Make or break week at Tour Championship
BY Bruce Young | Nationwide Tour | 2008 Nationwide Tour Championship | Preview | 04 Nov 2008
The final event of the 2008 Nationwide Tour season, the Tour Championship gets underway this week at the TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney in the suburbs of Dallas in Texas. Craig Ranch is a Tom Weiskopf designed golf course built in 2004 and measures 7,438 yards.
With a purse of US$1 million and a first prize of US$180,000, the tournament offers the chance for any one of the 60 players who have earned the right to play this week, to walk away with not only a significant amount of money but the license to print more next year on the PGA Tour.
A win by even the lowest ranked player in this field would ensure that he earns one of the twenty five 2009 PGA Tour cards handed out in the ceremony at the end of this event. This is a big week for all and plays a key role in shaping the future of those involved. The higher up the money list a player an finish the better his chances of early season starts next year, so even for those already assured of their card, a big week is important.
The leading 20 players on this year’s money list are safe it would seem but with so many permutations and the amount of money available this week, the remaining five will need to watch their backs in order that they retain or improve the position that so much hard work in 2008 has earned.
It would seem now that somewhere around the US$220,000 will be needed to be safe and therefore even the likes of Joe Daley and Chris Nallen, who have only just made the field, could, with victory this week and possibly even second place (US$110,000), secure their cards.
This week is a little like the Tour School final in that it can make a wish come true or shatter dreams. There is always plenty of emotion and tension as the final few holes on Sunday unfold, the numbers are crunched and the final places confirmed.
Three Australians are guaranteed their place on the PGA Tour in 2009 namely Jarrod Lyle, Greg Chalmers and Aaron Price but for the recent runaway winner of the WNB Classic in Texas, Marc Leishman, he likely needs a top 20 place this week just to make sure.
Ewan Porter won the Nationwide Tour event at Moonah Links earlier this year and remained inside the top 25 for several months. He has struggled in recent months but if he can find a way to record a top three this week then he will have reversed the slippery slide and have his PGA Tour card.
Even if he was not able to do so he will have full Nationwide Tour status next season and given the struggles he has had since his win, another season at this level might assist in preparing him for when he does get to the PGA Tour.
Sydney’s Won Joon Lee is in 46th place on the money list and needs a finish inside the top two to get the job done this week. Lee is still relatively new to professional golf and has made considerable progress this season on the Nationwide Tour. The runner up at the 2007 Australian Open, Lee is destined to get to the PGA Tour before too long and even if it is not this week then his turn will surely come.
Gavin Coles forced his way into this field with a good third place at the recent Miccosukee Championship and while he too needs a finish inside the top two, he is playing well enough for that to not be out of the question. Coles has survived these tight battles previously and is in the sort of form now to do it again.
In seven starts this season on the Nationwide Tour it has been a roller coaster with five missed cuts, a victory and the third place in Florida. He went very close to winning a USPGA Tour event earlier in the season when a double bogy at the last hole in Memphis cost him his chance of a playoff which would have avoided all these issues. Coles played the PGA Tour event last week in Florida and finished 35th.
