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PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- Joey Sindelar finished the year at No. 174 on the money list, his lowest standing in his 24 years on the PGA TOUR, meaning he is relegated to status as a past PGA Tour winner for 2008.

Still, he was all smiles as he walked out of the scoring trailer to a future that excites him.

Sindelar turns 50 on March 30, and he is eager to embark on his Champions Tour career. He said he would ask for sponsor's exemptions to three or four PGA TOUR events in the spring before making his debut, probably in the Dominican Republic.

It was easy to leave the PGA TOUR after playing the final round at Disney with Carl Pettersson and Sean O'Hair.

"If I can go somewhere and be a young guy again, I'm all for it," Sindelar said. "And there won't be a whole lot of cuts to sweat out. That thrills me to death."

Sindelar said the Champions Tour kept him motivated during lean years. His generation of players was the first to know there was a Champions Tour waiting when they first joined the regular circuit. And his victory at the Wachovia Championship in 2004 helped him stay exempt until turning 50.

WORLD CUP: Stephen Ames will not be playing in the Omega Mission Hills World Cup, meaning no representation for Trinidad or Tobago.

Ames will be busy that week as defending champion of the LG Skins Game, although he probably wouldn't have gone to China, anyway. Not only is it a long trip, he said it would have been tough finding a partner. He said his brother, Robert, stopped playing earlier this year and is looking for another job in the golf business.

Robert Ames used to caddie for his brother, but quit last year to give playing one more try.

"The last time we talked, he's looking at directing golf courses in Jamaica," Ames said.

TWO MORE AWARDS FOR WOODS: With the PGA TOUR's Fall Series ending last week at the Children's Miracle Network Classic presented by Wal-Mart, Tiger Woods again finished on top of both the money list and had the best adjusted scoring average.

By winning $10,867,052, Woods wins the Arnold Palmer Award for the third consecutive year and eighth time overall. His scoring average of 67.79 was best on TOUR for a third consecutive year.

The winner of the Jack Nicklaus Trophy, awarded annually to the Player of the Year, as well as the Rookie of the Year and Comeback Player of the Year will be announced next month.

PLAYER OF THE MONTH: For the first time in 10 years, Justin Leonard is the PGA TOUR's Player of the Month. He earns the honor for October and November in a vote from media members who regularly cover the TOUR.

Leonard won the Valero Texas Open and had tie-for-sixth finishes at two other tournaments -- the Fry's Electronics Open and Children's Miracle Network Classic. He also tied for 26th at the Ginn sur Mer Classic at Tesoro.

SHARK FIELD SET: The 12 two-man teams for the 2007 edition of the Merrill Lynch Shootout have been announced. The three-day event hosted by Greg Norman is set for Dec. 7-9 at the Tiburon Golf Club and Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla.

Defending champions Jerry Kelly and Rod Pampling will attempt to become only the third team in Shootout history to successfully defend its title. The other teams are Greg Norman & Bubba Watson; Fred Couples & John Daly; Chris DiMarco & Camilo Villegas; Stewart Cink & Zach Johnson; Justin Leonard & Scott Verplank; Woody Austin & Mark Calcavecchia; Charles Howell III & Nick Price; Fred Funk & Jeff Sluman; Anthony Kim & Mark O'Meara; Steve Elkington & Scott McCarron; and Scott Hoch & Kenny Perry.

The Merrill Lynch Shootout will once again feature a modified alternate shot format during the first round, a better ball Saturday and a final-round scramble. The GOLF CHANNEL will televise Friday's coverage and NBC will broadcast the weekend activities.

DIVOTS: Four tournaments during the Fall Series had a stronger field than the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, which counts as a FedExCup event and whose winner (Brandt Snedeker) got an automatic invitation to the Masters. ... The top 10 players on the money list combined to win $50.4 million. ... One year after Australians won eight times on the PGA TOUR, their only victories in 2007 came from Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley.

STAT OF THE WEEK: Mathias Gronberg earned $785,180 to finish at No. 125 on the PGA TOUR money list and keep his card. Ten years ago, that would have been enough to qualify for THE TOUR Championship.

FINAL WORD: "He didn't get in this week, so he's shooting his mouth off. So that's fine." -- Ernie Els, responding to criticism from Colin Montgomerie of missing the Volvo Masters because Els signed a contract to play the Singapore Open.

Copyright 2007 PGATOUR.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved.