Nationwide Tour alums in Masters, Sim's injury

text size

Serota/Getty Images

Bill Haas will be playing in his first Masters this week.

MASTERS PRESENCE -- The 2010 Masters field features 33 American professionals who had not earned their PGA TOUR playing privileges prior to the birth of the Nationwide Tour in 1990. Of those 33, 23 are alumni of the Nationwide Tour -- R. Barnes, C. Campbell, S. Cink, B. Crane, J. Dufner, D. Duval, S. Flesch, J. Furyk, B. Gay, L. Glover, B. Haas, Z. Johnson, J. Kelly, M. Kuchar, S. Marino, J. Merrick, S. O'Hair, R. Palmer, J. Rollins, H. Slocum, S. Stricker, D. Toms and N. Watney. Dufner, Gay, Haas and Marino are playing in their first Masters.

BAD NEWS FOR MICHAEL SIM -- You talk about bad timing -- 2009 Nationwide Tour player of the year Michael Sim had to withdraw from the Masters due to a problem with his right shoulder. The 25-year-old Aussie reportedly will be out about a month. Exemplary play on the Nationwide Tour as well as good form in the U.S. Open and in Australia last year boosted Sim to 44th on the final Official World Golf Ranking of 2009 earning him his first invite to Augusta National.

ALEX PRUGH / MAKING A NAME FOR HIMSELF ON THE PGA TOUR -- Washington native and 2009 Nationwide Tour graduate Alex Prugh got his PGA TOUR rookie season back on track last week at the Shell Houston Open. After missing three cuts in a row, the 25-year-old contended for the lead into the third round, finishing T22. A rookie of the year candidate, Prugh made his first six cuts, three of which lead to top-10 finishes. He is now 7 for 10 in cuts made, bettered only by Rory McIlroy's 3 of 4 and equaled by Josh Teater, and 33rd in FedExCup points. Prugh, who played on the Nationwide Tour in 2008 (finished 46th) and 2009 (16th to earn TOUR card), commented after last Friday's 66, "I think the Nationwide Tour is a great tour. It definitely prepared me a ton for this tour. The level of competition out there is great, and it's just a great camaraderie. Everybody is trying to get that "25" spot. It definitely makes the transition to the PGA TOUR a ton easier."

FABIAN GOMEZ / PLAYER OF THE MONTH FOR MARCH -- With a win in Louisiana and a T10 in Bogotá, Colombia, Fabian Gomez is the Nationwide Tour's Player of the Month for March. Gomez became the second player from Argentina to win a Nationwide Tour event, joining Miguel Angel Carballo (2007 Panama CLARO Championship).

NATIONWIDE TOUR "REUNION" ENCORE AT PLAYERS -- Last year's Nationwide Tour "Reunion" held during THE PLAYERS Championship as part of the Tour's year-long 20th-season celebration was such a hit it will be held again this year. Last year, approximately 35 former Nationwide Tour players who were in the field attended as did PGA TOUR Commissioner Tim Finchem, executives from Nationwide, members of the media, and other invited guests. The 2010 Reunion will be Monday evening, May 3rd in the lower level parking lot adjacent to the TPC Sawgrass clubhouse and PLAYERS' Media Center. Nationwide Tour tournament directors and title sponsor representatives will join the festivities this year.

BIRTHDAY BOYS -- Happy birthday this week to Brendan Steele of Irvine, Calif. / U. of California-Riverside (April 5th, turns 27), Oskar Bergman of Boden, Sweden (April 6th, 33) and Chris Nallen, a New York City native who attended the U. of Arizona (April 9th / 28).

NEXT WEEK -- Nationwide Tour players will enjoy an off week and the Masters this week before resuming play in the San Francisco Bay area April 15-18 at the Fresh Express Classic at TPC Stonebrae in Hayward, Calif. Former San Francisco 49er great Jerry Rice will be in the spotlight not only as tournament host but as a tournament competitor via a sponsor exemption.