Art,
My primary goal in qualifying is to avoid a first round heads-up race (as it is with many people who qualify in the bottom half of the field.) I really don't care who I have to run first round as long as I don't have a heads-up race. Of course, I would prefer not to run the Biondo's, Fletcher, Edmond, Zane, Faul etc.. But it is much better to run them than having to run a race where I have virtually zero chance of winning.
If everybody was lifting like me, I would qualify at the top so I'd get the first round bye.
-Toby