Tracking 'The 25': Thru the Oregon Classic

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Over the final weeks of the 2008 season, the Nationwide Tour will chart the competition for a spot in "The 25". The top-25 money winners at the conclusion of the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas (Dallas area) on Nov. 9th will be awarded PGA TOUR cards for 2009. Oregon Classic winner Matt Bettencourt was the big mover last week. He now finds himself inside "The 25" at No. 19, having improved 34 spots.

Runner-up Bubba Dickerson also made a significant move, from 47th to 26th. Three players dropped out of the top 30 -- Ewan Porter of Australia (26th to 32nd), Bryan DeCorso of Canada (from 27th to 31st) and Bob May of Las Vegas, Nev. (30th to 33rd).

The Nationwide Tour is idle this week and next before resuming play in Midland, Texas at the WNB Golf Classic Oct. 9-12.

Current Top 15

1-Brendon de Jonge, 2-Jarrod Lyle, 3-Scott Piercy, 4-Bill Lunde, 5-Greg Owen, 6-Greg Chalmers, 7-Jeff Klauk, 8-Darron Stiles, 9-Rick Price, 10-David Mathis, 11-Colt Knost, 12-Casey Wittenberg, 13-Peter Tomasulo, 14-Kris Blanks and 15-Brendon Todd.

$1 Million Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch

There is also an important race to finish in the top 60 on the money list playing out. Cameron Percy of Australia is this week's No. 60. He has a $1,363 lead over North Carolinian Dustin Bray. A top-60 finish after the final full-field event of 2008, the Miccosukee Championship near Miami (Oct. 23-26), guarantees a spot in the Nationwide Tour Championship at TPC Craig Ranch. With its $1 million purse and $180,000 first prize, every player who makes it to Craig Ranch in November has a mathematical chance of playing his way into "The 25". Those who finish the season between 26 and 60 on the final money list are fully exempt on the Nationwide Tour in 2009.