Mathis highlights big money list movers at Dye's Valley

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Chris Condon/PGA TOUR

David Mathis did enough Sunday to win and all but secure his 2011 PGA TOUR card.

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- David Mathis probably breathed the biggest sigh of relief Sunday afternoon, as he lifted the trophy in the inaugural Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open Presented by Planters at TPC Sawgrass -- a victory that all but secures his return to the PGA TOUR in 2011.

Winn-Dixie Open

Final wrap-up
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Scorecard: Mathis
Scorecard: Mills
Scorecard: Curl
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THE 25

In fact, several players in the field were feeling more secure late Sunday, whether it's because they locked up a spot in the 60-man field in next week's Nationwide Tour Championship at Daniel Island or because they improved their ranking for one of "THE 25" PGA TOUR cards that go out after next week's final Nationwide stop of the year.

Mathis, a 36-year-old Winston-Salem, N.C. native, earns $108,000 with his second career Nationwide Tour victory and leaps from No. 35 to 12 on the official money list.

But it's not like Mathis was ever worried about it -- with the exception of about a 150-yard walk to the 17th tee from the 16th green where he made double-bogey and his lead shrunk from three shots to one at 8-under.

"I was beating myself up all the way to the tee box ," said Mathis. "But when I got up there, it changed. I had this thought that I was still in a good position and I've got two difficult holes with wind coming down the stretch. I felt that if I could do something good, I have a chance."

After signing his 1-under 69 card, Mathis waited patiently for the final groups to come in with only Rob Oppenheim at 7-under stepping up to No. 18 with a chance to force a playoff. However, an errant tee shot and missed approach, both right, resulted in a bogey and gave Mathis the win. The combined Sunday score from the final group of Jon Mills, Oppenheim, and Shane Bertsch was 8-over.

"When I look at the life that God provides me in being able to play golf for a living," said Mathis, "whether I go back to the big TOUR or not going to make or break me. It's more comforting than anything to me to just be able to play. It's what I do. I know some guys stare at the money list like it's their daily bread, but it's just not that way for me."

Mathis earned PGA TOUR status in 2009, playing 27 events with 15 cuts made and finishing No. 160 on the money list.

Another big mover this week who is eyeing a PGA TOUR card is Won Joon Lee, who has gone from No. 65 two weeks ago to 33 this week after a 7-under tie for second place finish at Dye's Valley. This follows up a tied for fourth place finish Oct. 17 at the Miccosukee Championship.

"I wasn't too worried about trying to get into next week's tournament," said Lee, a native of Seoul, South Korea who moved to Australia at age four. "My main goal was to try to finish top 40 on the money list and I really want to play the Australian Masters back home. It's a week before the second stage of q-school in California."

Now that a PGA TOUR card is within reach for Lee with his latest run of success, he would like to get more serious about his game. "This is a great tour and I've played here for three years. Now, I think I need to get a little more focused and practice a little harder to better my game to see if I can make it on the regular TOUR."

Lee celebrated his 25th birthday on Saturday at TPC Sawgrass with 2-under round of 68 and joined Tag Ridings Sunday with the day's low round of 66. A perfect approach shot into swirling winds at 18 set up an 18-foot birdie that would play out to a second-place tie in the tournament with Jeff Curl and Kyle Reifers.

"I had 141 yards to the flag on No. 18 and I was a little into the wind," said Lee. "I debated whether to hit a nine iron or a wedge and ended up going with the nine. The end result was pretty good."

After an opening day 70, Curl's 64 on Friday propelled him to a weekend finish of 70 and 69, putting him into the Tour Championship at Daniel Island by jumping from 81 to 54 on the money list. Only Mathis had a better day Friday with a tournament-best 63.

Unfortunately, Patrick Sheehan, 60th on the money list entering the week, was left on the outside looking in at No. 61 after the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open concluded.

Among those who won't be at Daniel Island but made a gallant effort to get there was Reifers, moving from 92 to 67 with his tied for second finish at Winn-Dixie.

Final-round notes:

• Former Nease High School (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.) golfer Vince Covello, a Monday qualifier into the Winn-Dixie Jacksonville Open, claims he's played Dye's Valley "a few hundred times" in the 10 years he's lived in the area -- but never had more fun than he had this week. Since graduating from the area high school, Covello played two years of golf at the University of North Florida, turned professional at 21 and has been playing the Gateway, Golden Bear, European Challenge, and Canadian Tours ever since. "It was great -- being able to play at home and have all the friends and family around," said Covello. He takes his golf game and renewed confidence to the first stage of q-school this week in Port St. Lucie, Fla. Covello earned his first career Nationwide Tour paycheck this week of $6240 with a T21 finish at Winn-Dixie with a -2 under total of 278.

• At No. 14 on the official Nationwide Tour money list this week, Tag Ridings is feeling better than ever about his chances of returning to the PGA TOUR in 2011. "I'm probably secure to regain my card," said Ridings, who finished in a tie for fifth this week, two shots behind champion Mathis, at 6-under. "After today, it looks really good. As of the last three or four days, I'm playing as well as I've played all year." The 36-year-old last had full-time PGA TOUR status in the 2004 and 2005 seasons and is excited about the opportunity. "Once you are able to get a full year in and choose your schedule, it makes a big difference. I'm not only playing better now, but I'm a lot more level-headed." Ridings, who played his first Nationwide Tour event in 2002, calls Dye's Valley "as good a golf course as we've played all year. It's a little easier than the Stadium because it's not quite as big of a golf course, but the way they have it set up with narrow fairways and Bermuda rough, it puts a premium on hitting fairways."