Nationwide Tour Storylines: Spot in season finale on line
 
Oct. 23, 2007

With the Miccosukee Championship being the final full-field event of the year, we will know the answer on Sunday afternoon.

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Daley

This will be a pressure-filled week for those not yet comfortably inside the top 60 on the money list and those in the high 50s.

Pennsylvania native Joe Daley occupies No. 60 and has a $245 lead over David Morland IV of Canada. Only $3,264 separates No. 58 Chris Riley, who is in this week's field, and No. 64 Tag Ridings.

The top-60 will head cross country to the San Diego area to compete in next week's Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek. A top-60 finish ensures a place on the Nationwide Tour in 2008 for those who do not make it to the PGA TOUR via THE 25 (money list) or the PGA TOUR Qualifying Tournament.

The '25'/Caddie bibs change hands

For the third week in a row, South African Brenden Pappas occupies the 25th and final spot in the competition to earn PGA TOUR cards for 2008.

Sunday's winner in Chattanooga and nephew of Lanny Wadkins, Ron Whittaker, moved from 27th to 11th. Runner-up David McKenzie of Australia also played his way into THE 25, improving 19 spots to 24th.

Falling out were a pair of 2007 winners, Tom Scherrer and Argentina's Miguel Carballo. They are now 26th and 27th, respectively.

Roland eyes 2007 money title

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Thatcher

With Jason Day not entered again this week, Roland Thatcher will tee it up next week in the Nationwide Tour Championship at Barona Creek with a lead of at least $70,090 over Day in the chase for the money title.

The Auburn grad has stayed atop the money list the last nine weeks despite missing five of his last six cuts. No. 3 Day (No. 2 Nick Flanagan earned a three-win promotion to the PGA TOUR in August) withdrew from the Miccosukee Championship due to a sore wrist.

This will be the third event in October he has not played. Finishing No. 1 not only brings prestige and votes for Player of the Year, but a spot in the 2008 PLAYERS Championship.

Home game for Thompson

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Thompson

Former Georgia Tech All-American Nicholas Thompson may very well be sleeping in his own bed this week. The Coral Springs (Ft. Lauderdale area) native who still resides there has enjoyed a very successful 2007 season.

Currently No. 4 on the money list, he is already assured of a place on the PGA TOUR next year, thanks in large part to a win in New Zealand, a second, a third and seven top 10s in all. The 2005 Walker Cup team member has played in all but one of the Tour's 30 events this year. It's also been a successful campaign for siblings Alexis and Curtis.

This summer, Alexis, 12, was the youngest contestant to qualify for the U.S. Women's Open. Curtis, 14, competed in the U.S. Junior Boys.

Fujikama to make second Nationwide appearance

Tadd Fujikawa, 16, will make his second Nationwide Tour start this fall in Miami. Last month, he missed the cut by three shots in Boise.

One of four sponsor exemptions, he is joined by four-time PGA TOUR winner Notah Begay III (who once shot 59 on the Nationwide Tour), TV analyst and former PGA TOUR winner winner Bobby Clampett and former Duke All-American/ South Florida resident Ryan Blaum.

Day to be honored in Australia

The Nationwide Tour's No. 3 money winner Jason Day will receive the Greg Norman / Australian Golf Writers Association Rookie of the Year award at a dinner in Sydney on Dec. 15.

Past recipients include Jarrod Lyle/2005 and Michael Sim/2006, both of whom played on the Nationwide Tour last year and secured their PGA TOUR cards for 2007.

Day, 17th on the Australian Tour Order of Merit, had T31 and T6 finishes in this year's jointly-sanctioned (Australasian Tour/Nationwide Tour) events in Australia and New Zealand in February, prior to embarking on a very successful season thus far on the Nationwide Tour in the U.S.

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Reimer

Baby Reimer born Oct. 18

Nationwide Tour Media Official Chris Reimer and his wife, Morgan, are the parents of a baby girl. Born early Wednesday morning, Oct. 18, Carissa Dana Reimer was seven pounds, 5 ounces and was almost 21 inches.

Congratulations, Chris and Morgan!