Former Buckeye Neal Shipley came from seven strokes behind to win The Ascendant golf tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour Sunday in Berthoud, Colorado. His final round of 64 (-8), including a birdie on the final hole, gave him a one-stroke victory over Jorge Fernández Valdés and Kevin Dougherty.

Shipley won earlier this year, in April, at the Korn Ferry’s LECOM Suncoast Classic at the Lakewood National Golf Club in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. There he beat Seungtaek Lee in a five-hole playoff after shooting another 64 on the tourney’s final day. He collected a paycheck of $180,000 after both victories.

The native of Pittsburgh came to Ohio State for the 2023-24 season after playing at James Madison University. He made a name for himself in 2024 when he was the low amateur at both the Masters in Augusta, Georgia and the U.S. Open played at Pinehurst #2 in North Carolina.

The top 20 players on the Korn Ferry Tour qualify to play on the PGA Tour the next year. However, a three-time winner within one season receives an automatic PGA Tour membership, effective the following week. Shipley needs one more victory this season to move up immediately.