ELMSFORD, N.Y. (February 19, 2013) - Kevin Foley will begin the 2013 season in the exact opposite way he started 2012 — as a full-time member of the Web.com Tour. Foley, the former Penn State All-American and 2008 Ike champion, turned pro prior to the 2010 Met Open at Bethpage and began last season with no status on any tour. He gained access to Web.com Tour events via Monday qualifying and made the most of it, earning just over $119,000 in 16 starts last season. On Thursday, February 19, he'll begin his quest toward a new goal, one shared by every Web.com Tour player, and that's receiving a coveted PGA Tour card. 

“I try to reflect on this last year and the experiences and what I learned,” he said. “You think about certain things, like what if I hit this shot, or got that break, I could be on the PGA Tour right now. I just try to make smart decisions out there, if I’m making good decisions and have a good strategy, I know I’ll play well."

RELATED: Foley was one of several former Met Area players featured in the latest Met Golfer

The 2013 Web.com Tour season kicks off with a three-week international stretch beginning in Panama and continues to South America, with tournaments in Colombia and Chile. Unlike last year, Foley will be eligible for every event up until the new Web.com Tour Finals, which commence after the Cox Classic on August 25 — the last event of the 21-tournament regular season.

The Web.com Tour has a new structure this year. The top 25 players on the money list at the conclusion of the Cox Classic are guaranteed PGA Tour cards for the 2013-'14 season. Following the Cox Classic, the top 75 on the Web.com Tour money list (along with PGA Tour members who are between 126-200 in the FedEx Cup standings) will compete in the new Web.com Tour Finals, a series of four events which will award an additional 25 PGA Tour cards to the players who earn the most money in the Finals.

With his sights set on reaching the next level, Foley said he'll be sure to stay fresh throughout the season. As a rookie in 2012, he felt he was forced to compete at every stop because of his need to earn full status and collect as many dollars as possible. 

“It’s a grind because you’re hopping around every week, playing a new golf course every week,” he said. “But I think rest is just as important as practice; you need to be fresh and ready to go every week for the best chance to succeed.”

- A.J. Voelpel

                                                                       *Web.com Tour only