Richard Lee, Canadian Tour Q-School Medalist

In all six players were awarded fully exempt playing privileges while another six secured non-exempt, or conditional, status or their performances over four rounds on Vancouver Island at the Morningstar GC in Parksville, BC.

The 19-year -old Lee, a native of Toronto who grew up in Vancouver, shot a final round of 2-under 70 Friday to finish with a four-day total of 5-under 283, one shot ahead of American John Cassidy.

"I missed a lot of putts today but overall I played pretty solid," said Lee. "I just went out there and played my own game. I wasn't worried too much about where I finished, I just wanted to concentrate on what I had to do."

Calgarian Scott McNeil finished two shots off the lead while Clint Schiller of Lloydminster, Sask. also earned exempt status by coming in at 2-under par 286. Tyler Pitt of Vernon, BC (73) was one of the six to earn non-exempt cards.

"I missed a lot of putts today but overall I played pretty solid," said Lee, who three seasons ago become the second-youngest player ever to qualify for the U.S. Open "I just went out there and played my own game. I wasn't worried too much about where I finished, I just wanted to concentrate on what I had to do."

Lee gained status on the Nationwide Tour in 2009 but was looking for a more permanent place to play this year rather than chasing the Monday qualifying route on the PGA and Nationwide Tours.

"This (Canadian Tour) is going to be great for my development. When you try to Monday (qualify), you've got to play lights out that one day. Here, you are getting the four-round experience, so I'll try to hit stride and get ready for PGA Tour Q-School."

Lee joins an impressive list of Q-School medallists at Morningstar, including Kyle Coody (1992), the son of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody, three-time PGA Tour champion Scott McCarron (1993) and Notah Begay III (1996).

Other notables who earned their Canadian Tour cards in Parksville include Canadian lefty Mike Weir (1993), an eight-time PGA Tour winner and 2003 Masters champion, and two-time PGA champion Jason Bohn (1997). Weir, a member of the Canadian Golf Hall of FAme, and Bohn are two of the most decorated players in Canadian Tour history - Weir captured Rookie of the Year honours in his freshman season on the Canadian Tour and claimed the Order of Merit crown four years later. Bohn won twice on the Canadian Tour, including the 2001 Bayer Championship in Sarnia, Ont., when he gained worldwide attention with a dazzling final-round 13-under 58.

Beginning next week, players will be competing for ramped-up purses on the Canadian Tour, including $250,000 in Victoria, Saskatoon and Edmonton. Later this summer, the $300,000 Players Cup takes place in Winnipeg before the Canadian schedule culminates with the $325,000 Canadian Tour Championship in St. Catharines, Ont., an unprecedented purse in the long history of the Canadian Tour. Last week, the Canadian Tour unveiled a new event beginning this fall in Palm Springs, Calif., scheduled to help keep players sharp between the first and second rounds of the PGA Tour's gruelling PGA Tour National Qualifying Tournament.

Also on the line this summer are berths in the RBC PGA TOUR Canadian Open and Ford Nationwide Tour Wayne Gretzky Classic, a piece of the Canadian Bursary pie for top performers and exemptions into the second stage of PGA TOUR Q-School for the top two finishers on the Rolex Order of Merit.

Thursday, the Times Colonist Open tees off at Uplands GC in Victoria.

2010 Canadian Tour Spring Q-School

1 Richard Lee, Canada 73 68 72 70 283
2 John Cassidy, United States 70 72 70 72 284
3 Scott McNeil, Canada 73 69 70 73 285
T4 Thomas Petersson, Sweden 73 73 71 69 286
T4 Jarin Todd, United States 69 71 74 72 286
T4 Clint Schiller, Canada 70 75 69 72 286

7 Michael Moore, Australia 67 73 74 73 287
8 Jason Humphrey, United States 74 71 71 72 288
9 Andrew Kelly, Australia 71 70 72 76 289
T10 Cesar Coello, Mexico 72 77 75 66 290
T10 Brent McCullough, Australia 71 74 75 70 290
T10 Tyler Pitt, Canada 78 69 70 73 290

13 Jake Yount, United States 73 72 71 75 291
14 Micah Burke, United States 76 74 70 72 292
15 Mark Leich (A), Australia 73 78 70 72 293
T16 Calvin Kupeyan, Canada 74 80 70 70 294
T16 Isaac Weintraub, United States 72 76 70 76 294
T18 Timothy Hosking, Australia 77 76 71 72 296
T18 Chase Cronk, Canada 76 73 71 76 296
T18 A. Raubenheimer, Canada 74 71 73 78 296
21 Rui Takamatsu, United States 74 74 79 70 297
22 Mark Smith (A), Canada 72 79 76 71 298
T23 Mike Roters, United States 79 76 72 72 299
T23 Tom Prowse, Australia 71 71 77 80 299
25 Tyler Matthews, United States 83 74 71 72 300
26 Phil Telliard, United States 80 75 72 75 302
T27 Matt Grush, United States 79 71 79 74 303
T27 Andrew Jensen, Canada 71 84 71 77 303
29 Danny Mijovic, Canada 80 78 72 74 304
T30 Franny Suits III, United States 77 76 75 77 305
T30 Danny Kindy, Canada 76 73 77 79 305
T32 Geoff Butt (A), Canada 78 77 80 72 307
T32 Juan Martin, Spain 83 73 75 76 307
T34 Mike Landry, United States 76 77 79 76 308
T34 Tyler Mancini, Canada 84 72 74 78 308
T36 Mike DeCourcy, Canada 76 84 76 73 309
T36 Kent Yamane, United States 79 80 75 75 309
T38 David Hawkins, United States 79 80 78 76 313
T38 Ryan Lecuyer (A), Canada 81 81 77 74 313
40 Grant Cagle, United States 80 85 78 81 324
41 Michael Bosch, Canada 81 86 86 87 340
T42 Trevor Lynn, Canada 83 90 84 84 341
T42 Tony Hanna (A). United States 84 85 90 82 341
44 N. Grandahl A), Canada 84 85 86 87 342
45 Bryan Phelan, Canada 86 84 89 85 344
46 Jon Kiru, Canada WD
47 Warren Sye, Canada 80 WD
48 Ryan Taylor, United States DQ