The PGA Tour’s annual six-day, 108-hole torturefest is underway. On Nov. 28, at Bear Lakes Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., 167 players began the six-day run through the meat-grinder that is Qualifying School. What will come out the other end isn’t exactly chopped liver, although we should keep in mind that 30 of the 41 players who earned cards last December managed to lose them this season.

Casey Martin didn't make it past the second stage of qualifying, but the Q-School field includes 15 former winners on the PGA Tour who are trying to earn back their Tour cards. The top 35 finishers (and ties) will get exempt status on the PGA Tour next season; the next 50 earn fully exempt playing privileges on the Buy.com Tour. We won’t know until Monday afternoon who this year’s Q-School survivors -- okay, graduates -- will be, but you can audit Q-School classes and keep up with everybody’s test scores right here on ESPN.com.

In the meantime, here are a handful of new faces we’re certain to see a lot of in 2002 -- and probably for a long time after.

Charles Howell III, 22-years old: Acclaimed by players as the real deal. Lost a playoff at Milwaukee but won $1.5 million in 24 events after starting 2001 season without making it through Q-School. Has dominated at every level, has all the shots and now has full playing status, which allows him to pick his spots.

Matt Kuchar, 23: Not as spectacular as Howell, he also started the season without playing status and won his 2002 Tour card with steady golf. Finished 2nd and 3rd in his last four events after a sloppy start. The 1997 U.S. Amateur champ (and darling of the 1998 Masters) resisted pressure to turn pro and played out his four years at Georgia Tech. Now looks like a smart decision, which you’d expect from a college man..

Ty Tryon, 17: Leaving high school for Q-School with a full toolbox -- a great work ethic, 300-yard drives, guidance from swing guru David Leadbetter and the backing of super agency IMG. Became the youngest to lead a tour event in 44 years at the Honda last March, and led the B.C. Open for a day in July. Just imagine how good he’ll be by the time he’s old enough to buy a round at the 19th hole.

Aaron Baddeley, 20: Won native Australian Open as amateur in 1999, defended as pro in 2000. Did virtually nothing in world tour this season except ditch his lifelong instructor for Leadbetter and enter Q School. Loads of potential, if only he settles in and finds the game everyone knows is in there. Even if he doesn’t “graduate” on Dec. 3, he’ll tee off at a lot of events this coming season courtesy of sponsor’s exemptions.

Chad Campbell, 27: Big winner on every level -- at UNLV, on Hooters Tour and on Buy.com Tour, where three wins this year gave him PGA Tour status in 2002 and let him skip this week’s Q-ordeal. Finished second by one shot in the last Tour event of the season. At earlier levels, it’s taken him a year or so to reach high gear, but he’s got enough experience under his engine to get off to a fast start in 2002.

Retief Goosen, 32: May seem strange to include a U.S. Open winner in a New Faces list, but he’s not exactly a household name anywhere west of his native South Africa. Soared to No. 11 on world ranking with Open title last June and two more wins on European Tour, where he led the money list and averaged 69.32 -- better than Tiger here. Could be the first fulltime Euro tourist to make a difference on the PGA Tour since countryman Ernie Els.

T.R. Reinman is a regular contributor to ESPN The Magazine.