Money milestones important in Orlando
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2010 Children's Miracle Network Classic | Preview | 09 Nov 2010
The final event of the regular tour season on the PGA Tour is played this week over the Magnolia and Palm courses at Lake Buena Vista at Walt Disney World near Orlando with so much at stake for so many and equally as many storylines.
With other significant events going on elsewhere in the world the tournament is lacking the absolute elite of the game but it is still a strong field and for those battling for money list milestones it is an extremely important event.
Three of the US Ryder Cup team are in the field headed by the brilliant Rickie Fowler who is not only looking for his first PGA Tour victory this week but the chance to secure the US$1 million on offer for the leader of the season long Kodak Challenge at the end of this event.
The Kodak Challenge is a contest over selected holes at 30 events throughout the season with the player completing the best 18 hole collective score on those holes away with the first prize.
At present, rookie Troy Merritt leads by one over Fowler and Australian Aaron Baddeley with the par four 17th hole at the Magnolia course likely to decide the destination for the huge cheque. Last year that particular hole averaged greater than par so a birdie by either Baddeley or Fowler might just snatch the cheque from Merritt. In the event of a tie a sudden death playoff will take place at the Kodak hole.
To the tournament itself and Fowler will start as one of the favourites after his stirring half point at the Ryder Cup and good tournaments in Malaysia and at the HSBC last week. The only thing that could possibly bring him undone is travel weariness as he has been all over the world in the past few weeks.
Justin Leonard finished runner-up in this event last year and while not contending of late has played very solidly in the past few months. Leonard also finished 6th in this event two years ago so he clearly has a liking for the venue.
Ryan Palmer won at this venue in his rookie PGA Tour season and has continued to play the event well. He is in good enough form of late to be a factor again although like Fowler he has travelled widely in recent weeks.
Of the nine Australians in the field several are here on specific missions. John Senden, Aaron Baddeley and Matt Jones have no concerns regarding their security of tenure on the PGA Tour next season but others do. Senden and Jones could use a good week as finishing inside the top 70 offers starts in specific events next year.
The final figure likely to be needed to finish inside the all important top 125 on the money list is a moving feast but at # 127 at present Aron Price probably needs a top 15 finish to make sure.
Cameron Percy at 144 should be safe enough to finish inside the top 150 and secure some starts next season and avoid Stage 2 of the Tour School. In order for him to launch himself into the top 125 however he needs at worst a top five finish this week.
James Nitties is in 152nd position and in order for him to accomplish his first goal of finishing inside the top 150 he needs to finish at worst inside the top twenty five this week and to finish inside the top 125 perhaps a top three.
Mathew Goggin at 156 currently needs perhaps a top 15 to finish inside the top 150 and a top three to race into the top 125.
Rod Pampling at number 177 is having a horror year and needs a top four to finish inside the top 150 and to finish first or second to play his way into the top 125.
The only other Australian in the field is David Lutterus who needs to finish second to have any chance of making it into the top 150 and to win if he is to avoid Tour School altogether.
