 24 spots and inside the top-30 players and ties who will earn PGA Tour cards for next year.

It will be more of a battle for the other New Zealanders entered, with Steven Alker five shots off the current final qualifying mark, one shot ahead of Michael Long, and Tim Wilkinson a further five strokes back.