rolex logo

Checking in with Pastore and Miller

(November 16, 2018) -- Two former MGA Players of the Year - Mike Miller or Brewster, N.Y., and David Pastore of Greenwich, Conn. - have punched their tickets to the final stage of Web.com Tour Qualifying School in hopes of capturing full status on the Tour for 2019. 

Miller finished with co-medalist honors during the second stage of qualifying at Plantation Preserve Golf Course and Club in Plantation, Fla., on November 9. He finished at 16-under after rounds of 66-66-68-68. Meanwhile, Pastore recorded rounds of 68-70-69-71 at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. The scores led to a 10-under total and a tie for 12th as Pastore earned his return to the final stage. 

Other names from the Met Area to advance to the final stage include Max Greyserman, who advanced from the Plantation Preserve site. Greyserman began with a 72 in round one, but fired back with scores of 68-67-65 over the final three days to climb the leaderboard and finish tied for eighth at 12-under. Aadditionally, John VanDerLaan of Southbury, Conn., who competed in this year's Met Open, fired a four-round total of 14-under at Southern Hills Plantation Club in Brooksville, Fla. He finished tied for 14th to also make his way to the final stage.

We caught up with Mike Miller and David Pastore before the Web.com Tour finals take place, Dec. 6-9 at Whirlwind Golf Club in Chandler, Ariz.

MGA: Congrats on advancing to the final stage! How many times have you competed in the final stage, and what have you learned from your previous experiences? 

Pastore:  This will be my fourth appearance at final stage. I’ve become more familiar with the players and the level of golf that’s required to do well at finals. That has given me a higher comfort level going in this year. It’s also important to treat final stage like any other tournament. I’m not going to prepare any differently than I normally would for any other event. 

Miller: This will be my second time making it to finals. Each time you play a Q-School, you learn at each stage but it doesn’t make it any easier. I just have to treat it like another tournament and hope all the bounces go your way. This is what we play for -  the chance to have a job and a schedule.  

MGA: What have you been working on lately?

Pastore: I’ve been working on improving my lower body motion for better ball-striking, using the ground better and more hip turn. It’s helped me hit the ball straighter, further, and be more consistent. That usually helps your scores. 

Miller: Just trying to play and keep it simple. I really struggled over the later part of the year and after the final event on the Web at Pumpkin Ridge. I sat down and looked at my game and realized I needed to really grind out the struggles and keep working no matter the results. Nice to see it paying off. 

MGA: What have been the strongest aspects of your game during the first two stages of Q-School?

Pastore:  Putting is usually the best part of my game and it definitely saved me in second stage, but hitting the ball straighter off the tee and more consistently solid with my irons has been the main contributor to my better play this fall. 

Miller: During first stage I had to be really patient dealing with the hurricane and not playing golf for two days. During second stage I tried to eliminate all my mistakes I’ve made on a golf course that I was very familiar with. I was able to do that and only make three bogies all week. I was able to play three bogey-free rounds of golf. (If only it was like that all the time!) 

MGA: At this stage in the qualifying process, is it more of a mental grind, or physical as well?

Pastore: They are equally as important. Physically it's important to stay fresh and injury free, but you need to be confident and focused as well. You can’t advance with only one, there are too many good players who are firing on all cylinders. 

Miller: It's a mental grind for me. Everyone is physically gifted one way or another. Knowing deep down inside that your game is good enough to play week after week, but not really having a place to play on a big stage makes it frustrating. Only having small successes over the first couple years as a pro definitley hurt my overall confidence because you hear the talk from others... "Why haven’t you made it? What do you need to do different?" The answer is nothing - just perform at the right time. I have to get it right one more time. Golf is hard but it’s why I truly love the game. Every day I learn and try to play my best. I have always put a lot of pressure on myself to perform during Q-school. I realized that doesn’t work. 

MGA: Who’s going to be on the bag for you? Do you have any stories about him/her caddying for you?

Pastore: I’m still undecided. (Anyone looking to work??) I’m deciding between my brother, Paul, who was been on my bag for most of my wins in the Met Area and some caddies with experience on the Web and PGA Tours. Tough to beat the track record with Paul on the bag - he switched me to the club that I made the hole-in-one with to win the 2014 Met Am [on the 35th hole of the final match at The Creek].

Miller: I’m still trying to figure that out. I have been carrying my own bag for Q-school this year, but unfortunately I can’t carry my own bag at finals. I fired my dad a few years ago (sorry, dad) but he’s still Coach. [My girlfriend] Casey took a sabbatical! Maybe we can convince her to come out of retirement. And Dante, who was caddying for me pretty much all year, took a job. I'm very happy for him. He is one of my biggest supporters and friend. That being said, I will figure it out!

Good luck to all of the Met Area competitors during the final stage!