Nov 07

PGA & Nationwide Tours are Potential Choke-Fests This Weekend

The star-studded leader board at the HSBC in China will get most of the attention this weekend, but my choice of events will be played in Texas and Florida. There is where golf both heroic and sadly disturbing will unfold as a couple dozen desperate men will vie for 2009 playing privileges on the PGA Tour.

In Florida at the Walt Disney World event, the fight is on as about half the field has its sights set on finishing in the top 125 on the money list to guarantee their Tour Card for next year.

Having already finished his first 2 rounds near the lead, Jeff Overton (currently 125th) has answered the bell and virtually guaranteed his card. Even with 2 so-so rounds this weekend, he’ll leapfrog 5 or 6 guys to safety. That leaves No. 122 Nick Watney, No. 123 Michael Allen and No. 124 Shane Bertsch needing to play a solid round today just to make the cut and also for the next 2 days to ensure they aren’t passed either. It appears that current No. 120 Brad Adamonis will miss the cut and probably become the man with the biggest bullseye on his back. About a dozen of those currently not in the Top 125 are poised to make a big check and slip into that list. Some are familiar names, some not.

Even lesser known players will be grinding at the Nationwide season ender as their Top 25 earners will graduate to the PGA Tour. I’m pleased to say that my man Spencer Levin has continued his summer/fall climb up the money list and is oh so close to locking up his 2009 card after a stellar first round. Three more solid rounds and he’s in.

Most of those currently not qualified won’t make it, either through mediocre weekend performance or a scarring, nasty meltdown on the final holes. But a few will. Either way, it is always compelling viewing.

« Sad Stories on the PGA and Nationwide Tours

The Highs and Lows of Televised Golf Tournament Coverage »

6 comments

§ Stacy said on : 11/08/08 @ 11:00
I agree that this weekend's PGA Tour event will be a compelling one.

Watching the lower level unfold with possibly one of these players becoming a stand-out next season is ultimately what the Tour is all about.
§ Shanks® said on : 11/10/08 @ 07:41
Very interesting weekend. And next up will be the always excruciating Q-school.
§ Wendy (UK) said on : 11/15/08 @ 12:02
Taking another peek at "Tales from
Q School", I noticed that there was an argument that the Nationwide Tour should now "be the sole proving ground for the PGA Tour". I suspect you wouldn't miss the drama of the last round of Q School for the world, but what's your take on this argument?
§ Shanks® said on : 11/17/08 @ 07:45
It's a bad argument. Anytime a contest is held over a longer period of time, the cream will rise to the top. So of course the Nationwide is a better test. But there is a need for Q-school. If it didn't exist, the Nationwide graduates would increase to approx. the top 50 money earners, while #126 on the PGA Tour would have no chance to get back the following year. Seems to me that #126 on the PGA Tour might be a stronger player than #50 on the Nationwide Tour.

Take the case of Hunter Mahan. In 2005 he finished at #131 but regained his card in Q-school. In 2006 he nearly won a Tour event and easily made the top 125. Then in 2007 he won his first event and nearly defends in 2008. On top of that he was a U.S. Ryder Cup star at Valhalla. Who knows what might have happened had he been forced to sit out a year in 2006.
§ Wendy (UK) said on : 11/18/08 @ 14:14
Ok - didn't need much cogitation to agree that No.126 on PGA Tour stronger than No.50 on Nationwide. (There was no argument put forward other than Q School providing unlikely and uplifting stories).

You simply couldn't resist throwing me the Hunter Mahan Ryder Cup googly though, could you?!
§ Shanks® said on : 11/18/08 @ 14:47
Sorry about the Mahan blurb. I promise it was only because he best illustrated the point! But you know I love the drama of Q-school. And you're right, everybody involved has an interesting story to tell, whether they're on the way up in their career or down.